(Update) Badgers grids near full health before Big Ten Championship game

• Stagg Trophy - Big Ten Football Championship

Stagg Trophy - Big Ten Football Championship

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MADISON - As the University of Wisconsin gets ready to face Nebraska in Saturday night’s Big Ten football title game, coach Bret Bielema says his Badgers are a lot healthier than the last time they played the Cornhuskers.

Safety Shelton Johnson and defensive ends Brendan Kelly and Pat Muldoon missed that game due to injuries. And linebacker Chris Borland was not quite over a strained MCL knee ligament when he recovered two fumbles by Nebraska in the Badgers’ 30-27 loss back in late September. All four of those players are expected to be ready for Saturday night’s rematch in Indianapolis. And they’ll be needed if Wisconsin hopes to slow down a Nebraska offense which leads the conference in total offense and rushing yards, and is second in scoring with over 35 points a game.

Borland has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury – but he practiced in full pads yesterday. Among other things, the Badgers hope to contain Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez, who had 187 passing yards and 107 rushing yards in the ‘Huskers win over Wisconsin. Also, Nebraska is fired up by the return of running back Rex Burkhead – who played the second half last week against Iowa, after missing four games with an injured left knee.

The 14th-ranked Cornhuskers have won their last six games. Wisconsin has lost three-of-its-last-four, all in overtime.

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For the second year in a row, University of Wisconsin running back Montee Ball was named today to the coaches association’s All-American team. The senior was the only Big Ten player to make the squad, after he broke the NCAA record for career touchdowns last week at Penn State. Earlier this week, Ball was named the Big Ten’s running back of the year for the second time in a row. And he was a consensus All-Conference first team selection by the league’s coaches and media. Ball is one of two repeat choices on the coaches’ All-American team. The other is Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones.

Tags: wisconsin sports, proam, football, badgers