Wait, Wisconsin is ... fast and furious?

MADISON, Wis. -- If you've followed Wisconsin for the past quarter-century, you know the program's formula: big, strong, smart players executing well-crafted schemes designed to overpower opponents.

You also know how the last chapter often goes: Badgers meet faster team. Badgers put up good fight. Badgers lose on talent and come up just shy of national title contention. It's a script some might already be writing before No. 4 Wisconsin takes on No. 8 Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game Saturday night in Indianapolis.

If the favored Buckeyes win, the script goes, it'll be because they have more speed and more explosive players who were once much higher-rated recruits than the Badgers.…