Zach Brown may be a freshman running back that has never played against Ohio State in Columbus, but he is not going to let that slow him down.

After sophomore running back P.J. Hill left last week’s game against Indiana with a bruised lower leg, Brown realized the bulk of the load against the No. 1-ranked team in the country might fall into his hands this weekend.

“Every week I practice like I’m the starter,” he said. “Like I said, you never know when you’re going to go down or who’s going to go down, so you have to be ready.”

Brown will enter the Buckeye state with 35 carries for a total of 118 yards. Those are not huge numbers, but against an upstart Indiana team, Brown was able to fill in for Hill effectively, scoring his first career collegiate touchdown.

“That’s why we brought him in,” UW running backs coach John Settle said. “We feel comfortable with what he’s done, the opportunities he’s had so far.

“I have all the confidence in the world that if it comes down to him starting the game at the ‘Shoe’ [Ohio Stadium] on Saturday, he’ll be prepared.”

Matching up against Ohio State, Brown will definitely need to be prepared. He will be running against one of the top-ranked defenses in the nation. Led by linebacker James Laurinaitis, the Buckeyes surrender only 70.9 rushing yards per game.

Facing the Big Ten’s top rushing defense in front of a raucous crowd of over 100,000 scarlet- and gray- clad fans might be frightening for most players. Yet, that is not the case for Brown.

“I’m not nervous at all,” Brown said. “I think I’ve been playing enough, I’ve been practicing hard, so I feel like I’m confident when I get in the game.”

Three games ago, the Badgers played in a hostile environment in Happy Valley, and it was a game that many associated with UW would like to forget. The Badgers did not get off to a good start against Penn State, and the environment seemed to fuel the Nittany Lions’ momentum.

The Buckeyes also feed off their crowd in Columbus, but in Brown’s case, playing in a monstrous opponent’s stadium earlier in the season may have given him something to use as a preparation tool for this weekend’s matchup.

“You just got to go in there and play your best,” Brown said. “If you focus on the game, the crowd should be nothing to you. You know what you’re doing, you’re out there focused … you should be ready to perform.”

Junior fullback Chris Pressley understands that he would be blocking for a young player, but a talented one as well.

“I’m very confident that he’s ready to go,” Pressley said. “He’s a good back, he’s one of those guys [who] knows he has to step up.

“He’s a smart kid. He comes out to practice with an edge and a chip on his shoulder. He’s coming ready to play, so he’s looking forward to it.”

The Buckeyes have won 19 Big Ten games in a row. The Badgers have won three in a row in Columbus including a 24-13 win in the 2004 season.

Something has to give. Whether Hill or Brown is rushing the ball for UW remains to be seen. What is certain is that whoever takes the handoffs will be ready for the biggest game of the 2007 season.