I can honestly say, without a shadow of a doubt, that I did not expect to be writing this column during conference championship week of the college football season.

That was especially my feelings after week four of the season when I saw a Penn State team, although battered by injuries, get demolished by Michigan in Ann Arbor, 49-10. I was actually there, in the "Big House" and saw firsthand what happened that day.The Nittany Lions could've tucked their metaphorical tails between their legs and have finished the season as most expected - with a 7-5 or 8-4 record - but as you can see they did the opposite. In fact, they have reeled off eight straight Big Ten victories, they have become one of the most improved offensives in the country, and since the return of Brandon Bell and Jason Cabinda have become one of the hottest defenses in the nation.Usually, a 39-point loss to the Wolverines in September is not a sign of good things to come, but for this team it was exactly what the doctor ordered.Anyone that reads this column on a weekly basis has been informed of how Penn State has achieved its 10-2 mark, so let's talk about where the Nittany Lions are going, which is Indianapolis to face Wisconsin (10-2) in the Big Ten Championship (8:17 p.m. ET, FOX).For those of you who want me to get into the possible scenarios after the Big Ten Championship is played, I'm not going to do that just yet. I will be writing a column for Monday's Times News after the College Football Playoff Committee has released its final rankings at noon tomorrow. So, if you would like my thoughts on the conclusion of the Big Ten championship and the CFP scenario, make sure to pick up Monday's edition of the Times News.Now onto the Big Ten Championship, where I believe the Nittany Lions will face perhaps its toughest test of the season. Before anyone loses their minds, I'm not saying that Penn State's matchups with Ohio State and Michigan were any less challenging, I just think this matchup, which is on such a grand stage, has a bit more on the line.My secondary reason for why this is such a tough matchup for the Nittany Lions is because I think the Badgers match up really well with them. I've mentioned probably about a hundred times throughout the season that Penn State had to take advantage of teams loading up on the box to stop Saquon Barkley (1,219 yards rushing, 15 TDs).Quarterback Trace McSorley has done just that, leading the Big Ten in passing efficiency, throwing for 2,976 yards with 21 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He also leads the country in yards per completion with a stunning 16 yards per completion average. When defenses have loaded up against the Nittany Lions, McSorley has had the arm loaded and has fired a deep passing attack on opposing defenses.That brings me to the different matchups between the Badgers and the Nittany Lions.Wisconsin's defensive unit is one of the best in the country and it doesn't have to load up the box to stop the run, because quite frankly, they do a well enough job doing that with its front seven. The Badgers rank third in the nation in rush defense, yielding just 100.8 yards per game. Penn State has struggled against run-stopping defenses at times this season, so as always the play of McSorley becomes ever so important once again. All signs point to Barkley being healthy against the Badgers. He got a little banged up against Michigan State with an ankle injury, and if Barkley re-injures his ankle, it could be a tough day on the ground for Penn State.If McSorley is to have success through the air, he's going to have to take care of the football. That will not be an easy task as the Badgers secondary leads the country with 21 interceptions on the season. Wisconsin's ability to rush the passer, the linebacker's skill in covering players in space, and its secondary's playmaking capability will all be significant hurdles for McSorley.A statistic that really jumps out at you is the Badgers points surrendered per game. They're giving up just 13.7 points per game, which shows you just how hard it is to put the ball in the end zone against the West Division champs."No doubt that's their strength. Their secondary is leading the country in interceptions, but I think it's their linebackers. We talked to other coaches that have played them. Those guys are really good. They're productive. They play with great energy," said Penn State head coach James Franklin. "I think the biggest thing about them is with their linebacker's leadership. Not only do they make negative-yardage plays, they're one of these defenses that are never out of position, they're always in position, they're sound."You watch the tape. It's not like they do anything that just overwhelms you. It's not like last year we had AJ who could overwhelm people at times. It's not like they're doing anything to overwhelm you from a scheme standpoint, but they're just always in position."For Penn State to come away with a win in this one, it will not only have to continue to put up big plays in the passing game, it must also continue to play solid defense. The key for the Nittany Lions defense will be to stop the run.Wisconsin's success on the offensive end comes predominantly from its rushing attack. They love to pound the football, averaging just over 200 yards per game on the ground. Corey Clement is the man the Nittany Lions will have to contain, which will not be easy. Clement has rushed for 1,140 yards and 13 touchdowns on the season and uses his 235-pound frame to pound the opposition.Franklin, the Big Ten Coach of the Year, will want to make the Badgers pass the football. They average just 179.6 yards through the air per game and head coach Paul Chryst likes to use the two quarterback system. If Penn State's defense can stuff the Badgers run game, its chances for success go up quite a bit.This game has all the attributes needed to be considered a big time college football game. A conference championship is on the line, a possible spot in the CFP is on the line, and lastly, a very fruitful recruiting off-season is on the line.Las Vegas has the line at Wisconsion -3.As I noted throughout the column, this is a tough matchup for Penn State. Wisconsin is physical, it's great up front on both sides of the ball and I give it the advantage in the trenches. But I like to go with the team that is currently the hottest, and right now, that's Penn State. I like McSorley's play-making ability and I like the way the Nittany Lions have performed against the run over their last five games.My pick is Penn State 31, Wisconsin 21.