15* Wisconsin/Stanford Rose Bowl ANNIHILATOR on Wisconsin +7

Wisconsin vs. Stanford, 01/01/2013 17:00 EDT, Score: 14 - 20

Point Spread: +7/-115 Wisconsin

Sportsbook: Bovada

Result: Win

The Badgers will at least have a familiar face guiding the program in in former head coach Barry Alvarez. With his credentials, he certainly demands respect from his players. He’s the reason Wisconsin has become a Big Ten contender over the past couple decades, and Bret Bielema owes his coaching career to Alvarez. These players won’t have a problem playing for this proven winner.

Wisconsin is going to be highly motivated because of all the negativity throughout the media it will have received leading up to the Rose Bowl. It will be hearing about how it doesn’t even belong in this game because Ohio State and Penn State were ineligible, allowing the Badgers to reach the Big Ten title game. Plus, it wants to make up for two straight heartbreaking Rose Bowl losses over the past two years, which only adds more fuel to the fire.

A closer look at the Badgers’ schedule this season shows that this is much better than an 8-5 team. Their five losses have all come by 7 points or less, including four by exactly 3 points. That 7-point loss came in overtime to Ohio State, which went 12-0 this season. There's no question this team is underrated heading into the Rose Bowl as they have simply been on the wrong end of all the breaks this year.

However, Wisconsin is coming off its most dominant performance of the season in a 70-31 victory over Nebraska in the Big Ten Championship. It racked up 640 total yards against the Cornhuskers, and it comes into the Rose Bowl with a ton of momentum after such a strong showing. That, coupled with the motivational factors, gives the Badgers a great chance of staying within a touchdown of Stanford. Roll with Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl Tuesday.

Recommendation: Buy Wisconsin to +7