Wisconsin LB Chris Orr ahead of rematch against Ohio State: 'I would definitely say they're a cut above for sure'

There is absolutely a thing in football that can provide an opposition an extra boost of energy. It’s called bulletin board material.

Before a game, throughout that week of preparation, one team can talk crap about another and provide that extra spark. Obviously, that’s not smart. Coaches love to avoid bulletin board material for the other team.

Again, typically that is done through trash talk. Or, as Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens has shown, through a t-shirt.

This coming weekend, the Big Ten Championship Game will be played in Indianapolis. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 7 and the contest will be televised on FOX.

Ohio State is representing the Big Ten East, while Wisconsin is representing the Big Ten West.

The two teams met earlier this season and the Buckeyes won convincingly, 38-7. They’ve actually defeated just about every opponent convincingly this year, with the lone exception being an 11-point win over Penn State.

On Monday, Badgers LB Chris Orr and RB Jonathan Taylor talked about the upcoming rematch. Here’s Taylor:

“I have to make sure I’m ready this week,” he said.

Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor said he is "very motivated" to play Ohio State for perhaps the final time in Big Ten championship.

"I know my team will try to lean on me to make plays."

OSU has bottled him up a couple of time in the past, including earlier this season.

— Nathan Baird (@nwbaird) December 2, 2019

Taylor recognizes that he’s going to be a big part of what Wisconsin tries to do offensively on Saturday. No surprise there.

What Orr said is a bit more intriguing, though:

Wisconsin LB Chris Orr on Ohio State relative to rest of the Big Ten: "I would definitely say they're a cut above for sure, and they've shown that."

— Nathan Baird (@nwbaird) December 2, 2019

He said that when compared to the rest of the Big Ten, Ohio State is “definitely” a cut above. Is Orr right? Well, maybe. Like he said, the Buckeyes have seemed to show that throughout 2019.

But, should he say that?

Again, this isn’t necessarily bulletin board material in the sense of smack talk. But it could be material for the fact that Orr is acknowledging that he knows Ohio State is a cut above everyone else — that includes Wisconsin.

Does Ohio State have the advantage mentally before the game even begins?

Perhaps.

We’ll find out Saturday night for sure.