Jeff Potrykus

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Madison – The formula for reaching the ultimate goal hasn’t changed:

Just win baby.

“Our job is to keep winning games, keep putting ‘W’s in the column,” Wisconsin senior cornerback Sojourn Shelton said after UW routed Illinois, 48-3, on Saturday. “When everything pans out, hopefully, we’re in a good position.

“But you can’t control that. You’ve got to play ball, which we’ve been doing, and keep having fun.”

UW (8-2, 5-2 Big Ten) continues to win, continues to move toward a berth in the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis and, with a victory there, likely would secure a berth in the College Football Playoff.

UW FOOTBALL CHAT: Jeff Potrykus at 7 p.m. Monday

“I feel we’ve been playing well,” Shelton said. “I think today was a chance for us to put everything together and play that perfect game. We haven’t played a perfect game yet but this is one that was close.

“Everybody was having fun, enjoying it. That’s what it is all about.”

UW on Sunday moved up one spot to No. 6 in both the Amway coaches poll and The Associated Press poll.

The third College Football Playoff rankings are to be released at 8 p.m. Tuesday. UW opened at No. 8, moved up to No. 7 last week and could move up another spot this week in the wake of losses suffered by No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Michigan and No. 4 Washington.

UW, which has won four consecutive games, plays at 11 a.m. Saturday at Purdue (3-7, 1-6) and closes the regular season on Nov. 26 against visiting Minnesota (7-3, 4-3).

D'Amato: Chryst pushing right buttons

UW faces a Purdue team that has an interim head coach (Gerad Parker) and a defense that lacks healthy bodies and quality depth.

The Northwestern offense that generated one scoring drive and 39 rushing yards against UW rolled up 253 rushing yards, 605 total yards and 31 second-half points in a 45-17 victory Saturday at Purdue.

UW rushed for a season-high 363 yards against Illinois. Purdue is 13th in the Big Ten in rushing defense (248.8 ypg).

What do you think UW will try to do Saturday?

Look for Corey Clement, Bradrick Shaw and Dare Ogunbowale to get plenty of work against the Boilermakers.

Clement (25 carries, 123 yards and three TDs), Ogunbowle (7-103) and Shaw (19-80, 1 TD) combined for 306 yards and four touchdowns against Illinois.

“The run game was there completely,” UW center Michael Deiter said. “But we’ve got to make sure we do this week in and week out. We can’t just do this once.”

Thanks in part to stability on the offensive line and better reads by the backs, UW in the last five games is averaging 235.8 rushing yards per game.

“I think certainly anytime you have success or your experiences, that does give you more confidence,” UW coach Paul Chryst said. “And I think what gives you confidence, too, is knowing what it was that you did to give yourself the chance to have that happen."

Victories over Purdue and Minnesota would send UW to the Big Ten title game on Dec. 3 for the fourth time since the event debuted in 2011.

The West Division winner could face either Michigan (9-1, 6-1), Ohio State (9-1, 6-1) or Penn State (8-2, 6-1).

If Michigan defeats visiting Indiana and wins at Ohio State it will represent the East Division in the title game

Penn State needs to win at Rutgers and defeat visiting Michigan State and have Michigan lose once to secure a berth in the title game.

Ohio State must win at Michigan State and beat visiting Michigan and hope Penn State loses once to advance to the title game.

UW needs help from no Big Ten team.

Just keep winning.

“I feel like we try to impose our will on our opponent each and every week,” outside linebacker T.J. Watt said. “I feel like we just wore them down.”