Barry Alvarez can't coach from the sideline because he needs knee replacement surgery. Heisman Trophy candidate Ron Dayne is nursing a sprained ankle.

	Barry Alvarez is battling a knee injury that has him coaching from the press box.

Now the big question is whether Wisconsin (No. 17 ESPN/USA Today, No. 20 AP) can stay with No. 4 Michigan after losing to lowly Cincinnati.

Don't worry, wide receiver Nick Davis says, Wisconsin will be ready to open Big Ten play against the Wolverines at Camp Randall Stadium.

Alvarez is to have surgery Oct. 5 and probably will coach from the press box Saturday.

"We're just going to support him and get through it," Davis said.

And Dayne, who had 231 yards in last week's 17-12 loss to the Bearcats, says his ankle is fine.

"It's feeling good," Dayne said. "I'm able to run."

But how is Wisconsin (2-1) to support Dayne's bruising runs? Against the Bearcats, Scott Kavanagh threw for 85 yards. That won't do against the Wolverines (3-0).

Last year, Wisconsin traveled to Ann Arbor with a 9-0 record and No. 8 ranking. The 15th-ranked Wolverines won, 27-10, and ran for 257 yards against the nation's best rushing defense. Dayne was held to 58 yards.

Michigan coach Lloyd Carr doesn't see much change in the Badgers, but he certainly expects a closer game.

"Essentially, Wisconsin has the same team it had a year ago, with the exception of the quarterback," Carr said, referring to Kavanagh replacing Mike Samuel. "They have a strong, powerful offensive team. They have a strong defense. They have a great punter. They want to play ball control, field-position football. They have the kind of people that allow them to do that."

Michigan needs to get its offense untracked, too. Jeff Del Verne kicked three field goals in an 18-13 win over Syracuse.

Carr says he'll continue alternating quarterbacks, with Tom Brady starting and Drew Henson playing the second quarter. He also wants more touchdowns.

"We missed out on some opportunities," Carr said. "Our first drive, we have the ball for 10 plays, then we drop a pass. Then we get a field goal blocked.

"In these big games, the line between winning and losing is very small. You have to take advantage.