Wins on Saturdays are often determined by signed letters of intent over Februaries past. This piece is a look at the composite ratings of Saturday's starters that signed on the dotted line for Wisconsin and Ohio State.

RECRUITING RANKINGS: OHIO STATE'S OFF. STARTERS VS. WISCONSIN'S DEF. STARTERS 

POSITION	PLAYER	COMP. RATING	POSITION	PLAYER	COMP. RATING
ILB	TJ EDWARDS	.860	QB	J.T. BARRETT	.935
ILB	RYAN CONNELLY	.699	RB	J.K. DOBBINS	.979
CB	DERRICK TINDAL	.821	WR	AUSTIN MACK	.961
CB	NICK NELSON	.793	WR	JOHNNIE DIXON	.964
SS	D'COTA DIXON	.845	HY	PARRIS CAMPBELL	.936
FS	NATRELL JAMERSON	.841	TE	MARCUS BAUGH	.960
OLB	GARRET DOOLEY	.869	LT	JAMARCO JONES	.970
DE	ALEC JAMES	.888	LG	MICHAEL JORDAN	.939
NT	OLIVE SAGAPOLU	.852	C	BILLY PRICE	.916
DE	CONOR SHEEHY	.886	RG	DEMTRIUS KNOX	.952
OLB	LEON JACOBS	.806	RT	ISAIAH PRINCE	.950
	AVERAGE	.833		AVERAGE	.951

DE Alec James (.888) is the highest rated player on Wisconsin's defense. The Badgers have eight players with a ranking of at least .800, one in the .700s and one player that was unranked (.699). All of Ohio State's offensive starters are ranked in the .900s.

If Dwayne Haskins gets the start, the Buckeyes' offensive starter average jumps from .951 to .953

Mike Weber, KJ Hill, Binjimen Victor and Terry McLaurin are listed as "or" at their respective positions. If all four are substituted into the starting lineup, Ohio State's average goes from .951 to .942. 

OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE RECRUITING NOTES

• Wisconsin's highest rated defensive starter is DE Alec James (.888).
• The largest gap between these units is the 280 point difference between Ohio State's RB J.K. Dobbins (.979) and the Badgers' ILB Ryan Connelly (.699). Connelly does not play like an unranked recruit.
• The average of Ohio State's offensive starters is 118 points better than Wisconsin's defensive starters.

RECRUITING RANKINGS: OHIO STATE'S DEF. STARTERS VS. WISCONSIN'S OFF. STARTERS

POSITION	PLAYER	COMP. RATING	POSITION	PLAYER	COMP. RATING
LT	MICHAEL DEITER	.833	DE	TYQUAN LEWIS	.898
LG	JON DIETZEN	.890	DT	TRACY SPRINKLE	.859
C	TYLER BIADASZ	.841	DT	DRE'MONT JONES	.938
RG	BEAU BENZSCHAWEL	.803	DE	SAM HUBBARD	.923
RT	DAVID EDWARDS	.860	LB	DANTE BOOKER	.972
FB	AUSTIN RAMESH	.861	MLB	CHRIS WORLEY	.868
RB	JONATHAN TAYLOR	.885	LB	JEROME BAKER	.969
WR	AJ TAYLOR	.890	CB	DENZEL WARD	.903
TE	TROY FUMAGALLI	.821	S	DAMON WEBB	.982
QB	ALEX HORNIBROOK	.845	S	JORDAN FULLER	.938
WR	DANNY DAVIS III	.912	CB	DAMON ARNETTE	.944
	AVERAGE	.858		AVERAGE	.927

The and/or players this week are: DE Nick Bosa (.997), DE Jalyn Holmes (.962), LB Malik Harrison (.857), MLB Tuf Borland (.893) and Kendall Sheffield (.931).

If all of the and/or players are substituted, Ohio State's average jumps from .927 to .930. That is a three point difference.

DEFENSIVE/OFFENSIVE RECRUITING NOTES

• Wisconsin's highest rated offensive starter is WR Danny Davis III (.912).
• The largest gap between these units is the 161 point difference between Ohio State's SAF Damon Webb (.982) and Badger TE Troy Fumagalli (.821).
• Wisconsin has a point advantage with one of the 11 positions. 
• The average of Ohio State's defensive starters is 69 points better than the Badgers' offensive starters.

Comparing Ohio State's and Wisconsin's Recruiting Classes

YEAR	OHIO STATE	WISCONSIN
2014	.906	.848
2015	.903	.855
2016	.916	.850
2017	.946	.858
AVG	.918	.853

Ohio State averaged a national ranking of 4th over the last four years.
Over the past four recruiting cycles, Wisconsin averaged a national ranking of 37th. 

ICYMI
The Rundown: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Wisconsin
The 1942 Season Through The Words Of The Past: 11/29/1942