Here's how you know your defense had a good day.

Asked if there was anything the defense did wrong in the University of Wisconsin's 37-0 demolition of Purdue on Saturday, Badgers coach Bret Bielema actually had to give it some thought.

"We gave up a third-down play, I remember, in the first half," Bielema finally said.

So that's it? A 16-yard bubble screen in the second quarter is the worst play a typically nit-picky coach can come up with after a 60-minute game?

That's when you know your defense didn't just have a good day, it had a dominant day, which is exactly what UW had in posting its first Big Ten Conference shutout in 10 years.

"It's the most exciting thing you can do as a defense," defensive end J.J. Watt said. "Pitching a shutout is what we strive for every single week. This week it worked out and it was a lot of fun for us to play out there."

And not so much fun for Purdue. You would never know it by all of the off-target throws and dropped passes, but the Boilermakers arrived at Camp Randall Stadium with a reputation as a pass-oriented offense that, while not the basketball-on-grass spread of former coach Joe Tiller, had become increasingly difficult to stop.

UW, meanwhile, had developed a reputation as a defense that would stuff the run and then give up big pass plays at critical times because of shaky cornerback play. But after two weeks of practice during which the UW coaches stopped their juggling act at cornerback and settled on Devin Smith and Niles Brinkley, the defense finally put together a complete game.

How complete was it? Purdue, which came into the game fourth in the Big Ten in total offense, had 99 yards on 46 plays at the start of the fourth quarter. The Boilermakers failed to get a first down on 11 of their 15 possessions and were 2-for-13 on third-down conversions. The Badgers even threw in a shutout-preserving, goal-line stand late in the game for good measure.

"I thought they were amazing," said tight end Mickey Turner, a team co-captain, of his teammates on the defensive side of the ball. "They've been great the last few weeks, it's just that we didn't have everything put together. Today, especially at the end when their offense was getting so many chances up there close, they held strong. It's really great to see that."

Indeed, it is. The Badgers still have a chance to finish 6-2 in the Big Ten, but their final three games are against teams -- Indiana, Michigan and Northwestern -- with dangerous offenses. For that reason, Saturday's shutout was the confidence boost the defense needed to close the season strong.

"It's very gratifying," defensive tackle Dan Moore said. "As a defense, our motto is, 'If they don't score, they can't win.' That's something that we take a lot of pride in."

The shutout happened largely because the tight coverage on Purdue's strong group of wide receivers finally rounded out UW's defense. The front seven has been strong all season and the safeties have been fairly steady. Now that the cornerbacks are up to speed, the group has a chance to become UW's best defense since 2006.

"Everybody overall on defense has been playing well," said Smith, who had UW's only interception. "(Last) week there was a huge, huge emphasis on the corners. That's why we took it so personally and just tried to gain that respect that we needed to (in order) to have a great defense and make our defense complete."

Solid play at cornerback was one reason Purdue receivers dropped six passes. It also gave UW defensive coordinator Dave Doeren -- who was credited by his players with putting together a strong game plan -- freedom in calling the defenses.

"Any time you can feel secure on the edges of your defense, it allows you to have a little more flexibility with what you do," Bielema said.

It's all due to the cornerbacks, who are the final piece to UW's defensive puzzle.

"Putting that together with what we have," defensive end O'Brien Schofield said, "we could have something very special going into the rest of the season."

After Saturday, the Badgers will be banking on it.

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