According to the “experts,” the Badgers apparently have the talent to be a strong team this year, but not enough to warrant consideration as one of the top teams in the Big Ten.
The question is why can’t Wisconsin expect to be in the running for the Big Ten crown? It has as few question marks as anyone outside of Michigan, the schedule seems to be as favorable as the Badgers can expect, and a return to a more conservative run-first mentality should bring back the look of past championship teams.
Michigan is the favorite in the Big Ten because it returns most of its defense and enough offense, including what most likely is the best receiving corps in the nation, to lessen the impact of key losses at running back and quarterback.
The rest of the teams in the Big Ten have larger gaps to fill. With Ohio State trying to make up for the loss of 14 players to the NFL draft, Iowa needing to retool its offense, Purdue trying to fill in a lot of gaps on defense, and Minnesota still looking for some defense and a new quarterback, Wisconsin has as few question marks as any of the other main contenders.
One of the Badgers’ biggest question marks is at quarterback, where John Stocco takes over the reins. However, with all of the talent around him, he won’t have the pressure to perform at a high level right away. Of course, Stocco has been hyped to have the talent necessary for him to step in and be a big part of an explosive offense. It should be remembered that Brooks Bollinger was a first-year starter during the Badgers’ last run to the Rose Bowl.
The other key question mark is at linebacker, where UW will start three new players. With only three starts between them from a season ago, the linebackers will have to prove that they are as good as the frontline and the defensive backfield. If that group proves effective, and that is the biggest if, the Badgers will be as good as anyone on the defensive side of the ball.
Outside of those areas of concern, Wisconsin is returning enough talent to be considered one of the most competitive teams in the Big Ten. More importantly, teams like Ohio State and Iowa are counting on newcomers to step right in and replace All-American and All-Big Ten caliber players without any loss in on-field effectiveness. If those are the expectations around the rest of the Big Ten, why can’t the Badgers expect Stocco and the linebackers to prove themselves capable?
The Badgers have been experimenting with spread offenses, multiple formations, and a wide-open passing attack for the past three seasons. The Badgers are a combined 20-19 with two lesser bowl appearances over those three seasons.
Breaking in a new quarterback and returning one of the best running backs in the nation, a return to Barry Alvarez’s run-first roots can be expected. A return to a run-first offense should also bring back the success of the mid to late ’90s.
Wisconsin returns the entirety of its line, has a bulldozer of a fullback in Matt Bernstein, and Anthony Davis highlights a deep and talented group of running backs. Much like the days when Ron Dayne ran the ball 30 to 40 times, eating up as much clock as yards, the Badgers will be able to control the tempo of the game.
While it seems that such a formidable run offense will concern the defensive coordinators around the Big Ten, the group who should be worried are the offensive coordinators who will have to make the most of every opportunity. Like the Badgers’ past championship teams, this squad should be able to control the clock, limiting the offensive chances of their opponents.
It should be pointed out that when Wisconsin has run the ball 50 times or more in a game during the Alvarez era they are 53-5. The more times the Badgers can get their best player, Anthony Davis, the ball, the better.
While it is hard to pick against the Wolverines this year, the Badgers will not be seeing any maize and blue during the season. With all of the other top contenders having to go through Michigan, a one-loss team could very easily earn a share of the Big Ten crown.
Wisconsin does not face Michigan, but does have to travel to Iowa, Ohio State, and Purdue. All of those games are winnable games for the Badgers.
With a soft schedule leading up to those games, Wisconsin should be on a roll heading into the tougher mid-season tilts. If the Badgers can ride a wave of success into their road games, winning at least two out of the three isn’t unreasonable.
While Wisconsin has three tough road games, Minnesota may be the toughest opponent on the schedule. The Battle for the Axe will take place in Camp Randall Stadium this year, as will five other games. Certainly Badger fans should expect six happy Saturday afternoons this fall.
Alvarez has never gone five years without a share of the Big Ten title. This is year five and the fifth-year seniors are well aware that they could be the first group to not win a championship during their stay. That alone should be enough to propel Wisconsin to this year’s Rose Bowl, but then again I’m probably just an overzealous fan doing some wishful thinking.
