Music to listen to: Fly Like an Eagle by The Steve Miller Band
Last Season: The Badgers did what has become a standard for Wisconsin football. Through a physically imposing rushing attack and solid defense, they won 11 games, shared the Big Ten conference title made it to a Rose Bowl by having the highest BCS ranking between them, Ohio State and Michigan State.
It was an odd season in several ways. The best player, running back John Clay, was hampered with injuries through the season yet the offense didn’t suffer much in his absence. The Badgers also had their typical situation of beating teams they’re supposed to at home and even springing an upset like the contest against Ohio State. However, when the Badgers leave their home state to face a squad of equal or better talent, like the trip to Michigan State or the Rose Bowl against TCU, a loss most likely happens.
While this scenario will win conference titles, it won’t win a national title.
Offense: The biggest transfer of the 2011 season will be quarterback Russell Wilson from North Carolina State to Wisconsin. The Badgers have arguably the most physically gifted quarterback the program has ever had. He will have the benefit of playing with improved talent as well.
Some have worried that Wilson’s freelance quarterbacking style he developed at NC State won’t be a good transition to the run-heavy and conservative offense of the Badgers. That’s a fair critique but Wilson also had to do a lot more for the Wolfpack to achieve offensive success, hence the playing style. With Wisconsin, he will show discipline.
Furthermore, despite the Badgers losing All-America offensive linemen Gabe Carimi and John Moffitt, the offensive line should be fine because the program is at the stage where anybody they put in those spots should be fine. Furthermore, there are three starters returning to the line along with talented running backs James White and Montee Ball, who each rushed for more than 900 yards and 14 touchdowns EACH last year, so the Badgers will score points.
Defense: There are more significant losses on defense, particularly on the defensive line where talented defensive end J.J. Watt is now in the NFL. While returning starters Patrick Butrym and Louis Nzegwu are back starting on the line, Watt’s production will be missed.
The back eight have some questions to answer as well. The top four tacklers from last season are gone and the only returning linebacker is Mike Taylor. The secondary also has to have a better season as a unit this year as opposed to an average 2010 if the Badgers expect to compete for a Big Ten title.
Coaching: Since taking over for Barry Alvarez in 2006, head coach Bret Bielema has gone 49-16, averaged more than nine wins a year and taken the Badgers to five straight bowl games. There isn’t much to complain about from one of the most underrated coaches in college football.
Schedule:
9/1 vs. UNLV
9/10 vs. Oregon State
9/17 vs. Northern Illinois*
9/24 vs. South Dakota
10/1 vs. Nebraska
10/15 vs. Indiana
10/22 at Michigan State
10/29 at Ohio State
11/5 vs. Purdue
11/12 at Minnesota
11/19 at Illinois
11/26 vs. Penn State
*at Soldier Field in Chicago
The Badgers should be ashamed of that schedule. Their first true road contest is at Michigan State on October 22. The South Dakota game is just insulting. If the Badgers aren’t at least 5-1 heading into that game, someone needs to get fired. Wisconsin does have to head to Michigan State and Ohio State in two consecutive weeks, so that’s tough. Other than that, the Badgers are winning 10 games this year.
Best case: The Badgers parlay their easy early part of the schedule into a record-breaking year where Wilson emerges as a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and leads the team to an undefeated season by winning their two toughest road games and heading to another Rose Bowl while the Pac-12 and SEC champs play in the BCS title game.
Worst case: The defense continues to struggle against the pass and the transition to Wilson doesn’t go as well as expected. The Badgers still win nine games but falter in their true road tests and even drop a contest that they shouldn’t. I’m looking at that game in Illinois against the Illiini,
Alumna Crush:
I’m going to go with Tamara Braun, a veteran actress of various soap operas, including my favorite, General Hospital.
Favorite football alum:
I’m going to go with Ron Dayne for two reasons.
First, I remember him winning the Heisman Trophy over Joe Hamilton of Georgia Tech in the most obvious example of someone winning the title as a lifetime achievement award. Anyone who watched the 1999 college football season knew that Hamilton was the best player in the sport that year.
Second, my favorite NFL team, the New York Giants, took Dayne in the NFL draft ahead of Shaun Ellis, John Abraham, Bubba Franks, Julian Peterson and Shaun frickin Alexander. I knew that Dayne was a product of the Wisconsin running system and would be a bust in the NFL. Furthermore, I saw Shaun Alexander develop into one of the better SEC running backs of the past 30 years and knew that he would be a solid player. I’m still mad at the Giants years later about this.
Uniform Grade:
They wear red and white in different combos. They’re typical and expected. Grade: C
I do give the mascot, Bucky the Badger, major points. First, I respect the fact that he wears a turtleneck top despite the fact that he already has fur that should protect him from the cold. That top must make him warm during the summer. Second, the choice of no pants is always acceptable in my view. Finally, I respect the pride in wearing the pinstripes is a nice touch as well as the big “W” logo. I’m not a fan of many mascots but Bucky is one of my favorites. Grade: B+ (Bucky would be an A- if he had a short sleeve shirt option. Sweater vest?)
Final Thoughts: You’re probably reading this and wondering how I can have a probable 10-win team ranked so low in the poll. While the Badgers will rack up wins this year, I still think that they’re no better than a top-20 team on paper. I think that they will lose their two toughest road games at Michigan State and Ohio State along with another contest that they shouldn’t. It will still be a good year but not good enough to make the BCS.
Prediction: 9-3
The Sports Inquirer 
Leave a comment