The Wisconsin Badgers seemed to be in trouble when Gary Andersen abruptly left the program and athletic director Barry Alvarez hired Paul Chryst, a former Wisconsin offensive coordinator but a head coach who never turned the corner at Pittsburgh, as Andersen’s replacement. Yet, that move has turned out very well. Wisconsin came very close to winning the Big Ten championship last year, and the program is in very good position to win the league this year. Chryst has recruited well, but he has also coached well enough to make his talent mesh on the field.
How Did They End 2016
The Badgers took care of Minnesota to clinch the Big Ten West Division championship and book a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis. In that game, the Badgers took a big lead on Penn State and seemed to be in full control. Keep in mind that Wisconsin is the ultimate team suited to protecting a big lead. The Badgers have a massive offensive line. They like to run the ball and are very good at it. This should have been a routine second half with clock-eating drives and a responsible defense taking care of business. However, Wisconsin lost its footing and then panicked. Penn State wide receivers made some incredible plays, but the Badgers also got beaten in many cases, not paying attention to the extent they should have. The offense lost focus as well, failing to dent the Penn State defense after manhandling it in the first half. Wisconsin let this huge opportunity slip away.
The Badgers did regroup by winning the Cotton Bowl against Western Michigan, capping a very successful season. Yet, they could have been conference champions, and it is interesting to see if that game weighs on the team this year.
Offseason Changes
Star running back Corey Clement and defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox are both gone. Wilcox became the head coach at the University of California in Berkeley. Jim Leonhard, who played college ball at Wisconsin before a productive NFL career, will fill in for Wilcox as defensive coordinator. The Badgers are known for getting consistent performances out of changing coaching staffs, so that tendency will be tested again this season.
Team X-Factor
Jazz Peavy – the speedster will be the key to the Wisconsin offense this season. Paul Chryst loves to run a jet sweep, in which Peavy comes across the formation in motion and receives a handoff from the quarterback just after the snap. Defenses consistently failed to defend the play in 2016. Wisconsin will continue to need to get mileage from the play this year to keep defenses off balance.
What To Expect From The Badgers This Year
The road trip to Nebraska will be tough, but Wisconsin has a formula and is able to replicate it extremely well. Wisconsin doesn’t do a lot of fancy things. The Badgers block better, tackle better, and hit better than their opponents do. This team might not be better than last year’s, but it should produce at a similar rate.
Record Last 5 Seasons
2016: 11-3
2015: 10-3
2014: 11-3
2013: 9-4
2012: 8-6
Schedule and Outlook
Given the Badgers schedule, there is no reason they should be anything but 3-0 to start the year. They’ll host Utah State in Week 1 followed by a visit from Florida Atlantic in Week 2. They’ll be big favorites in both contests. They’ll go to BYU in Week 3, which might be slightly more challenging, but a win should be expected there.
The good news for Wisconsin this season is that they’ll host most of their tough games. They’ll host Northwestern, Iowa, Maryland and Michigan. They do have to go on the road to Nebraska and Minnesota, but that’s manageable. The Badgers also don’t have to see Ohio State, which is a big plus.
There is no tough non-conference game. Wisconsin avoids both Penn State and Ohio State on the schedule, playing its only really tough Big Ten East team when it faces Michigan. This is a schedule made for 10 wins. Take the over with your betting picks here.
Regular Season Win Total Prediction: Over 9.5
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