Wisconsin is always one of the best teams in the country, even if they are not competing for national titles. They have a long tradition of sending guys to the NFL, and they have a long tradition of playing well in the shadows of teams like Michigan, and Ohio State. They have produced a lot of talent for the NFL, and they have given us a lot of players whose names we know. JJ Watt, his younger brother TJ, and Russell Wilson come to mind. The list is nearly endless as Wisconsin has become a hub for the football players of the Midwest who will not go to the traditional powerhouses.
They had a blowout win on Saturday, and they could compete in the college football playoff if teams ahead of them start to fall more regularly.
A big surprise every time
Wisconsin could end up in the College Football Playoff with almost no fanfare if they can get to their conference title game. The Badgers are probably in line to win the rest of their games unless they have a major slip-up, and it is possible that they could embarrass one of the less prepared teams in their conferences that would be favored over them. They still want revenge for that beating they took against Ohio State a few years ago, and they have been so consistent that they have a stockpile of talent to choose from.
Defense matters
Wisconsin football has a defense that will compete with any in the country, and they are good enough to scare people who have very good offenses. The offenses that are most the competitive in the country will have trouble getting past a defensive line that features some of the larger players in the country. The offense will get back on the field more often, and the team will have more opportunities to score.
We should not expect a prolific offense from Wisconsin as much as an offense that is given more tries. They will score enough against good teams, and they will beat up on bad teams.
They are alive in the Big Ten
Wisconsin is alive in the Big Ten until they lose their first game. They are in contention until that time comes, and they may jump over a team like Michigan or Ohio State at the end of the season.
That would create a bit of a scandalous Big Ten title game, like the one we saw last year, but Wisconsin would be considered by the CFP committee as opposed to overlooked, like in the case of Penn State. Obviously Ohio State was the better team last year, but that would not be the case this year. Look at the struggles of Michigan and Ohio State before you assume they would be considered over Wisconsin.
