Despite a tantalizing schedule a year ago, the Wisconsin Badgers clinched the Big Ten West. This time, expectations are even higher.
Some people were questioning whether or not last year’s Wisconsin Badgers football team would even make a bowl game, much less compete for a Big Ten divisional and conference title.
We had Colin Cowherd of FOX Sports, who thought he was going to be dead on the money predicting the Badgers’ schedule- forecasting a 6-6 schedule with losses to Northwestern, Iowa, and Michigan State to name a few.
There was even Kirk Herbstreit, who has gradually grown on Badgers fans for his picks on College Gameday who went and proclaimed that the Minnesota Golden Gophers (yes you read that right) would be the Big Ten West champs in 2016.
Check this one out here.
Despite all the doubt, the Badgers ended up using a come-from-behind victory (as if it was ever in doubt) to defeat the Gophers in the season finale to claim the Big Ten West crown. In fact, even with the Badgers difficult schedule- all three losses on the season were by seven points or less.
Moving on, the Badgers will face a significantly weaker schedule this season (knock on wood) with no major top five team on the non-conference schedule, and no top ranked road game as well either. Also, no Ohio State on the slate is always a plus- especially with all the weapons they are returning
2017 schedule:
- vs. Utah State*
- vs. Florida Atlantic
- at BYU
- vs. Northwestern
- at Nebraska
- vs. Purdue
- vs. Maryland
- at Illinois
- at Indiana
- vs. Iowa
- vs. Michigan
- at Minnesota
*played on Friday night
Obviously, the schedule is no walk-in-the-park, as home games vs. Northwestern and Michigan, as well as road games at BYU, Nebraska, and Minnesota are bound to give the Badgers a tough time.
ESPN, as reported by 247 sports, did a recent gallery predicting each Big Ten team’s first loss. There were two teams with no losses throughout the regular season: Ohio State and Wisconsin.
Nothing about this schedule screams “cupcake” as the Badgers will have a tall order in front of them if they want to repeat as Big Ten West champs and get another shot at a possible College Football Playoff berth. Wisconsin will likely be favored in a majority, if not all, of their games barring major injuries and if they can close the tough games they could not last year, another trip to Indianapolis could be on the Horizon.
Wisconsin will welcome Utah State to Camp Randall in the season opener September 1.