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Wisconsin Football: Analyzing the Badgers through four weeks

By Tanner Nestle

MADISON, WI - AUGUST 31: Ryan Connelly #43 of the Wisconsin Badgers sacks Drew Eckels #4 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the first quarter at Camp Randall Stadium on August 31, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MADISON, WI - AUGUST 31: Ryan Connelly #43 of the Wisconsin Badgers sacks Drew Eckels #4 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the first quarter at Camp Randall Stadium on August 31, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Wisconsin Football RB Taiwan Deal
IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 22: Running back Taiwan Deal #28 of the Wisconsin Badgers runs up the field in the second half in front of linebacker Jack Hockaday #48 of the Iowa Hawkeyes, on September 22, 2018 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /

Wisconsin football has a bye this week. Here are my thoughts on the first four games.

The Wisconsin football program has taken fans on an incredible roller coaster ride in its first four games. Wisconsin got off to a slow start against Western Kentucky before finally pouring it on and winning 34-3. And it got off to an even slower start against New Mexico before, again, pouring it on. Then came BYU, where the Badgers’ slow start wasn’t something they could overcome and they eventually lost.

And finally last week against Iowa. It wasn’t a terrible start, but the offense looked plain and a loss felt inevitable. That was until some of the best late-game heroics we’ve seen in recent years came in the form of Alex Hornibrook’s left arm. The Badgers took care of business and fans are looking up yet again.

The Badgers have a long ways to go still if they’re going to be competitive in the Big Ten. Ohio State hasn’t missed a beat with new quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Penn State looks like the same monster yet again even without Saquon Barkley. Both offenses are averaging over 54 points per game this season.

The Big Ten West continues to be a wasteland. The Scott Frost era at Nebraska couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start. Northwestern seems super flat. Purdue just got a nice win over Boston College but also has dropped a game to Eastern Michigan. And the Badgers now own the tiebreaker over Iowa, who may be the biggest threat in the division.

Wisconsin has a bye this weekend, will host Nebraska on October 6th, then will travel to the Big House and take on Michigan in what should be one of the better matchups of that weekend. After that game’s conclusion in three weeks, we’ll know far more about Wisconsin football than we do currently.

But, for now, here’s what we do know.