At 2-1 on the season heading into Big Ten play, Wisconsin is right where it probably should be. Yes, the loss on the road to Alabama still stings, but this was not a game in which the Badgers were expected to win. While neither home win over Miami (OH) or Middle Tennessee in the non-conference really move the needle all the much, Wisconsin is on par to still have a decent season for its standard.
Yes, the Alabama loss revealed many things that are wrong with this team. The offensive line is not anything close to what Badgers fans saw years ago under previous administrations. The slow starts to games will continue to prove costly if they are not rectified soon. Rather than poke holes at the roster and coaching staff, at least the Badgers got their first bad loss of the season out of the way.
It may not seem like much, but falling to Alabama in the way that they did could open up some eyes internally to potentially play better down the line. It was not like Wisconsin quit on its coaching staff midway through the game. The players still played hard against far better competition than they ever anticipated. If Wisconsin plays cohesively vs. decent teams in Big Ten play, they can win some games.
As long as the team honestly confronts the Alabama loss as this season's nadir, they should be fine.
Wisconsin's dose of reality may help Badgers hold off Maryland Terrapins
Looking ahead to this weekend's game, Wisconsin is a sizable favorite over the visiting Maryland Terrapins. They will be laying 8.5 points at home to commence Big Ten play. Admittedly, this is the easiest game left on Wisconsin's schedule. Finding places where Big Ten wins could likely come are few and far between. It is why this honest confrontation has to ring so true within the Wisconsin team.
There is no way to around it. How Wisconsin responds to the Alabama loss when the Badgers take on Maryland on Saturday will serve as the critical point in how this year's season could go for them. A win over the Terrapins, and the Badgers will be halfway to achieving bowl eligibility at 3-1 amid a rather challenging schedule. Dropping to 2-2 with losses to Power Four teams might seal Luke Fickell's fate.
Overall, most people respond to embarrassing failures in the same manner. They brush themselves off before picking themselves up by their bootstraps and getting back to work. A refined level of focus could be in the Badgers' favor going up against a Maryland team that was not tested in non-conference play. It is still nice out, but there has never been a better time for Maryland to turtle up.
If Wisconsin decides that the Alabama loss is this team's basement, then it can only go up from here.