CBS Sports has pinpointed the teams most likely to rebound from last season. To go from not very good (or bad) to one of the better teams. The basis of their picks actually has to do with FanDuel's predictions more than their own analysis. It's the second part of a two-part series where they use FanDuel's over/under prediction on the season to determine the teams predicted to regress (part 1) and the teams to rebound (part 2). Wisconsin is one of those teams.
There are actually nine teams mentioned: Arkansas, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Kansas State, Penn State, Virginia Tech, UCLA, Florida, and Oklahoma State. The Badgers were the second team mentioned, partly because they are expected to go from a four-win season last year to over six wins next year.
FanDuel has the Badgers at a 6.5 win total. CBS Sports places the ownership on Fickell for finding a way to get it done this season, pointing out that the team has only regressed since Fickell. Starting with seven wins and then last season only having four. Author Cody Nagel writes, "Fickell needs to get back on track, and even seven wins would only return the Badgers to where they stood in his first season. "
Wisconsin's schedule helps but it also sees 2 other teams on this list
Related: 3 things Wisconsin fans need to hear from Luke Fickell at Big Ten Media Days
The biggest reason for the bump, according to Nagel, is the schedule. Wisconsin doesn't have any of the big boys on the schedule that they had last year, like Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon. This season features teams like Purdue, Michigan State, and Rutgers. In reality, six wins would be just beating every team they are supposed to beat and dropping a game or two that the Badgers shouldn't.
This list is also illuminating because Wisconsin sees two of its season opponents on this same list. UCLA and Penn State are both on here, and the Badgers will see the Nittany Lions Saturday, September 26, as the intro to the Big Ten schedule. They won't see the UCLA Bruins until Saturday, October 17.
Penn State is expected to improve because of a new coach hire, Matt Campbell. FanDuel sets the win number at 8.5, and they are given the same justification as Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions have a very manageable schedule.
UCLA only had three wins last season, and the Bruins went out and hired Bob Chesney. Now the win total has catapulted up to 6.5 (like Wisconsin) according to FanDuel. The biggest justification, according to Nagel and CBS Sports, is that Chesney has won everywhere he's coached, and the Bruins' schedule starts pretty soft. There's a real chance the team is 3-0 before the Big Ten kicks off. That would give them a really solid start to the season.
Ultimately, Fickell needs to get the Badgers going, and it's nice to see encouraging predictions like this, but until there are actually wins in the win column, it'll be hard not to be a tad skeptical.
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