There are high hopes for the Wisconsin Badger football team this season. Luke Fickell is in the process of a rebuild of his own team and his own roster. After bringing in over 30 transfer players, the Badgers are hoping to compete in the Big Ten this year and make a bowl game after missing for a couple of weeks straight.
ESPN's latest rankings don't believe in Fickell's rebuild at all, as a panel of writers has ranked the Badgers at No. 14 out of 18 in the Big Ten for the upcoming year. There's not a lot of confidence that things will actually turn around this season, even after key additions.
ESPN has Wisconsin ranked as the No. 14 team in the Big Ten
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ESPN says that there are still signs that point to a team that will leave the season frustrated once again. The article lists more coaching staff turnover, key transfer losses, a poor recruiting class last season, and the lack of player development as a sign the Badgers are in trouble again.
This is discouraging to read if you are a glass-half-empty sort of person. All these things that ESPN lists are true and real. There's an actual concern that the Badgers won't be able to turn things around. However, if you are a glass-half-full person, this is a "flying under the radar" situation, and maybe the Badgers will surprise everyone.
There is some reason for optimism if you like that sort of thing. There's a deeper quarterback room, with the No. 2 quarterback from last season falling all the way to No. 4. The transfers that came in have upgraded the team. The schedule is also a lot more manageable this season.
The Badgers need to surprise, as the seat is hot for Luke Fickell and the leash is short without an AD in the office.
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