ESPN's prediction model gives Wisconsin woeful news about making a bowl game

The problems Wisconsin football is facing are that they weren't very good last year, and they are stepping into a schedule that is considered one of the hardest in the country, and by far the hardest in the Big Ten. These problems make the chance of missing a bowl game two years in a row a reality staring down Luke Fickell and Wisconsin fans. ESPN's prediction model agrees; it basically gives Wisconsin a coin-flip chance to make a bowl.

ESPN predicts Wisconsin to make a bowl at 51.1% which is not ideal

It goes right along with the over/under that Wisconsin has for the win total on the season at 5.5 wins. That .5 is huge. If they win the under at five games, they miss a bowl for another season. If they win the six, it's a huge success, especially considering the schedule that they had to face.

In fact, Luke Fickell has been calling the schedule "The Mountain," both inside the locker room with recruits and outside to the media. He's quick to say, though, that they wouldn't want it any other way. They have to take on the giants to get to where the Badgers ultimately want to go.

For Badger fans, another missed bowl game would be an extra nail in the coffin for their trust in Fickell. While fans understand it's a demanding schedule, a continued slide would be a brutal blow to a very proud fan base. Fickell has to find a way to get that sixth win to ease some of the pressure. If he's able to get this team, with this schedule, to a six-win year, he would actually rebuild trust from the fans.

The problem is that a mediocre year is not going to change anything. It's set up for him to have at least two more years unless he absolutely crashes out. If it's four or five wins, the fans may be frustrated, but the administration will keep him "building."