Losing to Alabama is one thing, but letting it snowball into a bad Week 4 loss vs. Maryland should not be acceptable for the Wisconsin Badgers. Through three weeks, the Badgers are right where they need to be at 2-1 in the non-conference heading into Big Ten play. Beating Miami (OH) and Middle Tennessee was expected, just like getting blown out at Alabama was probably on everyone's radar.
Even though the Badgers are an 8.5-point home favorite over the Terrapins, Wisconsin needs to get back to playing Wisconsin football to keep the dream of a promising season alive. Luke Fickell cannot get lost in the plot for the umpteenth time here. Regardless of if Billy Edwards Jr. is able to suit up against his former team, this honestly feels like a must-win game for Wisconsin for so many reasons.
It all comes down to the very important principle at hand. Fickell needs to go at least 4-5 in Big Ten play to keep his job. Of the nine games on Wisconsin's Big Ten schedule, the Maryland game feels like easily the most winnable. With five more ranked teams on their schedule, Wisconsin will need to beat those who are not top-25 caliber to keep the dream alive. They just cannot fall to Maryland in Week 4.
As for the other three wins, they might have to come vs. Iowa, Washington and then at Minnesota...
Wisconsin losing to Maryland might be a fireable offense for Luke Fickell
It does not matter what the point spread indicates. In fact, Wisconsin should Jedi mind trick itself into thinking Maryland is the road favorite and the Badgers are the home dog. While beating the likes of Ohio State and Oregon later feel a bit improbable, what is to say Michigan is still a great team? Indiana and Illinois are promising, but they have not played anyone of note yet. They also play each other, too.
What this all comes back to is Wisconsin needs to win all the games it should on its schedule first before getting ahead of itself by trying to pull off some upset bid of great magnitude. The only way the Badgers come out of this season in good shape is to take it one week at a time. Big Ten play was always going to be what defined Fickell's third season and quite frankly, his tenure leading Wisconsin.
Truth be told, Wisconsin's bad loss to Alabama was eye-opening, but may have provided the Badgers exactly what they need to patch this leaky Fickell boat for the time being. Malik Washington will want to throw the ball a ton, but Maryland does not have the receivers of Alabama. Maryland will score a ton of points, but the Terrapins will give up points at will, too. Wisconsin cannot afford to get behind.
If Fickell envisions himself coaching at Wisconsin into next season, he cannot lose to Maryland here.