Badger Bits: Despite setbacks, Badgers still in Rose Bowl picture

by Sam Zastrow on Nov 2, 2011 9:01 AM CDT in Badger Bits

The Badgers still have a shot at marching into Indianapolis Dec. 3 for a chance to play for a Rose Bowl berth.

Doom and gloom.

Those seem to be the feelings of most Badger fans I've talked to in the time since Wisconsin's meltdown in Columbus Saturday, and it's not difficult to see why. The Badgers looked poised to make another run to a BCS game, perhaps even the National Championship, and the team had their first legitimate Heisman candidate since Ron Dayne in Russell Wilson. It was a great time to be a Badger fan.

Still, even after two gut-wrenching losses, I'm not sure doom and gloom are the right responses. Sure, the Badgers no longer control their own destiny, but Penn State, sitting pretty at 5-0 in conference play, has the third-toughest closing schedule in the nation. (Insider subscription required for the link) Ohio State is also still in the picture, but there's a decent chance the Nittany Lions and Badgers will play for the Leaders division title when they come to Madison for the regular season finale Nov. 26. Then, only the Dec. 3 conference championship game will separate Wisconsin from it's second straight Rose Bowl berth.

Six of the nine national college football writers on a list compiled by Dave Heller think the Badgers will pull off the run to the Rose Bowl, and I'm inclined to agree with them. First up: Purdue this Saturday.

Another benefit of conference realignment: more teams have a shot at the title this season than in years past.

Here's the book on Purdue, courtesy of Jeff Potrykus.

The Boilermakers started three different quarterbacks in their last 10 games.

They've also failed to win more than one game in a row this season.

From West Lafayette: The Boilers have struggled to run the ball on offense of late, and gave up too many big plays on defense against Michigan last week.

One of the most mind-boggling mistakes the Badgers made was allowing a defender to break through the right side of the punt protection "shield" for the second week in a row, leading to another blocked punt. The coaching staff is cleaning it up, apparently.

Michael Hunt thinks it's time to start discussing whether or not Bret Bielema is Wisconsin's long-term answer at head coach. I know the Badgers lost two straight, but I think this type of chatter is a bit overwrought.

Here's Dave Heller's weekly touches/targets chart.

The Badger Nation once again talked with former Badger Chris Maragos this week, this time mostly about the Ohio State game.

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Hopefully, cleaning it up means

that we never run that stupid spread punt formation again.

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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Nov 2, 2011 9:47 AM CDT reply actions

I was also thinking a BCS at-large is possible,

even if we don’t make the conference championship game. Some years you only have to be the 2nd best Big Ten team to get a BCS bid, and Wisconsin could be viewed in higher regard than the B1G championship game loser.

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by Adam Tupitza on Nov 2, 2011 1:43 PM CDT reply actions

That's what I've been thinking too.

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If it made sense, it wouldn't be the BCS.

by John Veldhuis on Nov 2, 2011 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions

I can't believe a team that I thought to be as focused as the Badgers are,

considered using that stupid punt formation two weeks in a row.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Nov 2, 2011 4:34 PM CDT reply actions

I mean, i think they've been using it all year

I don’t think it’s the formation’s fault. In both instances, the guy on the far right of the shield simply didn’t block the guy he was supposed to.

Bucky's 5th Quarter - All Badgers, all the time.

by Adam Tupitza on Nov 2, 2011 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Nobody should be questioning if Bielema is right for the job

The players he recruits are nowhere near the speed and talent of players that teams in the southeast like Florida, Texas, FSU, and Georgia get, yet we’ve been better than all of them the past few years. And looking at the Big Ten, we still don’t recruit like OSU and Michigan do, and we’re catching up to MSU and Penn State. It’s not Bielema’s fault Wisconsin doesn’t have alot of HS talent and Wisc hasn’t been a top team long enough to have a big name and tradition that attracts players.

Now that we’re getting more 4-star recruits, more guys from the southeast, etc, we need to solidy ourselves as a powerhouse program in the near future (some think we are already, but its not consensus) and start winning big. But nobody should be questioning him right now when he’s actually taking the program to new heights.

Is Royce Da 5'9" actually 5'9"? The world may never know.

by BlackPack-fan on Nov 2, 2011 5:38 PM CDT reply actions

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Badgers Football Schedule

UNLV	Thu 09/01	W 51 - 17
Oregon St. Building The Dam	Sat 09/10	W 35 - 0
@ Northern Illinois Red And Black Attack	Sat 09/17	W 49 - 7
South Dakota Coyotes	Sat 09/24	W 59 - 10
Nebraska Corn Nation	Sat 10/01	W 48 - 17
Indiana The Crimson Quarry	Sat 10/15	W 59 - 7
@ Michigan St. The Only Colors	Sat 10/22	L 31 - 37
@ Ohio St. Along The Olentangy	Sat 10/29	L 29 - 33
Purdue Hammer and Rails	Sat 11/05	W 62 - 17
@ Minnesota The Daily Gopher	Sat 11/12	W 42 - 13
@ Illinois Hail to the Orange	Sat 11/19	W 28 - 17
Penn St. Black Shoe Diaries	Sat 11/26	W 45 - 7
@ Michigan St. The Only Colors	Sat 12/03	W 42 - 39
@ Oregon Addicted To Quack	Mon 01/02	L 38 - 45

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