Badger Bits: Wisconsin Is On The Bubble, Says Everybody

I'm going gray, and to know me is to know that this is cruel. I don't have a lot of what people hoped for when they unwittingly played the genetic lottery, like above average height or a diamond-cut jawline. I wasn't able to feature prominent facial hair until I was about 23. By all appearances I still don't look like I've entered my 20s except for the pings of white sprouting out of what used to be a full head of dark brown hair.

So I don't need the stress that can apparently accelerate the graying process in those genetically predisposed to such things. This is a roundabout way of saying that I should stop caring about Wisconsin sports for a while.

The Badgers are projected as one of seven teams from the Big Ten to make the NCAA Tournament, according to Joe Lunardi, but barely. They are tabbed as one of the last four teams in the tourney, relegated to the play-in round as an 11-seed. SB Nation's Chris Dobbertean is less forgiving, putting Wisconsin among the first four teams out of the tournament.

Wisconsin's bubble status isn't helped by what has so far been a fairly unbalanced schedule devoid of a truly impressive win. The Badgers are 11-4 overall, but as Lunardi points out, seven of those games came against teams below 200 in the RPI. Their "real" record is 4-4, with wins coming against No. 86 Arkansas, No. 87 Cal, No. 133 Penn State and No. 68 Nebraska--not exactly a murderer's row. Wisconsin had opportunities for quality wins against the RPI Nos. 11, 16 and 32 teams and came up short.

Wisconsin needs to start beating teams of some stature, if that isn't abundantly clear. Starting this Saturday against Illinois would be just fine. Otherwise, I'm flying right by that "touch of gray" stage that television keeps telling me about.

LINKS

Andy Ludwig will be making double his salary at San Diego State, and more than Paul Chryst ever did at Wisconsin. Make of that what you will in the wake of the assistants salary hullabaloo.

Jeff Potrkus was at Wednesday's practice at the Kohl Center, and took notes.

ESPN's Big Ten blog slots Wisconsin No. 4 in its best-guess power rankings for 2013.

Martin Rickman rates every single bowl game, and I'm still holding onto every last shred of the season that I can.

Ted Roof dumps Penn State for ... Georgia Tech? I suppose it's his home. Penn State promotes secondary coach John Butler as the new defensive coordinator.

Taylor Lewan will return to Michigan next season, surprising just about everyone.

Michael Weinreb tackles Nick Saban, and how the hell anybody slows down Alabama now and into the foreseeable future.

MUST WATCH: Why haven't we offered this kid yet?