Wisconsin video games: awards semifinalists announced

The virtual Wisconsin Badgers now sit at 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the B1G after dispatching the Iowa Hawkeyes. That means we are fully caught up with the games that have been played and posted about. The Badgers next game is undoubtedly the biggest of the season so far. No. 2/1/1 (Coaches/AP/BCS) Nebraska is coming to Madison to take on No. 3/3/4 Wisconsin for control of the B1G West and possibly the BCS title race.

There are five B1G teams ranked, with a pair of losses between them, in the top-10 of all three polls which is just wild this late in the season. Wisconsin still has games left against Nebraska, Minnesota and one of either Michigan State or Ohio State in the conference championship game so there are ample opportunities for them to reach the top-two in the BCS. We probably don’t need to start a federal investigation into the rankings...yet.

Despite missing most of the Purdue game and finding the sledding tough against a fired up Iowa defense, Jonathan Taylor is still leading the Heisman Trophy race over halfway through the season. A big game, in prime time, against Nebraska may give Taylor a cushion in the voting that will be insurmountable.

The semifinalists for the major awards were also announced this past week and Taylor is the leader for the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award and the Doak Walker Award.

In other, more unexpected, awards news...Rachad Wildgoose is currently the leader for the Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski and Jim Thorpe Awards. Chris Orr and Noah Burks are both in the top-10 of the Bednarik and Nagurski Awards too.

Burks and Orr are also 1-2 for the Best Linebacker Award.

Tight end Jake Ferguson is leading the Mackey Award watch list and center Tyler Biadasz is leading for the Outland and Rimington Awards.

Biadasz doesn’t have sparkling pancake numbers, but he has only allowed one sack so far this year and is paving the way for one of the best running backs in the country so it’s not a real surprise that he’s at the top of the list.

Isaiahh Loudermilk is in the running for the Lombardi Award

Punter Anthony Lotti and kick returner Aron Cruickshank are also in the discussion for the Ray Guy Award and Best Returner Award, respectively. Cruickshank probably won’t move up the list unless he takes one to the house and Lotti probably wont have enough punt attempts, due to our propensity to go for it on fourth down, to move up his list.

Coming up later in the week is a big recruiting update, as a number of players verbally committed to Wisconsin after the wins against Purdue and Iowa.