Back in mid-August, when the Wisconsin Badgers were ranked as high as third in the nation, I called for caution.
Yes, the offense was loaded, returning most of it's starters, but the defense was, all in all, woefully young and inexperienced.
I was a voice crying in the wilderness then, but the struggles of a 5-3 Badger team proved I was a prophet.
Injuries and inexperience have caught up to Wisconsin. The shocking loss to the Cougars of BYU was a punch in the nose to Paul Chryst and his staff. A loss at Michigan was not unexpected, but last weekend's loss to Northwestern was just downright embarrassing.
Granted, with Alex Hornibrook in concussion protocol, Chryst & Co. had to turn to freshman Jack Coan to run the show. But no matter how well Coan played, Wisconsin couldn't overcome three lost fumbles. The short field Northwestern profited from doomed Bucky.
Where's that dominating offensive line, the one with several pre-season All-Americans? Perhaps the horrible Curse Of The Sports Illustrated Cover caught up to them. And of course, it doesn't help that talented running back Jonathan Taylor has put the ball on the ground too many times to count.
That 5-3 record could finish 9-3, but I think 8-4 is more likely -- but only if the team can get a little healthy. Having Rutgers (the alma mater of cartoon character Mr, Magoo) coming to town Saturday helps. Rutgers is 1-5 in the Big Ten (averaging just under 10 points a game while giving up 28) and is a less-than-stellar 1-7 for the year.
But after Rutgers, the Badgers have games at Penn State (6-1) and a dangerous Purdue team (4-4) before finishing with a home game against a struggling Minnesota team.
Let's face it, at one time a 8-4 record and ANY bowl game was cause for massive celebration in Wisconsin. But over the last 25 years or so, we've been spoiled.
Take a deep breath, guys. Chryst and Co. will succeed in the long run.
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