The Wisconsin Badgers football team was ranked 19th in the AP Preseason Top 25 poll entering the 2023 college football season. Wisconsin did not have much success a season ago with a 4-5 BIG10 Conference record and a 7-6 overall record and there are some that believe that the Badgers season in 2023 could be different.
ESPN’s Greg McElroy went onto Sportscenter on Monday and thinks the Wisconsin Badgers can climb their way up the standings throughout the course of the 2023 college football season. He feels as if they have TCU Horned Frogs vibes from a season ago and now that Luke Fickell is the new head coach for the Badgers football program in Madison, Wisconsin.
He said, “I’m looking at Wisconsin. They feel so similar, to me, to what TCU had last year,” said McElroy. “New coach. The previous regime? Things had just gotten a little bit stale. Now, in comes a breath of fresh air with Sonny Dykes? TCU makes a run, ends up finishing second in college football last year. Wisconsin feels somewhat similar.”
Before Luke Fickell took over Wisconsin’s football program, he had nine or more wins in the Cincinnati Bearcats program in the last five of six seasons, including a playoff appearance just two years ago.
The Wisconsin Badgers offense is going to look different this season. They will run more of an air raid offense with transfer quarterback Tanner Mordecai from SMU. He could very well play the role of Max Duggan at TCU a season ago.
Wisconsin will also run the football with stud running back Braelon Allen in the backfield.
Greg McElroy also noted, “We know they have a quarterback in Tanner Mordecai who’s thrown for 7,000 career passing yards. They went and attacked the portal at wide receiver and had three holdovers from last year that they feel really good about. They’re six or seven deep out there on the perimeter.” He also said, “A dynamic one-two punch at running back. And Wisconsin’s always been elite, always been elite on the defensive side.”
Wisconsin Badgers Football Schedule
One of the reasons why the Wisconsin Badgers can win potentially 10 or more games this season is because of a favorable schedule that has been given to them this season.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/275/wisconsin-badgers
Wisconsin will open the season at home against the Buffalo Bulls on 9/2.
The Badgers’ toughest games will be against #25 Iowa Hawkeyes at home on 10/14, at home on 10/28 against #3 the Ohio State Buckeyes, and also on 11/25 against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on the road and that is a rivalry game for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Wisconsin can very well only lose one game before the BIG10 title game because of their schedule, but it will depend on many factors. The Wisconsin Badgers can feel a resurgence in the football program this season under head coach Luke Fickell and maybe contend for a college football playoff spot. Maybe Greg McElroy will be right after all and be one of the biggest sleepers in college football.
