Two years ago, it all looked so easy. The schedule, that is. The University of Wisconsin had just joined Ohio State and Michigan as the only Big Ten Conference schools to appear in three straight Rose Bowl games and, after two decades of upward mobility in the firmly set social strata of college football, the Badgers had positioned themselves perfectly to take another step, perhaps even into the sport’s upper crust. Part of that was due to UW’s perennially underrated talent, part was due to the rising confidence level throughout the program and part was due to the momentum and visibility gained from reaching New Year’s Day bowls seven times in the nine years prior to the 2013 season. Mostly, though, the Badgers had a rare opportunity to gain ground on college football’s blue bloods because of their schedule. The combination of season-opening national showcase games against SEC superpowers, low-stress non-conference games after that and a post-expansion Big Ten schedule that avoided the conference’s traditionally strong teams gave UW’s already-respected program a three-year window of opportunity to accomplish something truly special. With only a game or two each season where the Badgers likely wouldn’t be favored, the thinking was UW might be able to spring an upset or two and get into the national title picture once or twice, thereby bolstering its case for inclusion among the nation’s elite programs. Two years later, it still hasn’t happened. UW didn’t exactly drop the ball during that time, having gone 20-7 and reaching two more New Year’s Day bowls under since-departed coach Gary Andersen. But the Badgers didn’t exactly seize the opportunity, either. Now they are down to one final chance before the schedule — especially the Big Ten portion of it — gains a much higher degree of difficulty…
Continue Reading: Tom Oates: 2015 schedule offers the Badgers football team its best chance for special success
