New coach, same high expectations at Wisconsin.
It’s up to Gary Andersen now to keep the Badgers’ streak of three straight Big Ten titles going after Bret Bielema bolted for Arkansas last December.
Not many coaches get the opportunity to take over a major college program in the middle of such a successful run. Andersen, 49, arrives in Madison after four seasons at Utah State, which went from 4-8 to 11-2 during Andersen’s tenure.
”It’s awesome to walk into a program and these kids expect to win. When they jog out of the tunnel every single day … there’s not one ounce of them that’s intimidated by anybody in the country,” Andersen said at Wisconsin media day. ”And we expect to win.”
The key test will come at Leaders Division foe Ohio State on Sept. 28. If the Badgers can pull out a win on the road against the powerhouse Buckeyes, then Wisconsin could be in the running for a fourth Big Ten crown.
In fact, the Ohio State game is the start of a tricky four-game conference stretch that also includes Northwestern at Camp Randall Stadium and visits to Illinois and Iowa. The Badgers also travel to Arizona State on Sept. 14.
Continue Reading: New coach, same goals at Wisconsin
