Filed beneath:
How will the Badgers fare in 2024 with their present schedule?
Basketball and Hockey are nonetheless in full throat, however for anybody like me—I’ve soccer within the entrance, center, and again of my thoughts 24/7/366—you’ve already questioned concerning the Wisconsin Badgers 2024 soccer slate and the way they could fare.
So, with that in thoughts, right here’s a mid-March peek at Wisconsin’s schedule this fall, together with my finest guess at how possible Fick’s boys might be to win every sport. Spoiler: Whereas I believe this crew goes to be higher than it was in 2023, I’m not as bullish on their file as I used to be earlier than final season. The Large Ten usually and our schedule particularly are tough.
Western Michigan: Lengthy gone are the dorky however profitable Row The Boat days of PJ Fleck.
This can be a solidly below-average MAC program now and, barring some tremendous odd, NIL-fueled switch windfall of big-time gamers coming to Kalamazoo, this must be a romp for the Badgers. The truth that it’s the primary sport would possibly see an uneven efficiency from Bucky, nevertheless it’s the Broncos’ first sport, too. Likelihood of Win: 97%
South Dakota: One thing the Dakotas do properly? Produce actually good FCS groups, and this one isn’t any exception.
They received 10 video games a yr in the past (beating 5 ranked groups, together with a win over powerhouse North Dakota State), finishing second in the Missouri Valley Conference and making the FCS quarterfinals.
This crew will little question roll into Madison this September anticipating to win, regardless of dropping a number of key contributors, together with almost half of its defensive starters. However, that is nonetheless a squad the Badgers ought to deal with with relative ease. Likelihood of Win: 91%
Alabama: And right here we go. Whereas a number of the shine was peeled off of this big-time contest on the heels of Nick Saban’s retirement, it’s onerous to think about the Tide falling off a lot beneath new skipper Kalen DeBoer, who won every major CFB coaching award in 2023.
Alabama remains to be Alabama, and regardless of dropping a gaggle of expertise to each the NFL and the Portal, the Crimson Tide is extra in reload mode than rebuild, particularly with possible Heisman Trophy favourite Jalen Milroe again at quarterback, instantly giving a stern check to a retooled Badgers entrance seven.
An uptick in expertise and luxury with Fickell’s system, together with a wild residence crowd that includes college students WHO WILL BE THERE ON TIME, give the Badgers a puncher’s likelihood on this one. Likelihood of Win: 39%
@ USC: Though a bye week main as much as this sport would possibly assist a bit, issues are unlikely to get a lot simpler for the Badgers as they journey to the L.A. Coliseum to face USC in a really possible Pac-12 After Darkish (now Large Ten) sort of sport.
Whereas Caleb Williams might be gone (hopefully to not Chicago), ace recruiter Lincoln Riley doesn’t rebuild on offense, he re-loads. Essentially the most urgent query for the Trojans might be if their Protection has improved after being taken from new Badgers’ safeties coach, Alex Grinch, whom Riley fired final season.
The 2 are shut, and Grinch might have some perception (as might USC switch linebacker Tackett Curtis) into Riley’s schemes, however it is going to primarily be as much as the Wisconsin protection to try to decelerate new Trojan sign caller Miller Moss, a homegrown USC expertise, reasonably than a switch. Likelihood of Win: 36%
Purdue: Will this be a candy balm after back-to-back losses to Blue Bloods or a entice sport towards a perennial tomato can (who hasn’t crushed UW in its final 17 tries) for the Badgers after an enormous early season win or wins?
It’s unimaginable to say now, nevertheless it’s troublesome to think about that this contest received’t be a relative breather on the heels of Bama/USC. Excessive-upside QB Hudson Card will be back for Purdue, together with head coach Ryan Walters, whose first yr was pretty disastrous at 4-8, and 3-6 within the Large Ten.
If Walters’ protection can bounce again and his offense makes a bounce, a stable season is feasible. However, in March, this crew nonetheless seems to be like a rebuild challenge and one of many best video games on Wisconsin’s 2024 schedule. Likelihood of Win: 84%
@ Rutgers: On the brilliant facet, getting Rutgers as an alternative of, say, Michigan or Ohio State right here looks as if a relative win for Bucky.
However, a visit to Piscataway will certainly not really feel as welcoming as it has in recent memory. Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano seems to be constructing one thing stable and, whereas it’s unimaginable to guess the eventual heights they’ll hit, it’s a great guess they’ll look higher than the crew Wisconsin principally had its means with in a 24-13 residence win final season.
Will Gavin Wimsatt, one of many Large Ten’s worst quarterbacks in 2023, elevate his sport? Will somebody beat him out? These and different questions might be x-factors for this one. For now, it is onerous to think about that Wisconsin isn’t a favourite. Likelihood of Win: 65%
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