Besides a couple of wins against some SEC teams in some bowl games (which BB has hung his hat on for five years now), BB has done nothing to propel this team into the national spotlight.  I feel that he should bolster the NC schedule to make a name for himself and his program.  Don't tell me that no one will "travel to Camp Randall Stadium" as if it is some hallowed ground that will steal some team's national title hopes.  USC and Ohio State has swapped home and homes.  Clemson faced off against Alabama.  Virginia Tech swapped home and homes with Nebraska.  Michigan State went up against Cal.  Arizona State took on Georgia.  Kansas went up against South Florida.

And I'm not trying to knock Fresno State, but when that game is your blockbuster NC game, coupled with the fact that you are trying to gain some national respect, that's not saying much. Beating Fresno State isn't going to shock anyone.  And I know some will say, "but BB needs to schedule games years in advance so how was he supposed to know".  C'mon people, Marshall? Akron? The Citadel?

 If BB wants to create a legacy in Madison, he's going to have to show he has some nuts and schedule a blockbuster game that will give this team an oppportunity to show what it's made of.       

Yup, and Clemson, Virginia Tech, Michigan State, Arizona State and South Florida were all eliminated from National title contention in September.  Again, would you rather have meaningful games in October/November or September.  I'll choose the later.

BTW, only the elite programs (USC, OSU, Florida, LSU) have the clout to lose an early season game and then climb back into the title hunt.  That's why they can schedule those games.  It's unfortunate, but that's the life of a second tier football program.  I think the upcoming home and home series with ASU and Oregon State will provide adequete tests for this program. 

jimmythegreek:

Yup, and Clemson, Virginia Tech, Michigan State, Arizona State and South Florida were all eliminated from National title contention in September.  Again, would you rather have meaningful games in October/November or September.  I'll choose the later.

BTW, only the elite programs (USC, OSU, Florida, LSU) have the clout to lose an early season game and then climb back into the title hunt.  That's why they can schedule those games.  It's unfortunate, but that's the life of a second tier football program.  I think the upcoming home and home series with ASU and Oregon State will provide adequete tests for this program. 

to be the best, you have to beat the best.  and I think national title contention is not even a blip on BB's radar, he needs to just focus on building a successful program.  in my eyes, he needs to institute an "anyone, anywhere, anytime" policy.  

and with the way college football has rolled over the last couple of seasons, one or two losses doesn't necessarily eliminate you from BCS contention.  

I do agree with you, however, that some programs (USC, OSU, FLA, LSU) have an easier time climbing back into the title hunt.  but in my eyes, they've earned that reputation and that is what I think BB needs to do to get wisconsin at the same level.  

The problem with anyone, anytime, anywhere, is that you need two teams to agree to this.  The elite programs have much more to risk in a home and home with a second tier program than they do with a matchup against another elite program.  Unless there is a championship playoff, you will never see the perennial national title contenders agreeing to a matchup with Wisconsin.  Again, the matchups with ASU, Oregon State and Va Tech over the next 10 years are a fair test and should be viewed as respectable opponents.  These programs may blow by the time we play them, and then this why don't we play anybody good cycle begins again. 

Let's use Michigan State as a comparison.  They lost the opening week at a top 25 team.  Currently there are 10 one loss teams ranked ahead of them that lost later in the season, including a couple of teams that lost at home to unranked schools.  Are these teams better than MSU, probably, but what did Michigan State gain by playing that opening game?  Had they scheduled and beat a MAC school, they would be ranked in the top 10 and mentioned in the national title/rose bowl picture.

jimmythegreek:

The problem with anyone, anytime, anywhere, is that you need two teams to agree to this.  The elite programs have much more to risk in a home and home with a second tier program than they do with a matchup against another elite program.  Unless there is a championship playoff, you will never see the perennial national title contenders agreeing to a matchup with Wisconsin.  Again, the matchups with ASU, Oregon State and Va Tech over the next 10 years are a fair test and should be viewed as respectable opponents.  These programs may blow by the time we play them, and then this why don't we play anybody good cycle begins again. 

Let's use Michigan State as a comparison.  They lost the opening week at a top 25 team.  Currently there are 10 one loss teams ranked ahead of them that lost later in the season, including a couple of teams that lost at home to unranked schools.  Are these teams better than MSU, probably, but what did Michigan State gain by playing that opening game?  Had they scheduled and beat a MAC school, they would be ranked in the top 10 and mentioned in the national title/rose bowl picture.

 

I don't agree with your philosophy of playing weaker opponents as not to lose.  I think this sets a bad precedent for your program.  If MSU had won that game, then they'd be in the top 5 right now.  It is a risk/reward situation.

 HOWEVER, I do understand your point.  Some teams aren't willing to risk those NC games in order to gain national recognition.  In my opinion, however, if you don't, you'll always be a second tier program.

 I do agree with you, however, that ASU and V Tech and Oregon State are a step up in competition.

CollegeFootballGuru:

jimmythegreek:

The problem with anyone, anytime, anywhere, is that you need two teams to agree to this.  The elite programs have much more to risk in a home and home with a second tier program than they do with a matchup against another elite program.  Unless there is a championship playoff, you will never see the perennial national title contenders agreeing to a matchup with Wisconsin.  Again, the matchups with ASU, Oregon State and Va Tech over the next 10 years are a fair test and should be viewed as respectable opponents.  These programs may blow by the time we play them, and then this why don't we play anybody good cycle begins again. 

Let's use Michigan State as a comparison.  They lost the opening week at a top 25 team.  Currently there are 10 one loss teams ranked ahead of them that lost later in the season, including a couple of teams that lost at home to unranked schools.  Are these teams better than MSU, probably, but what did Michigan State gain by playing that opening game?  Had they scheduled and beat a MAC school, they would be ranked in the top 10 and mentioned in the national title/rose bowl picture.

 

 

I don't agree with your philosophy of playing weaker opponents as not to lose.  I think this sets a bad precedent for your program.  If MSU had won that game, then they'd be in the top 5 right now.  It is a risk/reward situation.

 

No.  Most schools schedule weak NC opponents, so the precedent has already been set.  The root of the problem is based in the BCS and the way teams are selected.  If there was a playoff, and a guarantee that the conf champ made it to that playoff, you would see monster NC games.  I agree that had MSU won that game they would be in the top 5, but had MSU beaten W Mich, they would also be in the top 5.  Instead of risk/reward, it's risk/risk.

Your nonconference schedule should be used to build toward the conference slate.  I've always liked the badgers philosophy of stepping up the competition each week as they head into the conf season.  Give them credit for taking a road game every year.  They are one of the few programs that will actually travel out of state to face a NC opponent. 

jimmythegreek:

CollegeFootballGuru:

jimmythegreek:

The problem with anyone, anytime, anywhere, is that you need two teams to agree to this.  The elite programs have much more to risk in a home and home with a second tier program than they do with a matchup against another elite program.  Unless there is a championship playoff, you will never see the perennial national title contenders agreeing to a matchup with Wisconsin.  Again, the matchups with ASU, Oregon State and Va Tech over the next 10 years are a fair test and should be viewed as respectable opponents.  These programs may blow by the time we play them, and then this why don't we play anybody good cycle begins again. 

Let's use Michigan State as a comparison.  They lost the opening week at a top 25 team.  Currently there are 10 one loss teams ranked ahead of them that lost later in the season, including a couple of teams that lost at home to unranked schools.  Are these teams better than MSU, probably, but what did Michigan State gain by playing that opening game?  Had they scheduled and beat a MAC school, they would be ranked in the top 10 and mentioned in the national title/rose bowl picture.

 

 

I don't agree with your philosophy of playing weaker opponents as not to lose.  I think this sets a bad precedent for your program.  If MSU had won that game, then they'd be in the top 5 right now.  It is a risk/reward situation.

 

No.  Most schools schedule weak NC opponents, so the precedent has already been set.  The root of the problem is based in the BCS and the way teams are selected.  If there was a playoff, and a guarantee that the conf champ made it to that playoff, you would see monster NC games.  I agree that had MSU won that game they would be in the top 5, but had MSU beaten W Mich, they would also be in the top 5.  Instead of risk/reward, it's risk/risk.

 

I just think if you want to gain national respect, you have to earn it.  The USC's, OSU's, LSU's, Florida's yada yada yada have already earned that respect.  I think if Wisconsin was willing to put themselves out there a little more and won a big NC game, they would be in the same breath as some of these other national teams.  I just say, if BB is happy with Wisconsin's standing in the national picture, he's doing a great job of staying right where it is.  He is definitely not doing anything to improve the program. 

 I do agree with you, however, that if we took the conference champions of the majors and put them into a playoff, we would see great NC games as those would not hurt teams in their quest for the national championship.

The teams you mention have earned their respect through a long history of success and recent appearances in the national title game.  A beefed up NC schedule for the badgers would not put them in this same group.  The fact is that even if wisconsin was to win the big 10 in 3 of the next 10 years, michigan and osu would still have more national pull than bucky.  That's just the way it is.  Remember the Iowa teams under Hayden Fry.  Consistent Rose bowl and big ten contenders.  They are now just another tier 2 big ten team still struggling behind OSU.  When Michigan gets the right the right players in place, they will again ascend to their rightful place at the top of the big ten.  Do I like it, no.  But that's reality, and your fooling yourself if you think playing a stepped up NC schedule is going to put the badgers into the same light as USC, LSU, Florida et al.  Winning begets respect and I think bucky should continue to focus on winning the big ten championship.   

jimmythegreek:

The teams you mention have earned their respect through a long history of success and recent appearances in the national title game.  A beefed up NC schedule for the badgers would not put them in this same group.  The fact is that even if wisconsin was to win the big 10 in 3 of the next 10 years, michigan and osu would still have more national pull than bucky.  That's just the way it is.  Remember the Iowa teams under Hayden Fry.  Consistent Rose bowl and big ten contenders.  They are now just another tier 2 big ten team still struggling behind OSU.  When Michigan gets the right the right players in place, they will again ascend to their rightful place at the top of the big ten.  Do I like it, no.  But that's reality, and your fooling yourself if you think playing a stepped up NC schedule is going to put the badgers into the same light as USC, LSU, Florida et al.  Winning begets respect and I think bucky should continue to focus on winning the big ten championship.   

 Well said.  It just seems to me that BB talks a big game but doesn't back it up.  I'm just looking for opportunities for him to back up his big mouth.  But I agree that winning the Big Ten consistently would help get Wisconsin to a level where it should be.

100 proof common sense here.  You play cupcakes for the NC part of the schedule and you eat crow for the rest of the year. This team has doen this for so long now

 Good disscussion you guys.  I tend to agree with Jimmy on this one.  I think there is much more risk involved with the Badgers scheduling top teir teams in NC.  But from a fan perspective I certainly would like to see them schedule some better NC games.  I always wondered why Wisconsin was never able to get Nebraska or Notre Dame to play a home and home with the ties that Alvarez has.

mjenzie:

 Good disscussion you guys.  I tend to agree with Jimmy on this one.  I think there is much more risk involved with the Badgers scheduling top teir teams in NC.  But from a fan perspective I certainly would like to see them schedule some better NC games.  I always wondered why Wisconsin was never able to get Nebraska or Notre Dame to play a home and home with the ties that Alvarez has.

They only played 11 regular season games when Barry coached.  The UW athletic dept couldn't afford to play home and home's every season when Barry got here.  Budget wise they needed to maximize the non-conf games to be played at the Camp (it's still why you'll see 3 non-conf home games pretty much every season from now on).  Afterall, this is all about the $$ at the end of the day and football pays most of the bills, especially before the Kohl Center got built.  Plus, I don't think ND or Nebraska were eager to play UW once Barry righted the ship.  Nothing to be gained by either side.

Habenero:

100 proof common sense here.  You play cupcakes for the NC part of the schedule and you eat crow for the rest of the year. This team has doen this for so long now

Name a team that doesn't play cupcakes non-conference.

look up UW's SOS before you speak.  Once you look up UW's SOS this season so far, you might want to re-word your statement.