The Ax is Back Home, But This is Not the Season Wisconsin Wanted Back in August.
Looking Back: The Hurry-Up Raid Works
Wisconsin 28
Minnesota 14
The Offense Clicked
2 Weeks, 2 games played, 2 good offensive performances. It’s a Wisconsin miracle. Was it the Air-Raid finally working? Kinda… but not really the way you would expect. It was the Hurry-Up Raid. A balance of pass and run (lots of run), but sped way up. The hurry-up worked against Nebraska, and it worked again against Minnesota. 28 points is the most the Badgers have put up since week 4 at Purdue. Maybe Longo does know what he’s doing. I just wish it didn’t take a full season to figure it out.
The Ax is Home
The Ax is back where it belongs: Madison, Wisconsin. Braelon Allen got to chop down the goalposts in Minneapolis before he goes to the NFL. All is well.
Wisconsin didn’t lose to Minnesota 3 years in a row.
Wisconsin is going bowling again (and it’s not the Quick Lane Bowl).
Wisconsin will have a winning season no matter what.
Wisconsin fans are happy.
Good things happen when Wisconsin wins The Ax.
Looking Forward: What Now?
7-5 = “shrug emoji”
7-5 is not the season Badger fans wanted or expected for 2023. Hell, even Vegas expected better of Wisconsin: the preseason win total was set at 8.5.
As “meh” as 7-5 is, the season was nothing but. Wisconsin put a real scare in Ohio State in Week 9 (and QB2 Brayden Locke outplayed Kyle McCord) The offense figured something out at Purdue and Illinois and then proceeded to forget everything against Indiana and Northwestern. Wisconsin was heavily plagued by injuries all season… but every team has to deal with injuries to some degree.
After the loss to Ohio State, Badgers fans expected to win the West at 9-3.
After the Northwestern fiasco, Badger fans were staring down the barrel of 5-7.
So, even though 7-5 is a “bad season.” It ended far better than expected. Now we have just enough hope to keep us excited for 2024 (as opposed to dreading it).
Bowling – But Where?
The Badgers have one game left in 2024, but it won’t be the same Badger team that played against Minnesota. That was the last time anyone will ever see that team.
Between now and kickoff in the bowl game, players will transfer out, players will enter the NFL draft, and starters will lose their spots to up-and-coming underclassmen who are expected to play next year.
Braelon Allen has already declared for the 2024 NFL draft (I expect he’ll go in the late 3rd or 4th round), but he won’t be the only one to go. Wohler (Safety), Bortolini (Center), and Nelson (Left Tackle) are all possibilities. And I’m sure someone I didn’t name will surprise me and go too.
So where are the Badgers bowling? There are 3 reasonable possibilities:
- Pinstripe Bowl – Yankee Stadium, New York
- Vegas Bowl – Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
- Music City Bowl – Nissan Stadium, Nashville
Most online projections expect Wisconsin to go to the Music City Bowl, and I’d have to agree. Expect to see Wisconsin in Nashville on Saturday, Dec. 30th.
As for opponents, the Music City Bowl is B1G vs SEC. So Wisconsin could play Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn, or Texas A&M.
Auburn and Texas A&M would be the most likely choices. I think Wisconsin will play Texas A&M.
Whoever and Wherever Wisconsin plays, I hope to see you there for one last Jump Around in 2023.
#BuckyByaMillion
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This article was written by Cole Tollison and edited by Hayden Breene