Someone please explain Wisconsin love to me...

[BSpringsteen]

So I just went on CFN to check out their top 15, and they have Wisconsin ranked ahead of Iowa.

Am I the only person just not impressed with any facet of their program? Why all the love?

Last year, they lost every game they played against a decent team, up until the Bowl Game. Miami was the only ranked team they beat all year. They lost to Iowa at home, they lost to Ohio State, they lost to Northwestern. The year before they lost to Ohio St. and Penn St. at home in subsequent weeks.

As a matter of fact, go check out Bielima's record against Top 25 teams.

I know Clay is a great player and that they have an O-Line returning, and Tolzein looked better then he was expected to. But shouldn't they have to prove that they can beat a good team first?

 

[Not4cy]

So I just went on CFN to check out their top 15, and they have Wisconsin ranked ahead of Iowa.

Am I the only person just not impressed with any facet of their program? Why all the love?

Last year, they lost every game they played against a decent team, up until the Bowl Game. Miami was the only ranked team they beat all year. They lost to Iowa at home, they lost to Ohio State, they lost to Northwestern. The year before they lost to Ohio St. and Penn St. at home in subsequent weeks.

As a matter of fact, go check out Bielima's record against Top 25 teams.

I know Clay is a great player and that they have an O-Line returning, and Tolzein looked better then he was expected to. But shouldn't they have to prove that they can beat a good team first?

CFN has Iowa returning 4 starters on Offense. Where in the world do they get their #'s?

1. Stanzi
2. Hampton/Robinson/Wegher
3. DJK
4. Morse
5. Reiff
6. Vandervelde
7. McNutt


I guess they could have left off McNutt and Vandervelde but they both played more than Stross and Richardson.

CFN probably figured losing:

1. Bulaga
2. Richardson
3. Calloway
4. Eubanks
5. Stross
6. Moeaki

But that would still be 5 returning starters.

 

[heitland]

I say good, let them pour the love on Wisconsin. Starting even in the top 15 (I think we'll be top 10 preseason), will put us in a situation to attain whatever this team can earn, via the W's of course.

 

[homerHAWKeye777]

CFN has Iowa returning 4 starters on Offense. Where in the world do they get their #'s?

I have no idea where they're getting their numbers. Iowa's O is looking on paper every bit as good as Wisky's O looked on paper in 2009 ... considering that Wisky also had to contend with youth/inexperience on the OL. And, in contrast, Iowa is returning a proven D ... something that Wisky couldn't claim entering the 2009 season.

As for addressing the OP's question about the Wisky-love ... I anticipate that a lot of it is derived from the fact that Wisky returns almost everybody on O ... and the skill players are especially impressive.

Pundits will likely take Tolzien over Stanzi just because he threw fewer picks ... however, little do folks know that Stanzi was clearly the better leader and had proven that he can win games with his arm. In the case of Wisky, if you stop their running game ... then even with Tolzien's success through the air ... Wisky is still pretty likely to lose. The problem is that few teams were really able to stop their running game. Iowa was one of those squads though!

Another reason why Wisky is getting the love is because they had so many young guys on D really step up and play in an impressive fashion. Watt was impressive as a SO, Taylor and Borland were VERY impressive as TR FR LBs, and they saw some good underclassmen play in the secondary too. However, that still doesn't change the fact that they still only return ONE exceptionally proven guy on the DL (Watt) in 2010 and that they lost some solid leadership from Schofield, McFadden, and Maragos.

Wisky fans will tell you until their blue in the face that they basically lost no-name guys at DT and that they will be easy to replace ... however, I don't think that that is really fair to Moore, who really seemed to blossom at the position as the season wore on.

Furthermore, even with the talent that Taylor and Borland bring to the table ... are they still going to be so effective now that they don't have as much experience in front of them on the DL? Also, with both of them likely being so young and starting in 2010 ... will they not be exploitable in coverage? Young guys usually are. If teams can diffuse Wisky's pressure ... they're going to get that much more exposed in coverage.

Of course, the other angle here that is probably feeding the Wisky love is this ... yet again, Wisky has a pretty favorable schedule. They don't have to play Penn State. Given the current fluctuations in power in the Big 10 ... that probably leads folks to view Wisky as having a weaker schedule than Iowa.

 

[NewEraKinnick]

Wisconsin is ranked in the Top 15.... That means they will win anywhere from 9-10 games. I personally think they are good enough to do that with a Top Heavy Big Ten year coming up.


As for them being ahead of Iowa... in order for someone to think they should begin ahead of Iowa they must be thinking 1 of 2 things (or both)

1. Iowa travels to the SW (Arizona) which I wouldn't book as an automatic win. Wisconsin has a cupcake OOC.

2. Wisconsin is good enough to beat Iowa in Iowa City.
(Wisconsin will not finish in the Top 15 if they don't be Iowa)

 

[BSpringsteen]

It just seems to me that everyone is always in love with Wisconsin. They love Camp Randall, they love the student section, they love the band, they love the tailgating (that barely exists) . I just don't know what they've done to deserve so much nationwide respect?

 

[homerHAWKeye777]

It just seems to me that everyone is always in love with Wisconsin. They love Camp Randall, they love the student section, they love the band, they love the tailgating (that barely exists) . I just don't know what they've done to deserve so much nationwide respect?

Alvarez put Wisky on the map with several Rose Bowl appearances and a win or two there as well ... something that neither Fry or Ferentz have yet managed to do. That will win a squad the benefit of the doubt.

Furthermore, as I said before, people love their skill players AND their schedule is easier than Iowa's.

 

[ShadasRevenge]

Wisconsin is ranked in the Top 15.... That means they will win anywhere from 9-10 games. I personally think they are good enough to do that with a Top Heavy Big Ten year coming up.


As for them being ahead of Iowa... in order for someone to think they should begin ahead of Iowa they must be thinking 1 of 2 things (or both)

1. Iowa travels to the SW (Arizona) which I wouldn't book as an automatic win. Wisconsin has a cupcake OOC.

2. Wisconsin is good enough to beat Iowa in Iowa City.
(Wisconsin will not finish in the Top 15 if they don't be Iowa)

They may be, but that isn't going to happen.

 

[homerHAWKeye777]

As for them being ahead of Iowa... in order for someone to think they should begin ahead of Iowa they must be thinking 1 of 2 things (or both)

1. Iowa travels to the SW (Arizona) which I wouldn't book as an automatic win. Wisconsin has a cupcake OOC.

2. Wisconsin is good enough to beat Iowa in Iowa City.
(Wisconsin will not finish in the Top 15 if they don't be Iowa)

NewEraKinnick -

I disagree to a point concerning both of your arguments.

Concerning Point One:

While it's true that it's not an automatic win. If you break down the Arizona squad, you quickly realize that they're going to have to reload their squad and coaching staff if a BIG WAY if they're even going to be a shadow of their 2009 squad. They lose a hunk of their OL, they don't get Gronk back (and they lose his talented bro who played at H-back), and their D gets absolutely gutted. In contrast, the Iowa squad doesn't really get gutted anywhere except maybe the OL. It's more likely that Iowa will be able to reload on the OL than Arizona.

Concerning Point Two:

Wisky is capable of beating Iowa insofar that nearly any Big 10 squad can beat another if they're playing at their very best (and/or if their opposition isn't executing well).

However, aside from that, while Wisky's OL will likely be rather formidable ... Iowa features one of the few DLs who is capable of schooling them. Look for Iowa's D to be one of the few that will be able to truly neutralize Wisky's running game. Furthermore, considering that Wisky lost 2 quality TEs ... I'm confident that Iowa will be able to cover Kendricks (although I concede that Kendricks is VERY good).

Secondly, Wisky's D got hit rather hard by graduation ... losing 3 of 4 starters on the DL. While I don't doubt that Wisky's D will still be pretty darn good ... they will still have many "holes" in their D ... holes that the Iowa's O is fully capable of exploiting.

Thus, while it's possible that Iowa could lose to Wisky ... it's still not the likely scenario. Wisky had the odds in their favor in 2009 ... and still couldn't get the job done. Heck, Wisky should have gutted us in 2006 and 2007 ... and instead they just barely got past us in each season.

 

[TecmoBowl]

Isnt CFN viewed to be crap nowadays anyway? I read lots of complaints about the content being drivel. I rarely go there..

Wisconsin like Iowa manhandled the bowl opponent, and offense gets certain people excited. The O retention at badger-ville is what probably put them ahead of Iowa as far as CFN is concerned.

 

[GhostofBTT]

Anyone who won't admit UW had a hell of a season last year is just blinded with hater-ade.

They lost three games, two of them to top 10 teams. They also got beat by both teams that beat us. Then they beat a top 15 Miami team in Florida.

They return more next year than we do, they have plenty of studs, and they have an easier schedule.

It wouldn't suprise me if they have as many or more wins than we do...but we are going to crush them when they visit us.

 

[ShadasRevenge]

Anyone who won't admit UW had a hell of a season last year is just blinded with hater-ade.

They lost three games, two of them to top 10 teams. They also got beat by both teams that beat us. Then they beat a top 15 Miami team in Florida.

They return more next year than we do, they have plenty of studs, and they have an easier schedule.

It wouldn't suprise me if they have as many or more wins than we do...but we are going to crush them when they visit us.

I don't think anyone in this thread has said that.

 

[GhostofBTT]

I don't think anyone in this thread has said that.

The OP all but said it. Plus, several posters can't understand why Wisconsin is "getting so much love". Remember, last season they started unranked (didn't even get a vote in the AP poll), and finished 16. Next year, they will start similar to where they ended last year.

How is that giving them undeserved love, as others are implying?

 

[HawkeyeShane]

"Someone please explain Wisconsin love to me"

Ok, here goes...

Wisconsin love:

When a guy, probably drunk, possibly a long haul trucker, but not like the guy in the Barbasol commercials, more like 30-50lbs overweight, spots a woman who can barely get 3 snaps done on her XXL Packer's coat chugging a beer mug full of ranch dressing faster than most men can shotgun a Bud Light...and they wind up spending the next hour in the sleeper of his Peterbilt or Mac before he takes her to the Flying J for breakfast before he tweeks up and heads out on a KC run.

 

[homerHAWKeye777]

Anyone who won't admit UW had a hell of a season last year is just blinded with hater-ade.

They lost three games, two of them to top 10 teams. They also got beat by both teams that beat us. Then they beat a top 15 Miami team in Florida.

They return more next year than we do, they have plenty of studs, and they have an easier schedule.

It wouldn't suprise me if they have as many or more wins than we do...but we are going to crush them when they visit us.

GhostBTT -

Wisky did have a good season, however, they also had a pretty favorable schedule too. Without having a critical player injured ... they still lost to Northwestern. They were certainly good though ...

 

[BSpringsteen]

Ghost-

What was their record against the top 25?

 

[RevHolzhammer]

Anyone who won't admit UW had a hell of a season last year is just blinded with hater-ade.

They lost three games, two of them to top 10 teams. They also got beat by both teams that beat us. Then they beat a top 15 Miami team in Florida.

They return more next year than we do, they have plenty of studs, and they have an easier schedule.

It wouldn't suprise me if they have as many or more wins than we do...but we are going to crush them when they visit us.

Wrong; Miami was barely in the Top 25 at season's end. And the Final season poll is all that should really matter. Oh and Iowa has punked Wisconsin two years in a row. Can't wait to see Bretty boy back in Kinnick

 

[hawkinaclownhouse]

Anyone who won't admit UW had a hell of a season last year is just blinded with hater-ade.

They lost three games, two of them to top 10 teams. They also got beat by both teams that beat us. Then they beat a top 15 Miami team in Florida.

They return more next year than we do, they have plenty of studs, and they have an easier schedule.

It wouldn't suprise me if they have as many or more wins than we do...but we are going to crush them when they visit us.

Actually, if you look at starters in each team's bowl game, Iowa returns 15 (8 defense/7 offense) starters and Wisconsin also returns 15 (9 offense/6 defense). It will really be strength on strength next year as most of the new faces will match up against each other (Iowa O-line vs Wisconsin's defensive front)

 

[Saginawbay]

Well, as KF would say preseason ranking mean nothing we will have another chance too play UW and prove who is a better team again this year. Best case for Hawks is come in ranked behind OSU,PSU, and UW and beat all of them in Kinnick this year. With wins over all three the Hawks will be in the running for Big Ten title and another BCS birth and that is what we want!!

I also think one reason UW gets more respect is the two BCS wins now Hawks have 1 and that will go a long way for national pundits, but two would really launch Hawks up the national radar for sure.

 

[Puttman]

Best case for Hawks is come in ranked behind OSU,PSU, and UW and beat all of them in Kinnick this year. With wins over all three the Hawks will be in the running for Big Ten title and another BCS birth and that is what we want!!

Not chance in hell Iowa is ranked below PSU