The Wisconsin Badgers are off to a 1-3 start to a football season for the first time since 1990.
The losses have all come against ranked opponents–No. 4 Penn State, No. 14 Notre Dame and No. 9 Michigan. The losing continues a streak dating back to 2019, as the Badgers have lost eight straight games to ranked opponents and are now 9-10 in their last 19 contests.
There usually aren’t moral victories that come from losing to Michigan at home for the first time since 2001. If there was one semi-bright spot, though, it was the improved play of quarterback Graham Mertz—that especially given how poor the offensive line played in front of him.
A positive from today: Graham Mertz.
Had to deliver this ball knowing 90 was a step from laying him out, air it past the safety and hit Dike in stride (taking a shot he’d keep leverage on 30)
What a throw. pic.twitter.com/DidqKDQATY
— Ben Kenney (@benzkenney) October 3, 2021
Where the game was lost: Wisconsin comes out of half with momentum & the ball.
And the protection just wasn’t there pic.twitter.com/c7uLSLXmSF
— Ben Kenney (@benzkenney) October 3, 2021
If there is a second piece of positive news, the schedule does get a lot easier moving forward. The Badgers have only one ranked matchup upcoming: at home October 30 vs. No. 3 Iowa.
How hard has Wisconsin’s schedule been thus far? ESPN SP+ says it has been the toughest of any team in the country. Here is what SP+ lists as the five-toughest schedules-to-date thus far: