Five takeaways from Wisconsin’s Week 1 depth chart

It’s Game Week, and we have a depth chart:

Welcome to our first official College Football Monday of the year. It’s game week for Luke Fickell and the 2023 Wisconsin Badgers. In five days’ time, the Buffalo Bulls will stand on the opposing sideline as the season kicks off at Camp Randall Stadium.

This year has a different feel. Not only is Fickell a far different energy than Paul Chryst, the social media team churning out new inside looks every day and Phil Longo bringing a new energy to town, but for the first time in nearly a decade Wisconsin’s game-week press conference wasn’t opened with ‘excited for the opportunity to play football.’

Say what you want about the end of the Chryst era and how he carried himself in front of the media. That line was always one of the highlights of my week.

Related: Predicting every Big Ten team’s 2023 wins and losses, final record and the conference champ, Final Wisconsin football 2023 game-by-game predictions

Another bright spot on the path towards Saturday’s game is the release of the depth chart.

Instead of just presenting it as is, I’m here today to give five takeaways from the Week 1 two-deep:

College Football News Preview 2020: Buffalo Bulls

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Buffalo Bulls season with what you need to know.

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Buffalo Bulls season with what you need to know.


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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
Schedule Analysis
– Buffalo Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

2019 Record: 8-5 overall, 5-3 in MAC
Head Coach: Lance Leipold, 6th year, 31-32
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 92
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 39
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 101

No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.

5. College Football News Preview 2020: Buffalo Bulls Offense 3 Things To Know

The offense that took a step back after a huge 2018 – averaging 389 yards and 32 points per game – is loaded with enough talent and experience to be among the MAC’s best attacks with eight starters expected back.

It starts with junior QB Kyle Vantrease, who wasn’t quite accurate enough on a regular basis, and he didn’t bomb away – he hit just 59% of his passes for 1,193 yards and eight scores with two interceptions – but that’s because he took over for sophomore Matt Myers, who connected on 47% of his throws for 602 yards and six scores with four picks before getting knocked out for the year.

They’re both big, they’re both experienced, and they both have live arms. And they can both run the attack. And …


CFN in 60 Video: Kansas State Preview
Buffalo at Kansas State, Sept. 5
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All of the top receivers are back. Including TE Zac Lefebvre – who caught 21 passes for 235 yards and two scores – the five pass catchers return. It starts with Antonio Nunn, an all-star who led the way with 49 catches and six scores, but senior Daniel Lee has the upside to be the team’s most dangerous target. This is a deep, talented group.

Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks is among the nation’s best 1-2 rushing punches. Patterson pounded out almost 1,800 yards and 19 scores, and the 200-pound Marks ran for 1,025 yards and eight touchdowns. Sophomores Dylan McDuffie and Ron Cook are back to be a part of the rotation, too.

The pass protection was second in the nation, and the line was amazing for the MAC’s top ground attack. In time, it’ll be solid again, but it loses three starters. Kayode Awosika is a 6-5, 305-pound all-star at one tackle spot, and Mike Novitsky is a good center to work around with nice athleticism for the position.

NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Buffalo Bulls Defense 3 Things To Know