The Wisconsin Badgers seemed to be 100-percent done and dusted in the pursuit of a College Football Playoff berth a few weeks ago. However, as our friend Yesh Ginsburg at Buckeyes Wire shows in his latest College Football Playoff analysis column, the Badgers aren’t dead yet.
Here’s Yesh in an excerpt from his column at Buckeyes Wire:
11-2 Wisconsin: The Badgers could have four Top 15 wins when all is said and done. If Michigan beats Ohio State and then Wisconsin beats the Buckeyes, the Badgers will have an incredible resume. They would need a bit of help from Auburn, Oregon, and maybe the Big 12 to get in the Playoff, but an 11-2 Wisconsin team will be in the thick of things–if Ohio State loses to Michigan. (I would honestly take 11-2 Wisconsin over 11-1 Alabama, but I doubt the selection committee will.)
Yes, Wisconsin has to focus on what it can control. Yes, Wisconsin needs to put its goggles on and focus on handling the Minnesota Golden Gophers this Saturday, and punch that ticket to Indianapolis for December 7. Yes, the chances of getting into the playoff will ultimately require beating big, bad Ohio State. No one is saying or implying that any of this is likely.
Yet, it is possible, and if you remember crazy college football seasons such as 2007, you know crazier things have happened. (In 2007, South Florida, Kansas, and Boston College were ranked No. 2! Kansas played Missouri for a division championship in the Big 12! Rutgers came close to making a BCS bowl game! Kansas won the Orange Bowl! The national champion lost two games, one of them being to Kentucky!)
Let’s realize that Oregon losing to Arizona State is the key puzzle piece which fell in Wisconsin’s favor. Had Oregon and Utah been 11-1 heading into a Pac-12 Championship Game, the winner would have been guaranteed to finish 12-1. Now, that’s no longer the case. Oregon beating Utah would put Oregon at 11-2.
An 11-2 Wisconsin team as Big Ten champion with a win over Ohio State could — and probably would — get in over Oregon. If Oklahoma loses to Oklahoma State but then beats Baylor in the Big 12 Championship Game, an 11-2 Wisconsin team, as the Big Ten champion with a win over Ohio State, could — and probably would — get in over two-loss Oklahoma.
The other obvious piece which has to fall into place for Wisconsin: Michigan must beat Ohio State. The Badgers could handle OSU in Indianapolis, but if OSU is sitting there at 12-1 and UW is 11-2, with the two teams splitting head-to-head matchups, Wisconsin’s conference championship would not override OSU’s better overall resume. I reemphasize that the Illinois loss was and is a crusher for Wisconsin. If the Badgers hadn’t lost that game, they would have so many better postseason prospects. Nevertheless, Wisconsin still isn’t done.
Jim Harbaugh needs to be Wisconsin’s helper. Then the Badgers have to do their part later on Saturday afternoon. Let’s see what happens. Again, more improbable things have happened in college football history. Badger fans are hoping that the spirit of 2007 fills the air this upcoming weekend.