Following a wire-to-wire win in Ann Arbor over Michigan, Wisconsin sits at 2-0 with a battle of the undefeated’s looming next week at Northwestern.
ESPN’s Football Power Index might be higher on the Badgers than most Wisconsin fans are at this point in the season. Keep in mind that UW has cancelled two games (Nebraska, Purdue) due to a COVID-19 outbreak, and would need to play their next four games in order to even be eligible for Big Ten Championship week and have a chance to make the College Football Playoff.
Despite the obstacles, FPI gives UW an over 50% chance to make the College Football Playoff. FPI gives the Badegrs a 54.1% chance to make the four-team playoff, a 32% chance to make the title game, and a 17% chance of winning the whole thing.
Wisconsin in ESPN'S FPI:
85% to win Big Ten West
54% to make CFB Playoff
32% to make CFB Playoff title game
17% to win CFB Playoff#Badgers— Scary Alvarez (@barryisthedon) November 16, 2020
So, how does that compare to other top contenders? Only two schools have a better chance of making the College Football Playoff according to FPI: Ohio State and Alabama. Both Wisconsin and Ohio State have a better than 50% chance of getting in, which signifies that the model sees a two-Big Ten team CFP as a real possibility.