This may come as a surprise to those who watched Wisconsin’s 38-21 loss to No. 13 USC on Saturday: The Badgers rose four spots in the ESPN FPI after the contest, from No. 66 in the nation to No. 62.
The team’s FPI rating improved from 0.3 to 0.7, moving it past Florida State, Michigan State and others.
Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin’s blowout loss to No. 13 USC, the current state of the Badgers program
While the game’s final score and the Badgers’ disappearance in the second half paint an ugly picture of the current state of the team and program, FPI views the performance as a slight step in the right direction.
This ratings upgrade likely speaks more to where the team had fallen before Saturday’s contest. The Badgers barely defeated Western Michigan and South Dakota, two lightly regarded nonconference opponents. Those narrow victories sent the team from the mid-30s to the 60s. The blowout loss to No. 4 Alabama continued that slide.
Wisconsin showed some signs of life early against USC. The team led 21-10 at halftime after it connected on explosive plays on offense, ran the ball well and forced three USC turnovers. The 28-0 second-half margin, however, reversed any progress made.
But in the eyes of ESPN FPI, the overall performance was a slight improvement.
FPI projects the Badgers to finish with a final record of 4.9 — 7.1, with only a 32.2% chance to finish the season with six wins. Up next is a home matchup against Purdue, FPI’s 99th team in the country.
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