The Tennessee Volunteers were one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 college football season and one analyst seems to believe there’s a team in the Big Ten that could follow in their footsteps.
In Brad Crawford’s “10 Way-Too-Early Bold Predictions” for next season, the 247 writer seems to think Luke Fickell could turn things around in Madison in a hurry.
The Badgers went 7-6 during the 2022 season, the same record as Tennessee the previous campaign. Now, with a philosophical switch on offense thanks to the arrival of Phil Longo along with several new quarterbacks from the portal, Wisconsin is primed to breakout under first-year coach Luke Fickell in 2023. Part of the reason I’m expecting notable success from a program that will finish inside the top 10 is due to schedule favorability. The Badgers miss Michigan and Penn State and get Ohio State at Camp Randall in late October. Keep an eye on Wisconsin having a Tennessee-like rise after last season’s disappointing showing offensively.
Last year was obviously a struggle for the Badgers who have been one of the steadier CFB programs over the past half-decade.
If anyone can get Wisconsin back on track, it’s Luke Fickell.