Wisconsin Football: Why Badgers Are True BCS Bowl Contenders

Admittedly, the Wisconsin Badgers' last forays into the BCS have ended in disappointment.

While fans and coaches take solace in the fact that the team has made it to two straight Rose Bowls, the Badgers need to win to cement their legitimacy. 2011 was the epitome of potential for the University of Wisconsin, but even a superstar transfer could not put the Badgers over the edge. 

The 2012 team has a question mark where there was a strength, an advantage when there was inconsistency and an easier path back to the promised land of Pasadena. 

The Schedule

When the Badgers looked at their upcoming schedule, the team must have taken a collective sigh of relief. 

Two constant "house of horror"-type road trips in Michigan State and Ohio State will be played in the friendly confines of Camp Randall. In fact, the only real road test will lie in a very suspect Nebraska team and a vulnerable Penn State squad. 

Analysts are already circling Oregon State as a potential trap game, but little else remains in the way of a true challenge. A soft schedule could be a double-edged sword, though. Less-than-elite challengers may allow Montee Ball and company to pile up the wins, but it also leaves the team ill-prepared for powerful opponents. 

The Offense

Goodbye Russell. Hello Danny. 

Critics were hard-pressed to find a weakness in Russell Wilson's game, but Danny O'Brien should prove to be a very satisfactory replacement. The former Maryland quarterback was good for 22 touchdowns in his prime during his freshman year.

The pro-style offense, the return of Montee Ball and the strength of the offensive line should have O'Brien feeling right at home. New coordinator Matt Canada should pick up where Paul Chryst left off with a variety of offensive wrinkles utilizing the tight end and the myriad of running backs.

The talent combined with the schemes should make Wisconsin, once again, a defensive coordinator's nightmare—and a true BCS contender. 

The Defense

This year, an average Wisconsin defense should find a whole new gear. It was two Hail Mary's—and a slew of speedy backs from Oregon—that kept a BCS title out of reach. The team hopes for reconciliation of past sins with a strong 2012 season with improvements in all levels. 

A deep defensive line with a few potential game-changers should provide much-needed quarterback pressure. The stout linebacking corps, made up of Chris Borland and Mike Taylor, should repeat its Big Ten-best 2011 efforts and control the tempo of the unit.

The secondary loses veteran Antonio Fenelus, but regains Devin Smith while adding intriguing safety prospect Dezmen Southward. 

Luck

For Wisconsin to be a true BCS contender, the team needs equal parts hard work and equal parts luck. 

A missed field goal in Boise State or a last-minute touchdown in Tuscaloosa could drastically change the Badgers' chances of even getting a shot to redeem themselves as perennial BCS losers. 

So as hard as it may be, the Wisconsin Badgers need to trust in the only thing they cannot control: luck.