Wisconsin Football: Are Badgers True Threats in Race for Big Ten Title?

It hasn’t been the easiest first half of the season for Wisconsin.

The Badgers’ College Football Playoff hopes went on life support after blowing a 17-point second-half lead in the opener against LSU and flatlined following an ugly 20-14 loss to Northwestern. However, the Badgers still have hope for the second half of 2014, and Saturday’s 52-7 rout of Maryland serves as Exhibit A.

The Terrapins entered Madison with a quality 5-2 record but didn’t put up anything resembling a fight. In the process, Wisconsin showed why it can still be a Big Ten title contender.

The Badgers have one of the nation’s best running games and a defense that is showing improvement: Stefon Diggs’ touchdown with less than a minute to play was the only thing that kept Wisconsin from its first FBS shutout since the 2013 season opener against UMass.

And few, if any teams, can match the backfield firepower that Wisconsin has with junior tailback Melvin Gordon. Wisconsin entered Saturday as the nation’s No. 2 rushing offense, averaging an astounding 343 rushing yards per game. Gordon entered as the nation’s second-leading rusher, and he backed it up with a 122-yard, three-touchdown effort against the Terrapins.

Gordon has surpassed 100 yards and scored at least one touchdown in all but one game this season (a 17-carry, 38-yard effort against FCS Western Illinois). He is a legit Heisman Trophy candidate whose campaign could be enhanced by his team’s overall success.

The Badgers play three of their final five games away from Camp Randall Stadium, traveling to Rutgers, Purdue and Iowa. Of those three, only the trip to Kinnick Stadium could be considered dangerous. And keep this in mind: Maryland beat Iowa 38-31 last week in College Park.

Wisconsin’s biggest game is at home: No. 16 Nebraska visits Nov. 15 with two of the nation’s top tailbacks (Gordon and Nebraska senior Ameer Abdullah) facing off. Playing in raucous Camp Randall is a major edge for the Badgers, especially with potentially dicey November weather conditions in play.

Win that game, and Wisconsin would likely be the Big Ten West Division champion, with a shot at facing either Michigan State or Ohio State in the Big Ten title game.

The Badgers would be an underdog in that game, but given the struggles of the season’s first half, it would be a victory just to get that far. And the way Gary Andersen’s team is playing right now, there’s no reason to count Wisconsin out of the league race.