College Football Rankings: Can Wisconsin Finally Live Up to the Hype?

Anyone familiar with the Wisconsin Badgers football program over the past few years knows that, barring last year's unexpected 10-3 season, the team has consistently failed to live up to expectations.

After inheriting former head coach Barry Alvarez's recruits, current coach Bret Bielema had a wildly successful 2006 campaign in which the Badgers went 12-1 and finished No. 5 in the coaches poll.

Perhaps that set the bar too high.

In the next year, Bielema guided Wisconsin to a 9-4 record. Not bad, but a considerable letdown after the 12-1 season.

Then came the epic failure that was 2008. Coming into the season ranked top 15 in the country, the Badgers were a dark horse for the Big Ten title. Six losses later that was a complete joke.

Last year there weren't great expectations for the Cardinal and White after having such letdowns in the previous couple seasons.

And look what happened: The Badgers actually overachieved.

A year that included only one unexpected loss—Northwestern—was capped off with a notable victory over the No. 14-ranked Miami Hurricanes in the Champs Sports Bowl. Plus, this happened in the Hurricanes' own backyard.

But now Wisconsin is once again pegged to be a Big Ten title contender. Ten returning starters on offense—including the whole offensive line and reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, John Clay—will do that for a team.

This is the year they must finally pull through and live up to the hype, otherwise Bielema will be on the hot seat. The team is too talented and has too many experienced players coming back for the Badgers not to exceed 2009's 10-3 season.

Wisconsin has to, at minimum, beat Ohio State at Camp Randall or Iowa away. By doing that it would kill two birds with one stone: transform the program's perception from constant underachiever to legit contender and eradicate the belief that Bielema can't win big games.

If not, Wisconsin fans will deal because, as the famous game-day chant goes, "Win or lose, we still booze."