2007 BIG TEN PREVIEW: WISCONSIN

This is it. The unofficial start of college football season - Big 10 Media Day - is tomorrow. Next up: Wisconsin (did you really think we'd pick them over Michigan to win the Big 10?).

2006 Record: 12-1 (7-1 Big Ten)
Projected 2007 Finish: 2nd
Returning Starters: 18
Head Coach: Bret Bielema
Best Player: CB Jack Ikegwuonu

5 Reasons for Optimism:
- 2nd best scoring defense in nation (12.1 PPG) returns 7 starters
- Barry who? "Bulimia" looks like the next Vince Lombardi right now
- He's getting no pub, but P.J. Hill's a Heisman darkhorse
- A former DE, tight end Travis Beckum is a complete freakshow
- The Citadel? Wisco's nonconference schedule is again a disgrace

5 Reasons for Pessimism:
- Hard to improve minus 3-year starter at QB and future Hall of Fame LT
- Rumors out of Madison Ikegwuonu spent entire summer playing Halo
- Last (119th) in kickoff returns - someone get Jim Boccher on the phone...
- @ Ohio State, vs. Michigan in back-to-back weeks (woo-hoo!)
- Both safeties are gone, leaving a pair of sophomores in the secondary

Realety:
The season hasn't even started and we're already tired of the media dangling from the Badgers' nuts. The surprise of the 2006 Big 10 season, they've got all the tools to be playing in New Orleans next January. Fifth-year senior QB looked great in starts against Buffalo and Iowa last year, but let's see how this guy holds up in at The Horseshoe with Vernon Gholston breathing down his neck. As we know, the Rose Bowl is never a bad consolation prize.


Right behind "The Claw" and "Script Ohio" as Best Tradition in the Big 10...