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Wisconsin Football: 5 bold predictions for the 2017 season

By Trevor Jossart

ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 02: Alex Hornibrook
ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 02: Alex Hornibrook /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 03: Paul Chryst, head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, watches from the sidelines during the first half of the Big Ten Championship game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 3, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 03: Paul Chryst, head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, watches from the sidelines during the first half of the Big Ten Championship game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 3, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

2. Paul Chryst wins Big Ten Coach of the Year Award (outright)

Last season, and for the first time ever, there were two Big Ten coaches of the year. Wisconsin’s Paul Chryst was voted by coaches as the recipient, but Penn State’s James Franklin received the honors from the media, making it by all indication a tie.

So, what makes Chryst winning it again in 2017 so bold? Well, for starters it is extremely rare that a coach wins a Coach of the Year honor in back-to-back years. The last coach to do so was Northwestern’s Gary Barnett in 1995 and 1996. In fact, there have been only four instances that this has happened.

Coach of the Year honors normally go to a coach that does more with less or in other words goes against expectations and exceeds them by an extraordinary measure. There were some analysts and experts last year that thought the Badgers would go 6-6 with their schedule, so it made sense that Chryst received the honor after the season he and the Badgers had. The same is true with Penn State’s Franklin, especially after an early season loss to Pittsburgh and a demolishing at the hands of Michigan.

This year, expectations are higher for both- meaning that it is that much more difficult go above and beyond. Not to mention, the Big Ten conference is filled with top-of-the-line coaches. Throw in Franklin from Penn State with the likes of Jim Harbaugh, Urban Meyer, Mark Dantionio, and Kirk Ferentz to name a few, it cannot be easy to compete against these folks year in and year out.

So, how can Chryst become just the fifth coach ever to win Big Ten Coach of the Year in back-to-back season? Well, by winning of course.

Wisconsin is projected by many to take the Big Ten West again and secure a date with one of the juggernauts from the East division. While Penn State, Michigan, and Ohio State beat each other up on the other side, all Wisconsin needs to do is: win.

The Badgers will run the table through the Big Ten and Paul Chryst will secure back-to-back Coach of the Year honors. Guess that’s two bold predictions in one, right?

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