Wisconsin Football: 3 takeaways from win over Nebraska in Week 6
3. What Wisconsin lacks in flash, it makes up for with consistency
Wisconsin may not play the most exciting brand of football in the nation, but it is, without a doubt, one of the most consistent.
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Since the 2014 season, Wisconsin has amassed a 37-9 record, the fourth best win-loss percentage in college football behind only Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan.
And they’ve done it the old fashion way, by matriculating the ball down the field, and controlling the game clock.
In 2017, the Badgers are currently fifth in the nation in time of possession, averaging an impressive 34 minutes per game.
While this may not seem like a very important stat, it’s arguably the biggest contributing factor as to why Wisconsin remains undefeated six weeks into the college football season, and remain the odds-on favorite to win the Big Ten West.
The Badgers assign their quarterbacks a game manager role, essentially tasking them with keeping the offense on schedule, calling the plays and not turning the ball over.
Even when Russell Wilson, a dynamic, Super Bowl winning quarterback, was in Madison during the 2011 season, the team remained committed to a power running scheme behind future pros Montee Ball, James White and Melvin Gordan and kept the clock moving.
This philosophy keeps the Badgers’ defense, currently ranked fourth in the nation, fresh for much of the game, as they are never required to play more than 50 percent of the team’s snaps on any given Saturday.
While it may not be the most exciting brand of football, Wisconsin’s meat and potato’s style has allowed them to amass 16, 17 and even 18-play drives and bully opponents into submission.
Wisconsin are near locks to make the Big Ten Championship game for the second year in a row, and could even make an appearance in the 2017 College Football Playoff for the first time in the program’s storied history.