Wisconsin Football: Will Badgers win Big Ten West again in 2020?

How will Wisconsin football fare in 2020?

Originally Wisconsin’s schedule included non conference home games against Southern Illinois and App State plus a date with Notre Dame at Lambeau Field as part of the Irish’s Shamrock Series. The two schools plan to reschedule the game in a future season.

Here is the Badger’s conference-only schedule, with predictions.

• Game 1: vs. Illinois (W) — Badgers avenge last year’s upset loss to the Illini
• Game 2: at Nebraska (W) — Cornhuskers have too many question marks in Scott Frost’s third year
• Game 3: vs. Purdue (W) — Wide receiver Rondale Moore is back but Purdue does not have a lot of other proven talent
• Game 4: at Michigan (L) — Last four meetings have been won by the home team. The trend continues this season
• Game 5: at Northwestern (W) — The game originally was scheduled to be played at Wrigley Field. Ryan Field, with or without fans, does not present a big home field advantage.
• Game 6: vs. Minnesota (W) — Wisconsin’s offense will have worked out the kinks by this point and they will continue their dominance over the Gophers
• Game 7: vs. Indiana (W) — Hoosiers look to be improving but Badgers should handle their business.
• Game 8: at Iowa (W) — Hawkeyes have not beat Badgers since Paul Chryst’s first season.

Prediction: 7-1

Badgers draw Michigan and Indiana from the Big Ten East. Both games will be tests, especially Michigan, but avoiding both Ohio State and Penn State is a plus.

The downside of the schedule is it appears most of the toughest games, at least on paper, all occur on the road. The Badgers travel to Lincoln, Ann Arbor and Iowa City. Getting the Minnesota at home though could be the difference between a division championship and a second place finish.

As it stands now, the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe will determine who gets to Indianapolis. The Gophers did win their last trip to Madison in 2018 and of course there will be no fans in the stands. However that Gopher win still appears to be an anomaly in a series dominated by the Badgers since 2000.

Until Minnesota or another Big Ten West team proves it, the division is the Badgers’ to lose. If they get back to Indianapolis, perhaps they can win their first conference title since 2012.