Which teams will suffer due to division-less college football?

2. Wisconsin’s path becomes that much more difficult without divisions

Perhaps no team in the country would suffer from division-less football than the Wisconsin Badgers. Wisconsin dominated the Big Ten West. Since the Badgers won back-to-back Big Ten championships in 2011 and 2012, Wisconsin has four second-place finishes, more than any other team in the West.

Wisconsin would have to catch Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and Michigan without divisions. College football has always been a talent acquisition business, and Wisconsin does not recruit at a high enough level to compete with the teams at the top of the Big Ten.

The Badgers did have a top 20 class in 2021, finishing 16th. Wisconsin’s class in 2022 was 44th, which begs the question, “Was 2022 a trend or anomaly?”

Wisconsin’s path to the Big Ten title game was more accessible because they have been one of the more consistent teams in the division. The Badgers know who they are and how to recruit to their identity.

Unfortunately, the Badgers don’t have the talent to compete against the teams at the top of the Big Ten. Wisconsin will continue to be consistent but find it hard to compete in a Big Ten with no divisions.