How Nebraska, Wisconsin can take the Big Ten by storm

Nebraska and Wisconsin are two parts of the new era that Big Ten football is entering, and they’re eager to kick things off with a bang.

The Big Ten is one of college football’s fiercest conferences, headlined by iconic programs like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State. Each of those three teams won 11 games or more last year, and two of them made the CFP—quite impressive.

That’s not even the craziest part, though. Things get really wild when you consider just how much stronger the league looks on paper; two names that always manage to stand out are Nebraska and Wisconsin.

The Cornhuskers have been one of college football’s most iconic brands of the last 50 years, and the Badgers are one of the most consistent teams of the 21st century. However, one would not have known any of that from last season.

Simply put, 2022 was a year that fans of both schools wish to soon forget—and especially when talking about Nebraska, that’s saying something.

The Huskers have been a sorry squad for years now, having missed the postseason for six seasons straight. In that span, they did as poorly as 3-9. While last year only saw them go 4-8, the inclusion of both a home loss to Georgia Southern and the subsequent firing of head coach Scott Frost made for what was arguably a darker time overall.

As for the Badgers, their recent misfortune came on far more suddenly. Despite going 9-4 in 2021, their 2022 stretch ended with a shockingly mediocre record of 7-6. Similarly to Frost, head coach Paul Chryst was also fired mid-season.

The performance was in such violation of their typical standard that it gave them their worst full-season record since 2008 (they get a pass for their 4-3 run from 2020 due to COVID).

What’s the significance of all this?

While the two situations are noticeably different, it is safe to say that a lot of work has to be done in both. But it could take years of time for visible improvements from said work to even begin taking shape, so why does any of this matter now?

Well, when looking at the circumstances surrounding the two programs going forward, they just might get things cooking quicker than expected. In fact, they could do so as soon as the next couple of years or, if they’re really lucky, this one.

As previously established, Nebraska and Wisconsin canned their head coaches in the middle of their seasons, which has left the teams entering their 2023 slates with new faces at the helm. Demanding that they turn things around in their first go is a rather tall order, but if that’s the kind of takeover the schools are looking for, the choices for HC could not have been better.

Back in November, it was confirmed that Nebraska’s future would fall on Matt Rhule while Wisconsin’s fell on Luke Fickell—but what makes them so special? Rhule is coming off of a sorry gig with the Carolina Panthers and Fickell was a head coach at the Power 5 level for just one season (2011-12 Ohio State, which didn’t go well). Why would anyone confidently welcome them aboard?

For starters, it would be unfair to define them by those struggles; how Rhule performed in the NFL should have no bearing on his capabilities in the college game, and Fickell’s one unpleasant season from over a decade ago should not overrule all he’s done since.

Secondly, both of them have proven that they have a knack for flipping teams faster than most could ever dream of.