Wisconsin Football: Badgers must overcome ghosts of Illinois

When members of the Wisconsin football team walked off the field following a deflating 34-10 home loss to Illinois last season, they didn’t foresee the program’s unprecedented upheaval in their near future.

But everyone, fans, players, and coaches, understood the gravity of that loss, recognizing its potential for significant consequences. Paul Chryst’s tenure at Wisconsin came to an abrupt end after that loss, marking the first midseason firing of a head coach in program history.

The subsequent hiring of Luke Fickell marked a new era for the Badgers.

Fickell’s arrival brings a fresh perspective, but it doesn’t erase the lingering disappointment from the last season. For the players who experienced that Illinois defeat, the memory still lingers. While the past is behind them, they haven’t forgotten.

At the time, Wisconsin football was reeling from a humiliating 52-21 loss to No. 3 Ohio State. Losing to a powerhouse like Ohio State was one thing, but falling to Illinois, a team that hadn’t beaten the Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium in two decades, stung even more, especially with former Badgers coach Bret Bielema on the opposing sideline.

During that infamous game, Chryst’s halftime speech, where he asked players to draw a line in the sand, couldn’t stop the Illini from dominating in the second half, scoring all 20 points and holding Wisconsin to a pathetic 68 yards of total offense. Badgers star running back, Braelon Allen, managed only 2 yards on eight carries, and the entire team rushed for just 2 yards on 24 attempts, including sacks.

A clean slate for Wisconsin football

Fast forward to this season, and both teams have undergone significant changes. Wisconsin football now operates under a new offensive system led by coordinator Phil Longo and has adjusted its defensive concepts under the leadership of Mike Tressel.

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Braedyn Locke is stepping in for Tanner Mordecai, who broke his hand during the loss against Iowa.

On the other side, Illinois has transitioned from one of the best Big Ten defenses to one of the worst. The Illini’s success in last year’s matchup was part of a six-game winning streak that put them in the driver’s seat in the Big Ten West until they stumbled with three consecutive losses. It’s a game that the Wisconsin Badgers fanbase won’t soon forget.

That’s what makes this weekend’s matchup so important. Wisconsin is essentially in a must-win contest for the season at hand and needs to overcome the ghosts that are the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Wisconsin football vs. Illinois game prediction

As for a prediction, this game is as close to a toss-up as Wisconsin football has seen in a while, at least according to historical point spreads.

The Badgers are currently 2.5-point betting favorites, which is essentially a pick
’em’ for the road contest vs the Illini. The last time the spread was this tight was in 2008 when Illinois was favored coming into Camp Randall Stadium, and Wisconsin emerged victorious with a 27-17 win.

However, the Vegas odds are simply a starting point and don’t necessarily predict the outcome, especially considering the uncertainty with Braedyn Locke starting at quarterback.

Illinois has had its share of inconsistencies as well. With a pivotal matchup against Ohio State on the horizon, the Wisconsin football team can’t afford another loss after a lackluster performance against Iowa.

Give me the Badgers 23-17 in a sloppy game. If I’m wrong, Wisconsin’s season has a chance to go off the rails. With a good showing, perhaps they can string enough confidence together to put up a halfway decent fight against the Buckeyes the following week.

For ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, opinions, and analysis, you can follow Dillon Graff on X @DillonGraff.