No. 18 Arizona | No. 20 Georgia Tech | Top 25
No. 19: Wisconsin
Last Season: 11-3 (7-1 Big Ten West)
As backup plans go, Corey Clement might be one of the best ever. As most college football fans know, one year ago Melvin Gordon set a Big Ten single season record of 2,587 rushing yards. But even at a school where two-man running combinations are standard operating procedure, Gordon teamed up with Corey Clement to outdo all previous Wisconsin 1-2 punches, including Gordon and James White in 2013. Clement's 949 rushing yards and nine touchdowns (he also caught two touchdown passes) would have made him a star on most teams. Now this year he'll be the star at Camp Randall Stadium, forming a new two-back tandem with freshman and All-Name candidate Taiwan Deal. A pair of reliable grinders could be the perfect remedy for a program still reeling from a bizarre end to 2014 -- a four-day stretch that started with a crushing 59-0 loss to Ohio State in the conference championship and ended with the bolting of Gary Anderson for ... Oregon State? New coach Paul Chryst will be leaning on Clement early and often. Wisconsin opens against Alabama in the Jerry Dome on Sept. 5. -- Ryan McGee
After a third Big Ten title game in four years, Wisconsin lost its head coach when Gary Andersen surprisingly departed for Oregon State. But Madison native and UW alumnus Chryst should be able to follow the template set by his predecessors of winning with strong line play and a dominant running game. Without Gordon, rushing numbers might slip a bit, but Clement averaged 6.5 ypa last season and is a competent replacement. The Badgers must travel to Nebraska and Minnesota, but they have the good fortune of facing Rutgers and Maryland, two teams they beat by a combined score of 89-7 last year, out of the East. The Badgers are Big Ten contenders yet again.
Wisconsin's chances to win each game
09.05 vs. Alabama (in Arlington): 17.5%*
09.12 vs. Miami (Ohio): 95.6%
09.19 vs. Troy: 95.7%
09.26 vs. Hawaii: 91.0%
10.03 vs. Iowa: 76.5%
10.10 @ Nebraska: 44.2%
10.17 vs. Purdue: 78.1%
10.24 @ Illinois: 61.3%
10.31 vs. Rutgers: 81.1%
11.07 @ Maryland: 68.7%
11.21 vs. Northwestern: 76.1%
11.28 @ Minnesota: 55.4%
*BROCK HUARD, ESPN analyst: In all honesty, Wisconsin's chances to beat Alabama are only about 5%. Not even Alabama's QB inexperience, up against a Wisconsin defense that was fourth in the country in YPG last season, evens this matchup. Bama's front seven is too good.
SHARON KATZ, ESPN Stats & Info: Can a Gordon-less offense -- with fewer than 50 career OL starts -- score on an Alabama D that returns seven starters and is ranked second in the country? No team has allowed fewer points per drive than Alabama over the past four years.
Gordon's gone and a new coach, Chryst, arrives. But the Badgers will still pound the rock with emerging star Corey Clement and lean on a tough-as-nails defense. The schedule is favorable outside the Alabama opener, so bet on a 10-2 record and a repeat Big Ten West Division title. -- Brian Bennett
The Badgers have some question marks along the front seven, but coordinator Dave Aranda is one of the best in the business. The big issue here is whether QB Joel Stave can take pressure off the running game. I'm going with 9-3. -- Josh Moyer
Dave Aranda's defense should be one of the best in the country again this season, but if Chryst can't help the Badgers develop a consistent passing game, winning the Big Ten's West Division isn't a guarantee. Let's say 9-3. -- Dan Murphy
The Badgers are missing the home run threat on offense that has helped raise the profile of this program amid coaching turnover. Defensively, they're strong, especially in the back, but trips to Nebraska and Minnesota add difficulty to the task of repeating in the Big Ten West. Think 9-3. -- Mitch Sherman
There's no end in sight to the bottomless supply of running backs at Wisconsin, and it's Corey Clement's turn to pile up yardage and touchdowns. The big question is if he's enough to keep the Badgers rolling with a suspect passing attack. I'm picking 9-3. -- Austin Ward
No. 18 Arizona | No. 20 Georgia Tech | Top 25
