February 27, 2008

Olin Buchanan
Rivals.com College Football Senior Writer

Admittedly, speculating in late February which teams will play for a championship in early January is an invitation to be mocked, harassed and badgered.

Still, if Georgia, LSU, USC, Oklahoma, West Virginia or Missouri were picked to reach next year's BCS National Championship Game, even the harshest cynics likely would agree those wouldn't be outlandish predictions.

But those who like to look for a solid pick with good odds, those who always are seeking the team flying just under the radar and those who love to bet on the dark horse should not forget a certain successful team in the Big Ten.

Yeah, that team lost to an SEC team in its bowl last season. But that team returns the vast majority of its offensive starters, including an All-America-caliber running back, an all-conference receiver and four starters off a line that features an all-conference performer. That team also returns almost all of its defensive starters, although one of its best did leave early for the NFL draft.

That team will have to win a tough game on the road against a West Coast opponent to reach Miami for the championship game.

That team is not Ohio State.

Again, this may be an invitation to be badgered, but upon close inspection, beware of Wisconsin in 2008.

The Badgers, who begin spring practice next week, return eight offensive starters and nine defensive starters from a team that went 9-4 and lost to Tennessee 21-17 in the Outback Bowl.

Junior P.J. Hill, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher, leads perhaps the nation's deepest group of tailbacks. Tight end/receiver Travis Beckum returns to head a young but solid receiving corps.

Four starters are back on the offensive line, with All-Big Ten selection Kraig Urbik leading that group.

The defense was solid last season, but must overcome the loss of All-Big Ten cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu, who left early for the NFL. Among the returning nine defensive starters are three linemen and all three linebackers, so it shouldn't be a stretch to expect the Badgers' defense to be better than the unit that ranked 38th in the nation last season.

Of course, the main reason the Badgers are "flying under the radar" is their quarterback situation. Senior Allan Evridge, who has barely played in two years, is the likely replacement for Tyler Donovan.

A starter at Kansas State in 2005, Evridge sat out the 2006 season after transferring to Wisconsin. Then, he was beaten out for the starting job by Donovan and threw only 12 passes last season.

But at least he's a senior with some starting experience. And he's stepping into an offense with an experienced line, good receivers and outstanding running backs, which is as good a situation as a new quarterback can get.

If Evridge has a good spring and shows he's capable of effectively leading the offense, 2008 could be a memorable year in Madison.

The schedule requires the Badgers to make a trip to Fresno State in mid-September. In recent seasons, Wisconsin has struggled on swings out west. The Badgers escaped with a 9-7 win at Arizona in 2004 and survived 20-13 at UNLV last season.

But after the trip to Fresno, Wisconsin gets an off week before facing Michigan - which doesn't project to be as strong as it was in 2007. The three Big Ten teams that beat Wisconsin in 2007 ? Ohio State, Penn State and Illinois ? must travel to Madison in '08.

However, it is also possible the schedule ultimately could work against the Badgers, who have announced they added a season-ending game against Division I-AA Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.

Should a no-loss or one-loss Wisconsin be competing with a few other teams to get into the BCS Championship Game, a late game  against an overmatched I-AA opponent could hurt the Badgers.

Still, few teams ? if any ? appear to have a better combination of returning starters and advantageous schedule. So, don't be surprised next season if the Badgers prevail in the Big Ten and make a bona-fide run at reaching Miami for the title game.

And if not? Well, there's always Ohio State.

Trivia Question

Name the NCAA Division I universities to have won national championships in football, basketball and baseball. (Answer at the end of the column.)

Back to tradition

Many of the changes in college football in recent years have come at the expense of tradition, but on Monday tradition made a comeback.

The Texas-Texas A&M game, once a staple on Thanksgiving Day, will return to the holiday schedule for the next two years and be broadcast nationally by ESPN.

Texas and Texas A&M have played on Thanksgiving 60 times, but not since 1993 when A&M prevailed 18-9 in College Station.

The Aggies were placed on probation and prohibited from appearing on TV the next year, so Texas played Baylor on Thanksgiving instead.

In '95, the Longhorns and Aggies played on Dec. 2. Then, after the formation of the Big 12, their game was moved to the day after Thanksgiving.

This year's game will be played in Austin.

Texas leads the 114-game series 73-36-5, but A&M has won the past two.

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