Let's talk about Wisconsin

[Hoosker]

With the recent talks of the East / West split, it got me thinking about our division mates up in Madison. There are a ton of questions that need to be asked about the current and future relationship between the rivalry with the Badgers. Where do we stand with Wisconsin? We have the past success, but the current state of their football program is superior to ours. They've been the conference champs for three years in a row now.

 

We got blown out in our only game in Madison so far.

We mounted a common 2012 Husker comeback and edged them under the lights of Memorial Stadium.

We all know what happend next...

 

They obviously have the upper hand right now. 2-1 with both Ws being blowouts, but that coach has moved on... Former Utah State head coach Gary Andersen is taking charge and trying to continue Wisconsin's success nationally and in the ever changing Big Ten Conference.

 

Thoughts on the rivalry with the Badgers in the upcoming years?

[NUance]

A coaching change can be difficult for a program---as we well know. So it's hard to say which direction Wisconsin will be heading for the next couple years. Heck, it's hard to say which direction the Huskers are heading sometimes.

 

But the Badgers are doing one thing better than us right now. Home field advantage. Camp Randall is a MUCH worse than friendly ole Memorial Stadium for visitors to come and play in. It's gonna be tough for us to win in Madison. Even in years when we have the edge in talent.

[flatwaterfan]

I beg to differ that their football program is superior to ours. I think it's about the same. I am probably arguing about semantics here. Our program just like Wisconsin's is a top notch program. Sold out stadiums, excellent facilities & support , Programs are makes money. Excellent traditions. Each will stand the test of time. They had an edge in coaching continuity but now that's changed. They have had more success on the field lately, but last year even though they won the B1G game, I wouldn't call them conference champs unless you put an asterick on it. They struggled due to some losing some coaches and now they have some more turnover. On the other hand I think they made a good hire.

 

As far as a rivalry I think it will be a great one and probably moreso than Iowa. Time will tell though.

[nebraskafaninwi]

I beg to differ that their football program is superior to ours. I think it's about the same. I am probably arguing about semantics here. Our program just like Wisconsin's is a top notch program. Sold out stadiums, excellent facilities & support , Programs are makes money. Excellent traditions. Each will stand the test of time. They had an edge in coaching continuity but now that's changed. They have had more success on the field lately, but last year even though they won the B1G game, I wouldn't call them conference champs unless you put an asterick on it. They struggled due to some losing some coaches and now they have some more turnover. On the other hand I think they made a good hire.

 

As far as a rivalry I think it will be a great one and probably moreso than Iowa. Time will tell though.

 

1: Before they started doing upgrades to their facilities they had the worst facilities in the conference. Now they move to the middle of the pack, if even. Indiana still has a much nicer weight room even after Wisconsin is upgrading it.

 

2: You honestly want to try and compare traditions and excellence Nebraska has won 5 national titles, a ton of conference championships, and played in a ton of high level bowl games and has more wins over the last 15 years. They had some nice years with Barr and won Rose Bowls. Under Bret they got the depth chart rolling so they could keep at the top of the conference, but they also had offensive lines for the 2010 and 2011 season that were even better than the Alabama offensive line of 2012 and none of those offensive lines can match the offensive line from Nebraska of 1995.

 

3: Nebraska is one of the all-time winningist programs. Wisconsin isn't even close. They have good the last 20 some years, but before they they were flat out awful and were a complete laughing stock. They need to show they can keep the program at a high level without using the same formula the previous two head coaches used.

 

Just please nobody ever put these two programs in the same sentences for tradition and excellence - current state of the programs is fine, but nothing more than that.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

With the coaching change I think they'll struggle some at first, but they should always have decent lines up there, but I thought we would as well. I really don't like Wisconsin and I think the game will turn into a rivalry and it's gonna be a real ugly rivalry. Unlike the attempt by the B1G to make Iowa and Nebraska a rivalry, you can't manufacture them. The Wisconsin/Nebraska game is going to evolve into a great rivalry and that's because no one is trying to force it down either sides throat. My problem with Wisconsin is because they have built their program like Nebraska's. I know that was Alvarez's doing, but it really irritates me. Build your own program, don't try to copy mine! They do have a meaner game day atmosphere and Memorial needs to get it's stuff together, but it'll never happen.

[The Dude]

We had a tough time beating Wisconsin when they were struggling to beat teams like Northern Iowa and UTEP. Once they got rolling, we didn't even belong on the same field. In terms of talent, they're head and shoulders above us right now. Andersen got a lot of his on the job training out of the the way at Utah State, and did a great job turning them around.

 

There might be a 1 year transitional period, but I'm struggling to find reasons why they won't continue to dominate Nebraska.

[nebraskafaninwi]

There is no doubt it will become a rivalry. If we are able to go into Wisconsin and get recruits out of that state annually they will flat out hate our guts. They are already pissed we took their highly rated DE.

[MichiganDad3]

I beg to differ that their football program is superior to ours. I think it's about the same. I am probably arguing about semantics here. Our program just like Wisconsin's is a top notch program. Sold out stadiums, excellent facilities & support , Programs are makes money. Excellent traditions. Each will stand the test of time. They had an edge in coaching continuity but now that's changed. They have had more success on the field lately, but last year even though they won the B1G game, I wouldn't call them conference champs unless you put an asterick on it. They struggled due to some losing some coaches and now they have some more turnover. On the other hand I think they made a good hire.

 

As far as a rivalry I think it will be a great one and probably moreso than Iowa. Time will tell though.

 

1: Before they started doing upgrades to their facilities they had the worst facilities in the conference. Now they move to the middle of the pack, if even. Indiana still has a much nicer weight room even after Wisconsin is upgrading it.

 

2: You honestly want to try and compare traditions and excellence Nebraska has won 5 national titles, a ton of conference championships, and played in a ton of high level bowl games and has more wins over the last 15 years. They had some nice years with Barr and won Rose Bowls. Under Bret they got the depth chart rolling so they could keep at the top of the conference, but they also had offensive lines for the 2010 and 2011 season that were even better than the Alabama offensive line of 2012 and none of those offensive lines can match the offensive line from Nebraska of 1995.

 

3: Nebraska is one of the all-time winningist programs. Wisconsin isn't even close. They have good the last 20 some years, but before they they were flat out awful and were a complete laughing stock. They need to show they can keep the program at a high level without using the same formula the previous two head coaches used.

 

Just please nobody ever put these two programs in the same sentences for tradition and excellence - current state of the programs is fine, but nothing more than that.

I agree with everything you said, but Wisconsin kicked our heads in 2 of the last 3 times we played, and that has to count for something.

[4skers89]

With the coaching change I think they'll struggle some at first, but they should always have decent lines up there, but I thought we would as well. I really don't like Wisconsin and I think the game will turn into a rivalry and it's gonna be a real ugly rivalry. Unlike the attempt by the B1G to make Iowa and Nebraska a rivalry, you can't manufacture them. The Wisconsin/Nebraska game is going to evolve into a great rivalry and that's because no one is trying to force it down either sides throat. My problem with Wisconsin is because they have built their program like Nebraska's. I know that was Alvarez's doing, but it really irritates me. Build your own program, don't try to copy mine! They do have a meaner game day atmosphere and Memorial needs to get it's stuff together, but it'll never happen.

I hope you aren't suggesting we need to start acting like WI fans. I'd rather see WI fans act more like us.

 

[Excel]

It's a fun game but not a rivalry, at least not yet. Maybe given some time the hate will grow but I still get more worked up to play Ohio State and in the past, Minnesota.

 

As far as the direction of our program; it'll be interesting to see how Anderson does things. I've been pretty out of the loop lately but from looking at his past and what Alvarez has said I'm optimistic.

[HuskerShark]

I agree that Wisconsin has owned us in the B1G so far, but we've also fielded some sub-par defenses since we joined the conference, especially in terms of physicality. Once our defense improves and gets more physical (maybe as early as this year) then I think we will see some closer games between these 2 teams.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

With the coaching change I think they'll struggle some at first, but they should always have decent lines up there, but I thought we would as well. I really don't like Wisconsin and I think the game will turn into a rivalry and it's gonna be a real ugly rivalry. Unlike the attempt by the B1G to make Iowa and Nebraska a rivalry, you can't manufacture them. The Wisconsin/Nebraska game is going to evolve into a great rivalry and that's because no one is trying to force it down either sides throat. My problem with Wisconsin is because they have built their program like Nebraska's. I know that was Alvarez's doing, but it really irritates me. Build your own program, don't try to copy mine! They do have a meaner game day atmosphere and Memorial needs to get it's stuff together, but it'll never happen.

I hope you aren't suggesting we need to start acting like WI fans. I'd rather see WI fans act more like us.

Don't see how anything I said there can be construed as us saying we need to act like Wisconsin's fans? Their fans are a-holes, but their game day atmosphere is more challenging for opponents to deal with compared to Memorial. People aren't scared of us because of the "N" on the side of our helmets anymore, those days are gone. Time for Memorial to step its game up and for the team to get its swagger back.

[Nobody]

With the coaching change I think they'll struggle some at first, but they should always have decent lines up there, but I thought we would as well. I really don't like Wisconsin and I think the game will turn into a rivalry and it's gonna be a real ugly rivalry. Unlike the attempt by the B1G to make Iowa and Nebraska a rivalry, you can't manufacture them. The Wisconsin/Nebraska game is going to evolve into a great rivalry and that's because no one is trying to force it down either sides throat. My problem with Wisconsin is because they have built their program like Nebraska's. I know that was Alvarez's doing, but it really irritates me. Build your own program, don't try to copy mine! They do have a meaner game day atmosphere and Memorial needs to get it's stuff together, but it'll never happen.

I hope you aren't suggesting we need to start acting like WI fans. I'd rather see WI fans act more like us.

Don't see how anything I said there can be construed as us saying we need to act like Wisconsin's fans? Their fans are a-holes, but their game day atmosphere is more challenging for opponents to deal with compared to Memorial. People aren't scared of us because of the "N" on the side of our helmets anymore, those days are gone. Time for Memorial to step its game up and for the team to get its swagger back.

 

[4skers89]

With the coaching change I think they'll struggle some at first, but they should always have decent lines up there, but I thought we would as well. I really don't like Wisconsin and I think the game will turn into a rivalry and it's gonna be a real ugly rivalry. Unlike the attempt by the B1G to make Iowa and Nebraska a rivalry, you can't manufacture them. The Wisconsin/Nebraska game is going to evolve into a great rivalry and that's because no one is trying to force it down either sides throat. My problem with Wisconsin is because they have built their program like Nebraska's. I know that was Alvarez's doing, but it really irritates me. Build your own program, don't try to copy mine! They do have a meaner game day atmosphere and Memorial needs to get it's stuff together, but it'll never happen.

I hope you aren't suggesting we need to start acting like WI fans. I'd rather see WI fans act more like us.

Don't see how anything I said there can be construed as us saying we need to act like Wisconsin's fans? Their fans are a-holes, but their game day atmosphere is more challenging for opponents to deal with compared to Memorial. People aren't scared of us because of the "N" on the side of our helmets anymore, those days are gone. Time for Memorial to step its game up and for the team to get its swagger back.

Thanks for the clarification.

[CheeseHusker]

It will become the most intense rivalry in that division, I think, in time.

 

Having spent roughly half my life in that state, it's very personal. I don't enjoy being on the wrong end of it.