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Did Wisconsin dodge a loss

Auger

HR All-American
Sep 14, 2007
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and could they be rewarded for it? Would have had to travel to Nebraska with less than a week of practice with the 4th string QB as their starter. No question Alvarez saw this game as a likely loss with that short window. They gave themselves time now to prepare an offense for Purdue even though they can't start practicing again until next Wednesday. Still will be an uphill battle for them to beat both Purdue and Michigan before Mertz gets back. However avoiding the Nebraska game and potential loss still gives them enough games to qualify for the B1G Championship. They could finish 6-1 and still go to the Championship over a 7-1 team or 5-2 and get in over a 6-2 West team. Under the B1G's plan itd better to cancel a game than it is to take a loss. They could go 6-0 lose to a 5-2 Iowa team finish 6-1 and win the division over a 6-2 Iowa team that beat them. Correct me if Im wrong here? I've heard these scenarios all morning from podcasters and the sports media.

Iowa dug themselves a hole here yet again with the loss to a team we should have beaten. However it will be interesting how the season plays and if this canceled game benefits Wisconsin and leaves a Minnesota, Iowa, or even Northwestern fuming in the end.
 
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If it was a forfeit Wisconsin would have played the game. I still think there was a chance Wisky wins even with a 4th string QB. Debbie sucks.
I'm withholding judgement on them until I see them play a more down-to-earth team than OSU. I think they would have beat Wisconsin, but we'll never know, now.
 
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That would have been peak 2020.

Wisconsin: We had a covid outbreak.

BIG10: If you have more than 5% outbreak you can't play.

Wiscy: OK.

Big 10: if you can't play you have to take the forfeit.

Wiscy: you can't make us forfeit, we will show up and beat thier ass up and down the field WITH oxygen tanks if we have to.


Big ten:

tenor.gif
 
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B1G has chimed in that it is not a forfeit. Not sure why unless (1) they believe that WI will imminently be over the threshold or (2) The B1G has their head up their ass.

I would believe either.
 
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There is too much gray area here. If Wisconsin was shut down by the B1G they would in fact be shut down for 21 days eliminating them from contention unless the rest of the teams fall below 6 games played. However Wisconsin can cancel a game on their own and not have it count as a loss and then play their next game. You could potentially pick and choose who you want to play to avoid losses if you have a handful of cases.

Not saying this will happen because Nebraska isnt that good of a team. But Nebraska could finish 5-2 and Wisconsin could finish 5-2 but Wisconsin could win the tiebreaker and go to the B1G Championship over Nebraska despite canceling the game against them. The B1G created a host of issues.
 
There is too much gray area here. If Wisconsin was shut down by the B1G they would in fact be shut down for 21 days eliminating them from contention unless the rest of the teams fall below 6 games played. However Wisconsin can cancel a game on their own and not have it count as a loss and then play their next game. You could potentially pick and choose who you want to play to avoid losses if you have a handful of cases.

Not saying this will happen because Nebraska isnt that good of a team. But Nebraska could finish 5-2 and Wisconsin could finish 5-2 but Wisconsin could win the tiebreaker and go to the B1G Championship over Nebraska despite canceling the game against them. The B1G created a host of issues.
I'm a Nebraska fan and I'm not sure we would have beat Wisconsin with their 4th string QB. But what I am sure of is if Wisconsin were playing O-State the big ten would have forced them to play or forfeit to keep their playoff hopes alive.
 
I'm a Nebraska fan and I'm not sure we would have beat Wisconsin with their 4th string QB. But what I am sure of is if Wisconsin were playing O-State the big ten would have forced them to play or forfeit to keep their playoff hopes alive.

After watching the first week of games I think there are more questions now about each of the West teams than there were prior to week 1. Where is Wisconsin's run game? Is Mertz that good? Is Minnesota's D that bad? Nebraska looked better than many expected. Purdue's D got torched by Iowa but Iowa shot themselves in the foot with fumbles and penalties that gave relief to a struggling Purdue D. Will Iowa's D have problems finishing games? Is this Northwestern team that sneaky good team they were just a few years ago that won a water downed West? The West is a crap shoot right now.

Also if you dont have to worry about Wisconsins passing attack with Mertz out as well as his (3rd string) backup can't teams stack against the run now? Wisconsins run game looked so so against Illinois. Nebraska's weakness was stoppong the run. Nebraska would have been able to protect the line of scrimmage during this game and tried to force a 4th string QB into passing.
 
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Btn said 12 badger players and coaches have tested positive the past 5vdays, how many more they for the conf to cancel???

Also I assume their weight lifting practicing etc has all been shut down and all of them are quarantined?
 
After watching the first week of games I think there are more questions now about each of the West teams than there were prior to week 1. Where is Wisconsin's run game? Is Mertz that good? Is Minnesota's D that bad? Nebraska looked better than many expected. Purdue's D got torched by Iowa but Iowa shot themselves in the foot with fumbles and penalties that gave relief to a struggling Purdue D. Will Iowa's D have problems finishing games? Is this Northwestern team that sneaky good team they were just a few years ago that won a water downed West? The West is a crap shoot right now.

Also if you dont have to worry about Wisconsins passing attack with Mertz out as well as his (3rd string) backup can't teams stack against the run now? Wisconsins run game looked so so against Illinois. Nebraska's weakness was stoppong the run. Nebraska would have been able to protect the line of scrimmage during this game and tried to force a 4th string QB into passing.
Purdues d got torched by us?
Lol
 
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Btn said 12 badger players and coaches have tested positive the past 5vdays, how many more they for the conf to cancel???

Also I assume their weight lifting practicing etc has all been shut down and all of them are quarantined?

They would have needed a Florida level breakout of 40-50 to cancel. Wisconsin is just ducking out on a likely loss
 
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They would have needed a Florida level breakout of 40-50 to cancel. Wisconsin is just ducking out on a likely loss
So they cancelling the season or do you think they don't want to break in their new players vs a nebraska defense? They'd rather their first game be vs a better team,?
 
Btn said 12 badger players and coaches have tested positive the past 5vdays, how many more they for the conf to cancel???

Also I assume their weight lifting practicing etc has all been shut down and all of them are quarantined?
They said they've suspended operations for 7 days minimum so I'd assume that means anything that involves team gatherings that isn't health checks for testing and such is donezo for now. If not this is a sham... it's already pretty odd that they'd be willing to try to have next week's game off of a maximum 3 days of prep after a minimum week of idleness, no pads or walk through or anything. I guess we'll see how serious they are about player safety depending on whether they play next week or not
 
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So they cancelling the season or do you think they don't want to break in their new players vs a nebraska defense? They'd rather their first game be vs a better team,?

Hate Nebraska all you want, but do you think Wisconsin is canceling the game if they are playing Rutgers and they have 6 positive cases with their 3rd string Dbacks? I don’t.
 
While I understand your point… Don’t forget the fact that they’re playing Nebraska.

They could’ve walked into any random classroom on campus, pulled any random student, made them the starting quarterback and they still would’ve won.

It’s Nebraska.
 
Oh how stupid the Big 10 has looked through this entire ordeal. If only they stuck with the ORIGINAL plan. :mad:
Such is life...GO HAWKS!
 
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Wait. Dont players who test positive have to sit out 21 days? If this is the case, Wisc can still play..they would be without 2 more QB's though for 3 wks.
 
Lol at Nebraska fans who think Wisconsin is ducking them. They’re 8-1 in the last 9 vs Nebraska with an average margin of victory at 21 points. Thanks for the laugh, I needed it on this gloomy, cold day.
No joke....is everyone in this thread serious? I hope you’re not real Hawk fans....this is some serious Nebraska level delusion.

Sure Wisconsin, the class of the division, who wipes the floor with Nebraska annually, and just destroyed Illinois....is cancelling because they’re scared....right....
 
Hate Nebraska all you want, but do you think Wisconsin is canceling the game if they are playing Rutgers and they have 6 positive cases with their 3rd string Dbacks? I don’t.
They play the rutgers team that beat msu, but are scared of the braska team that got destroyed as usual?

Doesn't add up to me.
 
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No joke....is everyone in this thread serious? I hope you’re not real Hawk fans....this is some serious Nebraska level delusion.

Sure Wisconsin, the class of the division, who wipes the floor with Nebraska annually, and just destroyed Illinois....is cancelling because they’re scared....right....

Uhh, hard to win with a fourth string QB, do you really think Wisconsin wouldn’t be playing this game if it was six other non QB players out? Absolutely not. They’re taking advantage of the system and they know it.

If Iowa is sitting at 5-2 and Wisconsin is sitting at 4–1 going into the final week, Iowa should say **** you and not play, cause why not? That’s what Wisconsin is exactly doing.
 
Are Nebraska’s two DB’s that got ejected now eligible for the next game or does a no contest not count? I’d assume they’d still have to sit the first half of next game played.
 
Uhh, hard to win with a fourth string QB, do you really think Wisconsin wouldn’t be playing this game if it was six other non QB players out? Absolutely not. They’re taking advantage of the system and they know it.

If Iowa is sitting at 5-2 and Wisconsin is sitting at 4–1 going into the final week, Iowa should say **** you and not play, cause why not? That’s what Wisconsin is exactly doing.
They’re missing a QB, so what. They’d still run wild and remember, Nebraska would still have to actually score.
 
And Nebraska fans are pissed off because they know the only chance they have at beating Wisconsin is facing their fourth string QB
 
They’re missing a QB, so what. They’d still run wild and remember, Nebraska would still have to actually score.

They’re missing their first 3 starting QBs, maybe even their fourth, I’m not sure. They don’t have a stud RB this year to back them up either, you’re clueless if you don’t think Wisconsin is gaming the system. They can still play the game if they want which means they are absolutely scared they might lose.
 
Are Nebraska’s two DB’s that got ejected now eligible for the next game or does a no contest not count? I’d assume they’d still have to sit the first half of next game played.
Why do the refs hate Nebraska so much?

Just in case no one caught it... that was sarcasm.
 
I hate Nebraska but I hope there is enough attention brought to the fact that Wisconsin cancelled the game on their own and it gets counted as a forfeit.
I don't think it is counted as a forfeit.

It's a cancellation under BIG rules.

Guaranteed they play against Purdue
 
Wisc cannot run. We are improved this year. Without Mertz we would destroy the badger boys. Barry knew this and cacelled rather than take a loss.
 
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