Three years ago, the Wisconsin Badgers landed 5-star quarterback Graham Mertz. And Mertz promised to be a different kind of quarterback than the typical UW game managers. However, Mertz has not lived up to the hype. Consider that Badger fans will point to the one college football odds season of Russell Wilson as the benchmark. But Wilson was a one-off transfer from NC State. Now for 2022, Wisconsin is looking to get back into championship contention. Following two subpar seasons. The Badgers haven’t played in the Big Ten Championship Game since 2019.
Wisconsin Badgers Future Odds at SBG
| Prop | Odds |
|---|---|
| Odds to Win National Championship | +8000 |
| Odds to Win Conference Championship | +1200 |
| Over/Under Win Total | 5.5 |
2022 Wisconsin Badgers – A Proud Tradition to Build On
Wisconsin began playing football in 1892. But they did not become a consistent winner until the early 1990s. Namely, Barry Alvarez founded that new era of sportsbook glory. Since their 1993 Rose Bowl and Big Ten championship, the Badgers have missed a bowl game only twice. The Badgers finished in the final national rankings every season but eight since 1998. Wisconsin has had six Big Ten titles since 1993 and five division titles since 2011.
Alvarez retired as head coach in 2005 but remained athletic director through 2019. Accordingly, he established a formula that has sustained success through three head coaches and tough competition.
Specifically, Alvarez engineered a formula of in-state offensive linemen and skill players both in and outside the state. The Badgers have used states such as New Jersey to locate dominant running backs such as Jonathan Taylor. Through the years, the Badgers have developed the reputation for being both “O-Line U” and “Running Back U.”
Concurrently, head coach Paul Chryst epitomizes a perfect fit. Chryst grew up in Madison and was a UW quarterback. He has a career record at Wisconsin of 65-23. And he led the Badgers to two final top ten national rankings and four in the top 25.
2022 Wisconsin Badgers – SBG Odds Overview
Last season coach Paul Chryst tried to open up the offense for Mertz. But in doing so, the Badgers lost their bruising mentality. They had to restore the ground game that gobbles up yardage and time of possession. In the second half of last year, Wisconsin returned to its Neanderball ways. As a result, they won eight of their final nine games after a 1-3 start. Yet fans grumbled about how the passing game needed to be overhauled.
However, Wisconsin has the three best recruiting classes in program history. These prized recruits are moving into starting roles on both sides of the ball. Indeed, the defense carried the team to a 9–4 College football betting odds record. And the sixth bowl win under Chryst. Now the Badgers are counting on new playmakers on offense. Last year Wisconsin was under 26 points per game for the second straight season.
Quarterback Graham Mertz is back for a third season. In turn, Mertz must eliminate turnovers in 2022. Following his throwing 11 picks and losing four fumbles in 2021. The Badgers are working to create more big plays through the air. Wisconsin ranked a disappointing ninth in the Big Ten in yards per attempt last season.
Certainly, Jim Leonhard is one of the premier defensive coordinators in college football. But in 2022, he faces the challenge of replacing eight starters from the top-ranked rushing and total yardage defense in college football.