Wisconsin Badgers will play in the Big 10 title game - with a 4-4 conference record

The Wisconsin Badgers will play in the Big 10 title game - with a 4-4 conference record

How can that be, you wonder?

The conference is split into halves. There are only two teams above the Badgers in their half of the conference, and it just so happens that both of them (Ohio State and Penn State) are ineligible for the post-season! So Wisconsin, with the sixth-best record in the conference, will play for the roses.

As if that were not strange enough, Wisconsin actually has a good chance to win that conference championship against Nebraska! Wisconsin is a good team, despite their 7-5 record. Three of those losses came in OT and the other two were lost by a single field goal. Moreover, those five opponents had a combined record of 44-15. The Badgers already played Nebraska this year and were dead even in Nebraska. The rematch will be on neutral ground, so the Badgers will actually be in a better position. (In their first match-up Wisconsin was up 20-10 at halftime before losing by only three.) The winner of their rematch is assured a spot in the Rose Bowl.