Not many people gave Wisconsin a chance against LSU last Saturday. People thought the Tigers would embarrassed them with a top flight defense, the front-runner for Heisman Leonard Fournette and Wisconsin’s inexperience. Vegas agreed putting LSU as a 10.5 point favorite in an essential road game. Badgers dominated Tigers in every facet of the game, and they should have won the game by double-digits minus the two Badgers turnovers which paved the way for LSU’s 14 points. That all being said, expectations should remain the same for this team and not waver from a team who might be a year away from greatness.

They have the future tools to be great with their tough-as-nails youthful defense, a young but powerful offensive line and talented quarterback waiting in the wings with Alex Hornibrook. Wisconsin’s schedule is one of the toughest in the nation, and they cleared its first hurdle on Saturday with a win against LSU. Still, Wisconsin should be seen as this same team before the season began at Lambeau Field. If they win more than nine games, it’s a wild success for this season.

This isn’t a knock on Wisconsin’s team. Nor is it ‘LSU lost that game versus Wisconsin win it.'(That’s a bullshit premise by the way and excuse SEC fans want to use when a Big 10 team kicks their ass). Rather, it’s a realistic approach to what still is a hard season for the Badgers. After two weeks of cupcakes, they see the trip through Big 10 hell with trips to Michigan State, Michigan and Iowa sandwiched in with home games against Ohio State and Nebraska. It’s entirely realistic that Wisconsin loses four of five. They could also continue to defy expectations, and then we’re having a different conversation about this version of the Wisconsin Badgers.

Saturday taught us Wisconsin can hang with absolutely anyone. Their defense might be one of the best in the country and isn’t afraid of a challenge. Chris Orr, one of the Badgers best defenders from last season, left in the first possession of the game, and he will not return this season as Wisconsin announced he will be out of the season. Wisconsin seems up the challenge. You couldn’t tell Orr was absent from Saturday’s ball game, and that speaks volumes of what Wisconsin has on that side of the football.

Badgers have a bright future ahead of them with Paul Chryst, and it might have begun much earlier than anyone believed.

Charlie.