Breaking Badger: BYU vs. Wisconsin

[Sizzle]

Season/BYU career ending or football career ending?

I would wager not a career ender, although his suspension and lack of film this year don't help his chances playing at the next level.

[TripletDaddy]

I know we were dealing with injuries but no matter, these are the types of games BYU has to learn to win. These are the types of games bronco has to learn to coach. Go on the road into someone else's house and win a big one.

I had a great time. Madison is a fun college town and lots of good food to be had. A few observations about the game day vibe:

1. Overall, very surprised by how mellow it is here. I was expecting B1G chaos but the tailgating was average at best. I keep comparing everything to Ohio state and that is probably unfair.
2. The stadium fills up but the student section doesn't fill up until well after kickoff. Very bizarre inefficiency. It isn't the students fault they have to line up and enter into a couple of specific areas, then are instructed where to sit by security guards. It is literally a single file line coming out of the tunnel. The entire student section wasn't even seated until the second quarter, just a steady single file line slowly coming through the tunnel waiting to be told where to sit.
3. Camp Randall is a cement disaster from the outside but beautiful inside. Great venue, great scoreboard, great sight lines. Announced attendance was just over 80k.
4. Crowd same as tailgate: very subdued, not super loud. Reminded me of BYU games althought not as bad. It was pretty quiet and for the most part lots of sitting instead of standing.
5. Fans: as with all other B1G schools I've visited, it is good and bad. The good: everyone wears school gear, even the womenfolk, and it is all the right color. The bad: stupid striped overalls everywhere. A few drunken idiots and obnoxiousness, but also lots of friendly people, too. I asked someone behind us who wisconsins rival is...she said Ohio State. I am pretty sure ohio state does not cite Wisconsin as its rival.
6. Tradition: Wisconsin has some great stuff going on during games, one of the better schools I've visited. The infamous "f you" chant was pretty loud and proud. Can't quite figure out what prompts it or when you are supposed to do it, but whatever. Instead of "that's another cougar first down" they all yell "first and 10 Wisconsin!" after the game fans remain for The 5th Quarter...a 20 minute band concert that was absolutely fantastic...this is where the students and alum really shine. Wisconsin has a series of standards they perform that have accompanying dance moves, arm moves, chants, etc. they do a version of "tequila," some Steve Miller Band, On Wisconsin, Varsity (school song) and a slew of others. Really fun to watch, wish BYU would do something like that after the game, at least playing the fight song so players can stick around and celebrate with fans.

Jump Around: so I have to agree with commando. This tradition is so disappointingly overrated. It is a great tradition, don't get me wrong. but it is way overhyped. I had read about the stadium bouncing and visiitors feeling uneasy about the structural integrity of the foundation and the entire stadium bouncing up and down. None of those things are remotely true. If I handnt bought into the hype, I would have come away thinking it was really awesome. But since I was expecting so much, I left really disappointed. In fact, about 5 seconds into it I was annoyed because I was waiting for the ground to bounce. Never happened. Again, very fun tradition, but not what it is made out to be and certainly not the best tradition in college football.

Afterwards back at the hotel lots of complimentary wisconsin alum citing the same stuff: BYU travels really well and KVN is good.

Would be nice if BYU could figure out how to win more consistently on the road in games like this.

[Parrot Head]

I know we were dealing with injuries but no matter, these are the types of games BYU has to learn to win. These are the types of games bronco has to learn to coach. Go on the road into someone else's house and win a big one.

I had a great time. Madison is a fun college town and lots of good food to be had. A few observations about the game day vibe:

1. Overall, very surprised by how mellow it is here. I was expecting B1G chaos but the tailgating was average at best. I keep comparing everything to Ohio state and that is probably unfair.
2. The stadium fills up but the student section doesn't fill up until well after kickoff. Very bizarre inefficiency. It isn't the students fault they have to line up and enter into a couple of specific areas, then are instructed where to sit by security guards. It is literally a single file line coming out of the tunnel. The entire student section wasn't even seated until the second quarter, just a steady single file line slowly coming through the tunnel waiting to be told where to sit.
3. Camp Randall is a cement disaster from the outside but beautiful inside. Great venue, great scoreboard, great sight lines. Announced attendance was just over 80k.
4. Crowd same as tailgate: very subdued, not super loud. Reminded me of BYU games althought not as bad. It was pretty quiet and for the most part lots of sitting instead of standing.
5. Fans: as with all other B1G schools I've visited, it is good and bad. The good: everyone wears school gear, even the womenfolk, and it is all the right color. The bad: stupid striped overalls everywhere. A few drunken idiots and obnoxiousness, but also lots of friendly people, too. I asked someone behind us who wisconsins rival is...she said Ohio State. I am pretty sure ohio state does not cite Wisconsin as its rival.
6. Tradition: Wisconsin has some great stuff going on during games, one of the better schools I've visited. The infamous "f you" chant was pretty loud and proud. Can't quite figure out what prompts it or when you are supposed to do it, but whatever. Instead of "that's another cougar first down" they all yell "first and 10 Wisconsin!" after the game fans remain for The 5th Quarter...a 20 minute band concert that was absolutely fantastic...this is where the students and alum really shine. Wisconsin has a series of standards they perform that have accompanying dance moves, arm moves, chants, etc. they do a version of "tequila," some Steve Miller Band, On Wisconsin, Varsity (school song) and a slew of others. Really fun to watch, wish BYU would do something like that after the game, at least playing the fight song so players can stick around and celebrate with fans.

Jump Around: so I have to agree with commando. This tradition is so disappointingly overrated. It is a great tradition, don't get me wrong. but it is way overhyped. I had read about the stadium bouncing and visiitors feeling uneasy about the structural integrity of the foundation and the entire stadium bouncing up and down. None of those things are remotely true. If I handnt bought into the hype, I would have come away thinking it was really awesome. But since I was expecting so much, I left really disappointed. In fact, about 5 seconds into it I was annoyed because I was waiting for the ground to bounce. Never happened. Again, very fun tradition, but not what it is made out to be and certainly not the best tradition in college football.

Afterwards back at the hotel lots of complimentary wisconsin alum citing the same stuff: BYU travels really well and KVN is good.

Would be nice if BYU could figure out how to win more consistently on the road in games like this.

Nice recap, DDD. I'm already anxiously awaiting next year's MTSU write up.

As for Jump Around, I'm not sure I can trust you here because Rod Gilmore said it felt like an earthquake "and that's saying something because he's from the Bay Area."

[TripletDaddy]

Two things for certain:

It did NOT feel like an earthquake
im NOT going to the MTSU game

[UVACoug]

FG by BYU at the end would have been nice for those who took BYU +7.5 or more. I don't get the coaching decisions at the end either -- but the punt into the end zone from the 33-yard line in the first half was equally awful to anything in the second half.

The better team won. BYU's offensive line isn't very good. Funny how Heaps and Apo were supposed to be world beaters and neither is very good at the D-1 level.

There is no way we make a 50 yard FG into the wind, and the chances of getting a first down were not great. Not saying punting was the right call, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the end of game management. Worst case scenario on the punt was better than what we would have likely gotten from going for it on 4th and long. In a close game, field position is key.

[UVACoug]

The only thing I'm really frustrated with about this game are a few coaching decisions that everyone has already noted and that last defensive holding / pass interference call where they picked the flag up saying it was un-catchable. I know the outcome was basically decided at that point, but it bothers me to no end when refs make bone head calls like that.

Oh, and Rod Gilmore was as douchy as they come.

That non-call really pissed me off ... especially given the fact that we had some momentum. Refs weren't great all night. Apparently holding is not illegal in the Big Ten.

[Commando]

That non-call really pissed me off ... especially given the fact that we had some momentum. Refs weren't great all night. Apparently holding is not illegal in the Big Ten.

I noticed lots of prominent holds on the giant replay screen- including some sweet arm bars on KVN as he got around his man.

[UVACoug]

I know we were dealing with injuries but no matter, these are the types of games BYU has to learn to win. These are the types of games bronco has to learn to coach. Go on the road into someone else's house and win a big one.

I had a great time. Madison is a fun college town and lots of good food to be had. A few observations about the game day vibe:

1. Overall, very surprised by how mellow it is here. I was expecting B1G chaos but the tailgating was average at best. I keep comparing everything to Ohio state and that is probably unfair.
2. The stadium fills up but the student section doesn't fill up until well after kickoff. Very bizarre inefficiency. It isn't the students fault they have to line up and enter into a couple of specific areas, then are instructed where to sit by security guards. It is literally a single file line coming out of the tunnel. The entire student section wasn't even seated until the second quarter, just a steady single file line slowly coming through the tunnel waiting to be told where to sit.
3. Camp Randall is a cement disaster from the outside but beautiful inside. Great venue, great scoreboard, great sight lines. Announced attendance was just over 80k.
4. Crowd same as tailgate: very subdued, not super loud. Reminded me of BYU games althought not as bad. It was pretty quiet and for the most part lots of sitting instead of standing.
5. Fans: as with all other B1G schools I've visited, it is good and bad. The good: everyone wears school gear, even the womenfolk, and it is all the right color. The bad: stupid striped overalls everywhere. A few drunken idiots and obnoxiousness, but also lots of friendly people, too. I asked someone behind us who wisconsins rival is...she said Ohio State. I am pretty sure ohio state does not cite Wisconsin as its rival.
6. Tradition: Wisconsin has some great stuff going on during games, one of the better schools I've visited. The infamous "f you" chant was pretty loud and proud. Can't quite figure out what prompts it or when you are supposed to do it, but whatever. Instead of "that's another cougar first down" they all yell "first and 10 Wisconsin!" after the game fans remain for The 5th Quarter...a 20 minute band concert that was absolutely fantastic...this is where the students and alum really shine. Wisconsin has a series of standards they perform that have accompanying dance moves, arm moves, chants, etc. they do a version of "tequila," some Steve Miller Band, On Wisconsin, Varsity (school song) and a slew of others. Really fun to watch, wish BYU would do something like that after the game, at least playing the fight song so players can stick around and celebrate with fans.

Jump Around: so I have to agree with commando. This tradition is so disappointingly overrated. It is a great tradition, don't get me wrong. but it is way overhyped. I had read about the stadium bouncing and visiitors feeling uneasy about the structural integrity of the foundation and the entire stadium bouncing up and down. None of those things are remotely true. If I handnt bought into the hype, I would have come away thinking it was really awesome. But since I was expecting so much, I left really disappointed. In fact, about 5 seconds into it I was annoyed because I was waiting for the ground to bounce. Never happened. Again, very fun tradition, but not what it is made out to be and certainly not the best tradition in college football.

Afterwards back at the hotel lots of complimentary wisconsin alum citing the same stuff: BYU travels really well and KVN is good.

Would be nice if BYU could figure out how to win more consistently on the road in games like this.

There is no way there was 80k there. Stadium holds about 80,300 and there were huge empty sections at the top of the end zone bleachers.

This is a game we need to learn to win, but there is no shame in losing at Camp Randall. We have a lot of room for improvement, but I think we look back in a few weeks and see this as a respectable loss. Especially for our young offense with a makeshift OLine. We scored more points than any other Wisconsin opponent at Camp Randall this season and our D held them to their second lowest point total of the season. We could have played better, but I find that more heartening than depressing. Wisconsin is a very good team and with a better OLine (and better game management in the fourth quarter), I think we could have beat them.

After watching Notre Dame's pathetic performance the last two weeks, I am excited to go to South Bend to watch a BYU victory in two weeks.

[cougjunkie]

I noticed lots of prominent holds on the giant replay screen- including some sweet arm bars on KVN as he got around his man.

The tv replays were sweet they would show these big holes and the lineman would the linebackers in a bear hug or two hands way outside the pads holding the jerseys. It was pretty blatant.

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[UVACoug]

I noticed lots of prominent holds on the giant replay screen- including some sweet arm bars on KVN as he got around his man.

I really don't understand why the NCAA doesn't regulate officiating in FBS football directly like they do for basketball. It is absurd that football officials are paid and regulated by conferences rather than the NCAA. Then again, there really isn't much about the NCAA that makes sense.

[Jeff Lebowski]

This loss will hurt a lot less after we beat Notre Dame.

[USUC]

I really don't understand why the NCAA doesn't regulate officiating in FBS football directly like they do for basketball. It is absurd that football officials are paid and regulated by conferences rather than the NCAA. Then again, there really isn't much about the NCAA that makes sense.

I know I've heard this argument repeatedly and it makes sense but there has to be some reason why the conferences are in charge of officiating. Anderson even made a comment during the week of how B1G officiating can keep the ghgf offense in check. Refs should have no part in that. Conferences in charge of officiating is like the coaches poll.

[MarkGrace]

Looks like you guys should lose tonight since you're playing a second real opponent.

Easiest call of the night.

[SCcoug]

I know I've heard this argument repeatedly and it makes sense but there has to be some reason why the conferences are in charge of officiating. Anderson even made a comment during the week of how B1G officiating can keep the ghgf offense in check. Refs should have no part in that. Conferences in charge of officiating is like the coaches poll.

It did seem like they liked to take their sweet time and do a ref huddle on every penalty.

[SCcoug]

Even though it felt like Wisconsin was in control throughout the game we were still only a few plays away from winning.

The Mathews drop was right through his hands and would have set up first and goal the play after KVN's INT. In that same drive Houk also has a big drop that would have moved the chains. Potentially we could go up 10-7 but instead we punt and come away with no points after the turn over.

Apo had a few big drops but the one at the end of the game would have put BYU in the redzone for a tying field goal (if the above play happened) or endzone throw with around 40 seconds left.

Another game changing play was Bills whiffing on White's last TD run. He was in position to make a tackle to force 4th down (which Wisconsin would have kicked a field goal most likely) and just missed.

After doing a quick rewatch Taysom wasn't doing a good job of checking down especially in the first half. In the first half there were a few time where he took a sack instead of dumping it off to an open back to get 3-4 yards. We weren't getting any positive yards on early downs to start the game forcing us into 3rd and long and 3 and outs. Maybe if we extend one of those 3 and outs Wisconsin doesn't have enough time to score before halftime.

I still think we have a good chance at winning at ND and being 9-3 going into the bowl game.