I hate to jump the gun and turn into one of those overexcited fans, but if you're looking at what Wisconsin has done so far, and looking ahead at its schedule, there's a strong possibility the Badgers could be headed for a major postseason date in January.
Even before the season began for Wisconsin, one could see by its schedule that the team had a good chance to improve on its seven-win season in 2008.
As usual, the Badgers' non-conference slate didn't possess any tough challenges.
Wisconsin knew it would be favored in its first two contests against Northern Illinois and Fresno State, two teams coming out of mid-major conferences who combined to lose 13 games in 2008. The opposition would only drop from there with a home date against FCS opponent Wofford.
Wisconsin's only remaining non-conference game is on the road, but the opponent shouldn't scare Wisconsin too much.
Ever since Hawaii's undefeated regular season in 2007, the program has been on a free fall. Head coach June Jones departed to Southern Methodist, and the Rainbow Warriors lost seven games in 2008, including one against a Utah State team that went 3-9.
Turning to the Badgers' Big Ten schedule, Wisconsin again has a favorable lineup. It dodges an enormous bullet by not facing defending Big Ten champion Penn State.
Although Wisconsin will have to take a trip to Columbus to take on Ohio State, that game may be the only one Wisconsin enters as an underdog.
The Badgers' other three road games come against the mid- to lower-tier of the conference. The toughest one may be Wisconsin's rivalry game with Minnesota, but it's a fixture the Badgers have dominated, taking Paul Bunyan's Axe in 12 of the 14 most recent contests, and the last five meetings.
A road date with the Gophers won't be easy, but it's a matchup the Badgers should enter with confidence.
Another road game for the Badgers will be the meeting between Wisconsin and Northwestern.
The Wildcats showed improvement last season, but are still an opponent the Badgers should beat.
The Big Ten has some intimidating road venues, but Ryan Field in Evanston isn't one of them. Wildcat fans rarely fill the seats, and you can expect loads of Badger fans to make the short trip down.
The other road contest is at Indiana, another favorable matchup for Wisconsin. Last season, even during a down year, the Badgers went to Bloomington and blew the Hoosiers out of the water with a 55-20 win.
The home slate is tougher, but playing well in Camp Randall is something the Badgers have made a habit of. In his four years at the helm of the Wisconsin program, head coach Bret Bielema has only lost twice in Madison.
In its remaining home schedule, Wisconsin has Iowa, Purdue and Michigan.
Purdue is a program on the downswing, and should not be a problem for the Badgers. Iowa and Michigan will be more treacherous opponents, but the Badgers always have to feel comfortable in the confines of Camp Randall.
The three non-conference victories were reassuring, but they didn't prove much. The Big Ten opener against Michigan State, however, gives Badger fans reasonable grounds to believe the team has improved from its 2008 campaign.
There is the possibility that the 1-3 Spartans just aren't that good this year, but Wisconsin still conquered Michigan State in basically all facets of the game against a team picked by sportswriters to finish toward the top of the Big Ten. The 38-30 final score makes the game appear to be a close one, but the Badgers had the game well in hand at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
I don't want to be one of those guys that looks deep down the schedule and predicts games, but excluding the Badgers' meeting with Ohio State, it's difficult to see Wisconsin losing close to as many games as it did last season.
Worst case scenario, maybe the Badgers fall to Minnesota this weekend, the Buckeyes the next and also end up splitting their home games against Iowa and Michigan.
Honestly, can you see Wisconsin falling at home multiple times again this season, or falling to the likes of Indiana or Northwestern?
Best case scenario, Wisconsin still comes up short in a tough game in Columbus, but takes down Minnesota the weekend before, doesn't screw up any of its other road games, takes care of business at home and finishes 12-1 with a chance at playing in a BCS Bowl Game.
Although the season is still young, Wisconsin should improve drastically on its 7-6 record in 2008.
The encouraging signs we've seen from Wisconsin, especially at its quarterback position and perhaps more importantly with its favorable schedule, mean the Badgers should return to a New Year's Day Bowl game this season, if not an even bigger postseason appearance.
Do you think the Badgers can challenge for the Big Ten title this year? E-mail Scott at kellogg2@wisc.edu.
