The Wisconsin Badgers find themselves at 6-2 and tied in the loss-column for first place in the Big Ten West. While, coming into the season, the Badgers may have had aspirations for the College Football Playoff, it became abundantly clear after Week 1 that a trip to the playoff was out of the cards.
A loss to Northwestern to open their Big Ten slate set them back. But with every Big Ten West team featuring at least one loss (and Northwestern featuring three), the Badgers control their own destiny as they move into the final four games of the regular season.
In each of their two losses, their biggest flaws were on display. When it came to the offense, it wasn't the rushing attack that let them down. Rather, it was a lack of a viable passing game with no separation on the outside.
When it came to the defense, it was the loss of Warren Herring that featured in both defeats. It caused the wheels to come off entirely and against LSU. Losing Konrad Zagzebski also exposed the Badgers' lack of depth when it came to their big bodies up front at the beginning of the season.
However, after losing to Northwestern and picking up a less-than-convincing win against Illinois the following week, the Badgers regrouped after their second bye week and turned in their two best performances of the season against Big Ten newcomers Maryland and Rutgers.
Let's take a look at five of the most telling stats when it comes to why the Badgers are 6-2. Some are positive, some are negative and some are just statistics that have a meaning left up to interpretation. Without further ado, let's start with the most hotly debated position on campus: the quarterback.