Wisconsin plummets in ESPN FPI after Week 2 win over South Dakota

Wisconsin did not impress during its 27-13 Week 2 win over South Dakota.

If anything, the Badgers continued to show significant growing pains now into year two of the Luke Fickell era.

There was a dominant stretch of play, as there has been in many of the team’s games since Fickell took over in 2023. Wisconsin entered the halftime break leading 17-3. But the second half saw the struggles return on both sides of the football. Those struggles have cast doubt entering a massive Week 3 contest against No. 4 Alabama.

ESPN FPI’s latest update shows Wisconsin’s troubling general trend. Yes, the team is 2-0. But it appears to be far from where we expected it to be to begin the season.

FPI dropped the Badgers 16 spots to No. 63 in the nation after the South Dakota win. They are now ranked among the worst teams in the Big Ten, right in the ballpark of UCLA (No. 60), Michigan State (No. 66) and Northwestern (No. 70).

Wisconsin needs to find its form this week before Alabama arrives on Saturday. Otherwise, the team will continue to fall in every ranking and metric.

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