Wisconsin rockets up ESPN FPI power rankings after big win over Rutgers

The Wisconsin Badgers (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) are trending in the right direction after a second consecutive dominant win, this a 42-7 road victory over Rutgers.

The team’s two recent wins over Purdue and Rutgers have been by a combined margin of 94-13. That level of dominance was yet to be seen during the Luke Fickell era — signaling substantial growth in his second year in charge.

One accurate barometer of the team’s current trajectory is its ESPN FPI rating.

Wisconsin entered the week ranked No. 54 in the metric, slotted even 10 spots behind Rutgers.

After the win, Wisconsin is up 26 spots to No. 28 in the nation. That rise includes a new projected final record of 6.9 — 5.1, an 86.2% chance to reach a bowl game and a rising 1.8% chance to make the College Football Playoff.

The Badgers are also now the seventh-highest-rated team in the Big Ten, ranked behind only Ohio State (No. 2), Oregon (No. 8), Penn State (No. 9), USC (No. 13), Indiana (No. 15) and Iowa (No. 23).

Wisconsin’s rest-of-season outlook has changed dramatically over the last few weeks. The remaining schedule is a gauntlet with games against Oregon, Penn State, Nebraska and Iowa. But the Badgers are on a steep ascent, and are quickly becoming a team nobody in the conference wants to face.

Fickell’s team is back on the field next Saturday at Northwestern (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten). Another strong showing would only continue what has become a potential program resurgence.

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