Joey Johnston

For supporters of the Wisconsin Badgers, it has been the Summer of Love. After a 12-1 season, the good feelings are flowing freely. And everyone seems to be using lofty-sounding buzzwords for Wisconsin’s outlook.

Best team in the Big Ten. Rose Bowl-bound. Unbeaten record. Contenders for the national title.

Whoa!

OK, let’s not get carried away here.

Yes, Wisconsin might have the nation’s best-spirited fans. Yes, the band’s performance during the “Fifth Quarter” is a spectacle that can’t be missed. Yes, the Badgers have talent and they should again qualify for a New Year’s Day bowl.

The rest? I’m not buying it. Wisconsin has a really nice program and the makings of a solid team. But even though the Badgers will be listed in everybody’s preseason top 10, they aren’t going to play for a national title.

Why not, you ask?

• Wisconsin wasn’t THAT good in 2006: The Badgers were 12-1, setting a school record for victories and defeating a decent Arkansas team in the Capital One Bowl. And in some corners of the universe, there was an outcry about the unfairness of it all, about how Wisconsin really deserved to be in a BCS bowl.

Nah.

Rules are rules. And the BCS clearly stated that conferences can only send two representatives to the big-time bowls. Ohio State and Michigan were well-deserving, putting Wisconsin on the outside, looking in.

It’s easy to see why everyone would jump on the Wisconsin bandwagon. It looks good on paper — nearly every starter returning for a 12-1 team. But look a little deeper. The Badgers faced a non-compelling array of non-conference foes (Bowling Green, Western Illinois, San Diego State, Buffalo) and dodged top-ranked Ohio State on the Big Ten slate.

When the Badgers faced a game they had to win for true legitimacy, they fell at Michigan, 27-13.

• The Big Ten will put up a fight: Michigan is the top dog and could eventually wrest itself into the national-title picture. Don’t even think about dismissing Ohio State, despite the loss of Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr. and a few other notables. The Buckeyes won’t be nearly as flashy, but they will have a formidable running game and a good defense.

Heck, I like Penn State more as a challenger for the Big Ten title, mostly because of the improvement displayed by Nittany Lions quarterback Anthony Morelli. Which brings us to the next point.

• Who is the quarterback? John Stocco never made anybody’s Heisman Trophy short list, but the Badgers are going to miss his steadiness and leadership. The good news is Wisconsin has sophomore running back P.J. Hill as the true meal ticket. But sooner or later, in the big games, it’s going to fall to the quarterback, either Tyler Donovan or Allan Evridge.

Let’s get a few things straight. We’re not exactly predicting 5-7 for the Badgers. Wisconsin, which delighted everyone in Bret Bielema’s debut season as head coach, has plenty to offer. But in my mind, the Badgers are overrated in the preseason. Top 20 team? Absolutely. But they aren’t a true national-title contender.

Now, as we eagerly await that ancient rite of preseason anticipation for college football — putting on the pads — let’s take a few questions.

Q: With Adrian Peterson gone and a new QB scenario, how do you think Oklahoma will do this season?
— Todd Shackelford from Cypress, Texas
A: Oklahoma obviously has some major holes to fill, Todd, but never fear for the Sooners, at least not while Coach Bob Stoops is in charge. The man can flat-out run a program and get his players to perform to their potential. And in a close game, he’s fearless.

I wouldn’t worry too much about the loss of Adrian Peterson — gasp, did I really say that? — because the Sooners were thriving in a running game-by-committee approach. Allen Patrick, Chris Brown and other will keep the Oklahoma running game afloat. Quarterback is the biggest question mark, with junior Joey Halzle looking like the safest bet (but never expect Stoops to go the safe route).

Oklahoma is a Top 15-level team with the potential to reach the Top 10. How to determine that? Simple. Look to Oct. 6 and the annual showdown with Texas. The once-snakebitten Longhorns have won two straight in the series, in case you forgot (Note: Stoops hasn’t).

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