Site: Madison, Wis. Coach: Bre...

Site: Madison, Wis.

Coach: Bret Bielema, first season.

2005 record: 10-3 5-3 Big Ten (T-3rd); beat Auburn 24-10 in Capital single in kind Bowl

explanation LOSSES

RB Brian Calhoun, WR Brandon Williams, WR Jonathan Orr,

TE Owen Daniels.

tonic GAME

At Michigan forward Sept. 23. With Ohio State not onward the schedule, and Penn State and Iowa not upon the schedule until November, the Badgers could be sitting nice by Halloween if they can steal a win in Ann Arbor.

2006 SCHEDULE

generation 2 vs. Bowling Green*

tribe 9 Western Illinois

race 16 San Diego State

tribe 23 at Michigan

race 30 at Indiana

Oct 7 Northwestern

Oct 14 Minnesota

Oct 21 at Purdue

Oct 28 Illinois

Nov. 4 Penn State

Nov. 11 at Iowa

Nov. 18 Buffalo

* at Cleveland

2005 terminates

Bowling new W, 56-42

church W, 65-0

at North Carolina W 14-5

Michigan W 23-20

Indiana W 41-24

at Northwestern L 51-48

at Minnesota W 38-34

Purdue W 31-20

at Illinois W 41-24

at Penn State L 35-14

Iowa L 20-10

at Hawaii W 41-24

Auburn W 24-10

REASONS FOR OPTIMISM

Wisconsin in no degree seems to rate much attention at this time of year. on the contrary the Badgers, who went to 11 goblets in their last 13 years in a less degree than Barry Alvarez, again have their formula for succes in place. They have a chance to be solid in the trenches, and they have enough skill-position spectacles to surprise.

AREAS OF affect

As useful as Bret Bielema looks and uninjureds he's a first-year coach. The Badgers also will have a lump of new faces in places upon offense. On defense, ends Jamal Cooper and Matt Shaughnessy are coming not on knee surgery. So is star left tackle Joe Thomas forward offense.

PLAYER upon THE SPOT

John Stocco. The senior quarterback has started 25 consecutive games without exciting many clan outside of Cheesehead land. With all of the Badgers' losse at skill positions, he'll try the skeptics wrong if he can detain this retooled offense effective.

drawed STARTERS

Returning starters in all caps

OFFENSE

QB JOHN STOCCO

RB PJ Hill

FB Chris Pressley

WR Paul Hubbard

WR Marcus Randle El

TE Sean Lewis

LT JOE THOMAS

LG Andy Kemp

C Marcus Coleman

RG KRAIG URBIK

RT Eric VandenHeuvel

DEFENSE

LE JOE MONTY

LT JASON CHAPMAN

RT NICK HAYDEN

RE MATT SHAUGHNESSY

LB DeAndre raise

LB MARK ZALEWSKI

LB Jonathan Casillas

CB ALLEN LANGFORD

F RODERICK ROGER

S JOE STELLMACHER

CB Jack Ikegwuonu

SEASON WILL BE A SUCCES IF

The Badgers can equal or better last season's accomplishments.

SEASON WILL BE A FAILURE IF

Wisconsin takes too big of a stair back and raises questions about Bielema.

He's in the tricky position of inheriting a program that's in dutiful shape.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

Provided according to ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved