Well, that was fun.
The 2016 season defied all expectations. In a year where Wisconsin was projected to improve on the field but not in the standings, the Badgers finished 11-3, capping it all with a cathartic 24-16 Cotton Bowl win over the No. 15 Western Michigan Broncos.
After losing superstar coordinator Dave Aranda to a $1.3M contract paid out by a bankrupt state LSU, as well as three-quarters of its starting secondary, the defense was expected to take a big step back against the eighth-toughest schedule in the country. Instead, the unit finished as the No.