Badgers fans on Twitter are livid after Wisconsin's Big Ten title chase ends with a loss at Minnesota
Columnist Jim Polzin asked Badgers fans on Twitter what they thought of the University of Wisconsin football team falling to the Minnesota Golden Gophers 23-13 in the Battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe on Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Here's what fans were saying after the Badgers watched their Big Ten title hopes vanish before their eyes:
Take a hard look in the mirror
Expectations every year is that the Badger should win the West. 3 of the last 4 years they have not. They had a chance for a successful season after a 1-3 start, but that fell short with tonight’s loss. Chryst needs to re-evaluate the direction of the program.
— Erik Grinde (@egrinde) November 28, 2021
Flaws on full display
As for the defense, it remains vulnerable to good quarterback play. The Wisconsin secondary is full of gritty, sound guys who are not elite athletes. Badgers’ pass rush can’t compensate for coverage limitations against good teams.
— Joseph Britt (@Zathras3) November 28, 2021
Another one gone
A complete & utter Axe-whopping. Let the sun set on another disappointing season. pic.twitter.com/TWfxKNqnzJ
— Rob Hernandez (@RobHernandezGLF) November 28, 2021
Starts at the top
So many bad decisions. Kicking that FG down 7 in 4Q with a kicker who’s long is 43 yards. Has struggled all season with longer kicks. Outdoors, in the cold. He isn’t making a 48 yarder. Then the timeout, punt, false start, go for it on 4th down when trailing by 10 under 5mins 🤷♂️
— DRich (@drich318318) November 28, 2021
Not so fast
His D has been exposed the last two weeks so maybe not
— Fred Ehle (@FredEhle) November 28, 2021
Grass is always greener ...
Paul Chryst had gotta go
— Greg Emmerich (@NRCoachEmmerich) November 28, 2021
Tempered expectations
Meh. Would’ve been much worse if we realistically had a chance for the CFP. This just prevented us from probably losing to Michigan next week.
— Madtown Alum (@madtownalum) November 28, 2021
Far from the top
Don’t have to be elite to beat the Gophers though. This performance today was embarrassing putting it nicely
— Eric Lowry (@EricL228) November 28, 2021
Falling short yet again
It's tough bc Chryst has a decent record, but not against ranked teams or big games. Lost twice to MN and can't even win BT West. I think Wisc ADs are fine with average seasons, but don't think Chyrst is the answer to win a Big Ten title. QB Coach/Playcaller that was worst part.
— ChazB (@chazb33) November 28, 2021
Running into trouble
A banged-up, ineffective B. Allen really doomed the offense. Surprised they didn’t sub in Julius Davis for some fresh legs. Receivers dropped passes, got beat. Mertz still work in progress. Weren’t going to beat MI in any event.
— Patrick G. (@Patrick34524185) November 28, 2021
This checks out
3 weeks ago (after the win vs Rutgers) I replied to @JimPolzinWSJ with: “I’m still waiting for @BadgerFootball to win convincingly against 1) A respectable opponent who 2) Doesn’t continually turn it over deep in their own territory”
— Dave Dexter (@DDex145) November 28, 2021
Still waiting…
Ready for a new role
Badgers defense 7, Offense 6. Hand the keys to Jim Leonhard
— Mitchell Skurzewski (@MSkurzewski) November 28, 2021
How low can he go?
They played jump around after the game. I hate pj fleck.
— Tim (@AshBadg) November 28, 2021
Hearts not in it
From the players to the coaching, this was never a team playing for the Axe, let alone a Big Ten Championship Game. The most disappointing loss for Wisconsin under the leadership of Paul Chryst.
— Jeff Ostach (@jeff_ostach) November 28, 2021
Tough to stomach
Straight up beaten in every facet of the game…Allen is clearly hurt, but too many players failed to make plays. Coaching was painful
— Todd (@pilprin) November 28, 2021
Don't hold your breath
Barry out of retirement to coach.
— Soflex Math (@chrisneumer) November 28, 2021
Looking lost out there
10 years ago, Paul was a creative football mind with a Badger offense that was balanced, efficient, and high scoring. The game has passed him by. His offense has gotten stale and predictable. Today it was painful to watch. Time to make Jim Leonhard our HC and hire a modern OC.
— Bode (@NickBode41) November 28, 2021
There's one way to look at it
Getting embarrassed today, does avoid getting embarrassed next week.
— Holiday (@holidaystyle300) November 28, 2021
In need of an overhaul
Coaching is horrible and QB is worse. They better give Hill a real shot next year as going nowhere with Mertz. Also really need to look at that OL. We used to always be good there, but not this year. D had the tipped ball pick 6 but did little else today. Bad play all around
— Phil Leith (@phil_leith) November 28, 2021
Slipped through their fingers
This was a badly played game by the Badgers today. No ground game and no O line and no passing game spells loss big time. Disappointing loss considering our 7 game win streak But No axe, no B1G championship game but……a bowl game to b determined.
— Paul Yochum'63 (@PaulYochum63) November 28, 2021
Missing in action
What a day for this team not to show up. Poor play on offense and defense.
— Vickie Dahl (@ADPointerNation) November 28, 2021
Nothing new here
Same old story, played just well enough to have a meaningful game today but laid that same egg on the field… no imagination in this team, don’t have the players? Could be but use what ya got and create a game plan exposes Mn flaws, they have them!
— B'ing Bri 🇺🇸🍻🧀 (@b_newmiller) November 28, 2021
Taking 11 steps back
Felt like first losses of the season...confusing play calling, OL not good enough, etc. Continued concerns with Chryst management and inability to adapt in game.
— Jeremy Wojtecki (@jwojPAC) November 28, 2021
Also, attrition finally caught up in the RB room.
If not now, when?
I think it’s time to have a serious discussion about PC. Offense is stale and Mertz hasn’t progressed at all since he’s been here. Very disappointing loss today.
— Dan Buhler (@FBuhlersDayOff) November 28, 2021
All quiet ... for now
I read all the comments below. Chryst termination will not happen until after next year. Why? Our road schedule in 2022 is difficult. Could end up 6-6 or 7-5 only because we have 3 cupcakes at home.
— Steven Smith (@SteveSUWbba) November 28, 2021
One to forget
One of the more disappointing, lethargic, uninspired losses of the Chryst era, with a division title up for grabs
— Sam Oleson (@sam_olesonFDL) November 28, 2021
The Badgers lost the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the second time in four seasons after a 14-game winning streak in the series.
The Badgers’ running game went missing as they blew their chance to play for the Big Ten title and a key pass interference call went the Gophers’ way.
Ineptitude on offense leads to awful grade as columnist Jim Polzin grades Wisconsin's loss to Minnesota and the end of the Badgers' push to reach the Big Ten title game.
With the Badgers in the red zone on their first drive of the game, a defensive holding call on second-and-9 appeared to bail out UW, but the penalty didn't result in a first down.
No single sequence showed the Badgers’ disarray more than what happened when they faced fourth-and-1 at their 21-yard line down by 10 with 4 minutes, 26 seconds remaining.
Braelon Allen’s seven-game streak of 100 or more yards rushing ended with 47 yards on 17 attempts, his worst performance by far since becoming the full-time starter. The Badgers totaled just 62 yards on the ground.
The Badgers finished with three sacks, but their inability to make Tanner Morgan uncomfortable allowed the Gophers to win back Paul Bunyan's Axe.
The Badgers started the season talking about making history and completing unfinished business. They ended it by getting pushed around by a rival they've dominated.
Reasons for the Badgers' poor rushing attack, special teams issues and accuracy struggles from Graham Mertz are included in this week's rewatch of the Badgers.
The Badgers end the regular season unranked after losing at Minnesota.
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Chenal, a junior from Grantsburg, is the first Badgers LB to earn the Butkus-Fitzgerald award since Joe Schobert in 2015. Here's the other Wisconsin players who earned conference honors.
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Offensive line and special teams were two weaknesses on an 8-4 team. But would the Badgers coach deliver pink slips to two of his longtime assistants?
The Wisconsin football team fell out of the College Football Playoff Top 25 after losing to unranked Minnesota last week.
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The Badgers were fourth in the Big Ten in number of Associated Press All-Big Ten first- or second-team selections.
