Reliaquest bowl will provide a glimpse into Wisconsin's future
MADISON — Bowl games were once a culmination of a team's season, a last glimpse at that year's squad. Now, with the prevalence of the transfer portal the the allure of NIL, they've become a glimpse at what the future of a team could hold.
Neither Wisconsin nor LSU will be at full strength in Tampa Bay.
The Badgers' roster has already suffered at the hands of the transfer portal. At the time of writing, six players have already announced their intentions to seek greener pastures, with more undoubtably on their way. Most notable are wide receivers Chimere Dike and Skyler Bell, who combined to produce 57 catches for 625 yards and two touchdowns this season.
The Tigers have experienced similar departures. LSU has already lost four former blue chip recruits to the portal, including running backs Armani Goodwin and Tre' Bradford.
What's more, both programs have players that will likely forgo the bowl game as they prepare for the NFL Draft. League-bound players opting out of bowl games isn't especially new, but Wisconsin and LSU each have some high-profile players. Badgers star tailback Braelon Allen has already declared for the NFL Draft and won't play in the bowl game. Meanwhile, LSU has two draft-eligible superstars in quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Malik Nabers. In this day and age, it would be somewhat shocking if either suited up for the Reliaquest bowl.
“The reality of where bowl games are today, you’re not sure (who's going to play); every team is a little different," head coach Luke Fickell said.
In the modern era of college football, bowl season is awash with fractured teams. That doesn't mean the games are unproductive, though. The Badgers maintained that it's a stellar opportunity to evaluate how their team could potentially look in 2024.
"It’s usually a pretty good glimpse of what the future looks like," Fickell continued.
"For us to get another shot, get a chance to go and see what we have at the end of the year, it’s gonna be a lot of fun," safety Hunter Wohler said.
“Having a great team in LSU coming up in a few weeks is just another great test for us, just to prove what we can do and what it’ll look like heading into the future," tight end Hayden Rucci said.
With the opportunity to play in warm, sunny Tampa and to topple a top-15 team, the Badgers appears to be fired up.
"One thing, we’re gonna be playing in warm weather, which is awesome," Rucci said. "And we have a great opponent ahead of us."
"Just a heck of an opponent," Wohler agreed.
Freshman in the class of 2024 and transfers the Badgers sign this winter won't be eligible to play in the Reliaquest bowl. But Wisconsin will get an extended look at its depth, particularly at positions that have been impacted by the transfer portal. With Dike and Bell on the way out, wide receiver is one of those. Depending on who else enters the transfer portal, other young and inexperienced Badgers will be thrust into the spotlight in Tampa.
It won't be a full preview of the 2024 Badgers, because as mentioned, incoming transfers and freshman won't get a chance to make an impact. Fickell is hoping that the destination and high-profile opponent will be instrumental in retaining a strong core for the bowl game.
"I think the matchup, the opportunity to go to Tampa gives us a greater excitement. I would hope and believe with the landscape of what we’ve done here, with what Wisconsin has been, that’d we’d have a majority of our team," he said. Fickell also noted that many of those decisions will be made in the coming days.
"There’s some conversations we’ll have to have in the next week I’d say to find out who we’re gonna have," he added. "We’ll find out who’s with us to continue to move forward.”
Wisconsin and LSU may be shells of what they were in the regular season when the two teams take the field at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 1. That doesn't mean the game will be any less significant. The opportunity to beat a top-15 team from the SEC, play in the tropics and evaluate the future of the roster isn't lost on the Badgers.
"We're fired up," Fickell said.
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