Wisconsin's regular season resurgence squandered in Minneapolis

Leo Chenal -- the athletically freakish, boisterous, 6-foot-2, 260-pound inside linebacker -- spoke softly at a podium inside the visiting team media room. As reporters moved from player to player, his body language and posture slumped at times as he answered questions.

Chenal was asked if he looked at anything on the field after Minnesota's 23-13 win over Wisconsin, or if he went straight into UW's locker room.

"I mean the pain's just so much," Chenal said. "I just looked at the Axe over there, wherever it was, and just seeing them grab it, it was really tough to see. Especially how much work our seniors put in. It's hard."

The scene of Gophers fans swallowing their home field in gold and maroon to celebrate with Minnesota players and staff, an impromptu postgame party which included the playing of the Badgers' beloved "Jump Around," juxtaposed with the sobering reality experienced by Wisconsin athletes and its head coach. A few goals came within reach, but ultimately washed away in defeat.

Jack Sanborn stayed composed during his availability, though emotion conveyed through his words. Outside linebacker Noah Burks encapsulated the feeling of what was at stake, the chance to win the division, the opportunity to play for a conference championship, the Axe, and not fulfilling those objectives.

"Definitely disappointed right now, at this point," Burks said. "Guys are hurting, so we all feel pain because obviously we weren't able to go and accomplish what we wanted to this game.

"Just disappointed all around."

Wisconsin's regular season felt like a roller coaster. High aspirations began before the first snap in being picked to win the division in that preseason Cleveland.com poll. On paper with a senior-laden squad, the potential for more stood out.

Then it faltered early on in disenchanting fashion, needing to climb out of a hole with an anchor of inconsistency strapped to its side. It succeeded in doing so, and everything appeared to be clicking on nearly all cylinders before a collapse in Minneapolis on Saturday.

Several takeaways can come from this regular season: some positive, but also many that pose questions down the line.