In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, the Badgers football team seems to be taking on their biggest rival yet: the transfer portal. Both Tyler Van Dyke and Braedyn Locke (not to mention his brother Landyn) are out of the Badgers, as are a slew of other players. In their place, however, are a handful of battle tested quarterbacks, namely San Diego’s Danny O’Neil and Maryland’s Billy Edwards Jr. Yes, both have come off of losing seasons, but so have the Badgers, so Lucas and Oates are feeling okay with this change.

That is, as long as they both stick around. There’s another transfer portal in the spring, and if one of them decides they aren’t getting the attention they want, they can easily find somewhere else that will. Lucas imagines it has to be driving coaches nuts, not knowing which players you are going to have at their disposal. Next year will see Luke Fickell’s third quarterback, and that isn’t his fault. The Badger’s haven’t been able to recruit someone they can grow, because they leave as soon as a better offer comes their way. It isn’t a Badgers problem either, all of college football is having to deal with this now. Marshall is dropping out of a bowl game after losing too many players to the portal. And at Penn State, quarterback Beau Pribula, the quarterback that beat the Badgers and helped lead the team all season, has entered the portal as the team gears up for playoffs. College football is going through some major changes, and hopefully some change comes soon. I wonder how Bill Belichick is going to tackle the issue, seeing as he’ll be coaching North Carolina next year. 

Moving to the Packers, their win over the Seahawks puts them one step closer to the playoffs. Playing in Seattle is hard, and that stadium was loud. But it was loud, at least in part, from Packers fans. The Packers played a great game on Sunday, and are starting to look like a team that could make a serious run for it. Love is getting more and more consistent, and the defense is starting to tighten up as well. A win over the Saints next week would secure their playoff spot, and with the Lions looking as hurt as they are, it could mean a serious path for Green Bay.

Finally, the Badgers men’s basketball team is rebounding after a losing streak to a couple of good teams and have a favorable stretch ahead. With Crowl, Winter, and Tonje continuing to grow, could the Badgers be the best team in the Big 10 this year? 

The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates is a Cap Times podcast produced by Nate Wegehaupt. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.