Fact or Fiction: Wisconsin will lose its next three games
National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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1. Wisconsin will lose its next three games based on its QB situation.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. The Badgers will apparently be without Graham Mertz and Chase Wolf for 21 days, so who knows what the quarterback situation will look like as they play Nebraska, Purdue and Michigan. But I do know one thing: They have enough talent on this team to win at least one of these games, and likely two. Michigan will be tough, but I still expect wins over the Huskers and Boilermakers.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Wisconsin finds itself in a tough situation because of COVID-19 protocols, and I would imagine other programs will also deal with this as the season plays out through the fall and into the winter. In some ways, it’s almost unavoidable. But the Badgers are not going to lose their next three games.
Danny Vanden Boom is expected to take over, and while he was rated a two-star prospect, Vanden Boom also went undefeated as a high school quarterback and he threw 31 touchdowns and five interceptions as a senior. Is he Mertz? Absolutely not. But the Badgers are very talented across the board and they will be competitive with Mertz out.
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2. Arkansas will upset Texas A&M this weekend.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. I’d like to make this bold prediction because Arkansas is much improved, especially on defense, and we all know a collapse is coming from the Aggies. But Kellen Mond will continue his solid play and that A&M defense doesn’t get enough respect. Aggies by 10.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. It is not a ridiculous notion that Arkansas could beat Texas A&M this weekend, and that’s a credit to Sam Pittman and the job his staff has done immediately turning this program into not only a competitive group but one that can cause a lot of problems. If not for a bogus call in the Auburn game, this is a 3-1 football team with wins over the Tigers, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. But Texas A&M is an improving football team that has already upset Florida and might have too much firepower for the Razorbacks. Arkansas has lost eight in a row in this series, so I’ll go with history.
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3. Mac Jones should start getting first round chatter.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. Not yet. Jones has looked great, and he has a lot of tools like touch on the long ball and decision-making, but he doesn’t have an elite arm and I want to see what he does without Jaylen Waddle. He’s in the conversation as a Round 3 guy for me now, but let’s not get crazy just yet.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Over the last three NFL Drafts, there has been an average of four quarterbacks taken in the first round. If that number plays out again this year - and I think it actually might be more - then we can take Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Trey Lance off the board. After that, it’s a mishmash of names, but Jones should definitely be in that discussion. He currently has more passing yards than any Power Five quarterback - that includes Lawrence - and he’s done a phenomenal job running this Alabama offense.
Will Jones be a first-rounder? The jury is still out. But should he be receiving some first-round chatter? Of course. He’s been terrific, and he can prove himself even further by still putting up big numbers with Waddle out.