Bret Bielema takes on Fat Chuck and the Irish

Badgers have won 3 straight in the Shoe. Only UW and Michigan have ever accomplished that, IIRC.

 

Except for last year, UW has had at least one decent non-conference game. They used to have Virginia on there, sometimes had West Virginia or Fresno State.

But if Bielema wants to be a BCS contender year-in and year-out, he needs a big boy on the schedule. The others just beef up their Outback Bowl resume.

 

I believe the Fightin' Illini also pulled off the feat, in the 80s I think...

 

If you study the history of the BCS, albeit a brief history, you'll find several teams that played weak NC schedules and still made it to the title game. It's often more about pre-season rankings than non-conference sked.