This was supposed to be a column on the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program, the fifth-ranked team in the country who completed a Milwaukee sweep of Marquette and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Wednesday night.

No. Instead, we’re wondering what’s wrong with Wisconsin football.

As you read this, Gary Andersen is making recruiting calls for Oregon State University, and Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez is calling his already formed "short list" of candidates to become the third Badgers head football coach since December 2012.

Oops.

Perhaps we should’ve known this was coming.

This was the year that never was for Bucky.

Melvin Gordon was back. A veteran quarterback was under center. Year two of a coaching staff and a dynamic offense.

And, most importantly, one of the easier schedules in the Big Ten.

If Wisconsin took care of business, Bucky would be part of the national championship conversation — even with an opening week loss to LSU.

After all, some names were missing on the schedule in 2014. Namely, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State. And, the two "tough" games against Nebraska and Minnesota were going to be held in the friendly confines of Camp Randall in Madison.

Beat up on the little sisters of the West in a mediocre conference, roll into the Big Ten title game, and things are looking good.

Oops.

First, the odd decision to go to converted safety Tanner McEvoy at starting quarterback going into that LSU game. Then, the Badgers blew a 17-point lead in Houston to the Tigers. Then, Gordon was hurt, or he wasn’t, or he was.

A couple of nice wins later, and then, oops, a bad 20-14 loss to Northwestern in Evanston.

National championship hopes clearly dashed.

The team rallied, won its next four, and then in a "big game" trounced Nebraska. Gordon catapulted himself back into the Heisman discussion.

An easy win over Minnesota sent the team to Indianapolis for the Big Ten title game against Ohio State. The Buckeyes were a better team, sure, but they were playing with their third string quarterback and were dealing with the shocking loss of a teammate due to a self-inflicted gun shot wound.

On the field, Ohio State was vulnerable against the run.

Oops.

59-0.

Four days later the head coach is calling the athletic director and telling him, yo, I’m out. Westward ho, my friends.

Of course, Badger Nation wonders how this could be. How could two coaches bail like this — and for Arkansas and Oregon State, of all places!

Well, Bret Bielema and Andersen clearly felt they would find longer term success elsewhere. And, say what you want about Bielema but many pundits feel his Razorbacks will be a top 10, if not top 5, program to start next year. And in the Southeastern Conference, that sets you up early for a shot at a national title.

Oregon State is a little harder to swallow, and Alvarez insisted it was family reasons for a Utah native who loved the western part of this country. And who knows, after that drubbing in Indianapolis, it was made known to him his leash was shortening.

And, let’s face it — Nick Saban and Alabama are going to be waiting for the new head coach, sans Gordon, some receivers and offensive linemen on Sept. 5, 2015 in Arlington, Texas.

But, again, the Badgers are set up. Non-conference opponents Miami (Ohio), Troy and Hawaii all are coming off losing seasons, and all are traveling to Madison.

The Badgers go to Nebraska, but the Cornhuskers will also have a new head coach (Oregon State’s Mike Riley — go figure). But Iowa is coming to Madison, and the crossover games with the Big Ten East remain Rutgers and Maryland.

So, there is a shot for success and another January bowl game.

But is that good enough? The last two coaches didn’t think so.

And if that’s the case, what kind of coach can Alvarez expect to find?

That said, a positive it is it seems like he’s aware of where the Badgers rate:

Barry, on if UW is destination job: "The last two coaches have proven that. It wasn’t a destination job for them." Nice one. #Badgers — Jesse Temple (@jessetemple) December 10, 2014

So while there seems to be something wrong, it may take some time to determine what that is, and who is the right person to fix it.