Wisconsin’s season has not played out like it hoped. With games against Penn State, Notre Dame and Michigan, the Badgers had a chance to give notice to the rest of the country that they were ready to make a run into the College Football Playoff.

Six games into the season, though, Wisconsin is 3-3, having fallen short in their biggest games. A largely lifeless offense with a penchant for turning the ball over has combined with a dominant defense that doesn’t force turnovers to make for a rough watch for fans. But thanks to a stunning upset by Purdue in Iowa City last Saturday, Wisconsin’s goal of a Big Ten West title and a trip to Indianapolis remains possible, even if unlikely.

“This is kind of a second chance for us,” safety Collin Wilder said Monday. “We’ve talked about it. We were all locked into the Iowa-Purdue game last weekend. So I mean, it’s a great chance for us to still pursue the goals that we have for us.”

Cornerback Faion Hicks said there was a little bit of a bump in the intensity level within the locker room at the prospect of making it back to the Big Ten title game for the fourth time in coach Paul Chryst’s tenure.

Yeah, it definitely changes everything, it changes your perspective,” Hicks said. “It definitely lights a fire in everyone’s behind, I’ll tell you that. You have opportunity that you control your own destiny and that’s what you want.”

With the Boilermakers beating the Hawkeyes, every team in the division has at least one conference loss. Iowa, Purdue and Minnesota are sitting with one, while the Badgers and Northwestern are with two. But both of Wisconsin’s losses came against the East Division, which means the Badgers still have five games against the West, starting Saturday in West LaFayette.

“I think obviously it’s good,” linebacker Jack Sanborn said of the situation. “But at the same time, I think if this college football season so far as taught anybody anything, it’s that you got to take every week one week at a time. Because just like that who knows what’s gonna happen? I think everyone understands that and that it’s Purdue week. That’s all that matters right now.”

Allen wins award

Braelon Allen ran for 108 yards and a touchdown in a win against Army on Saturday and on Monday he was honored for his efforts.

The 17-year-old was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week by the conference, the first Wisconsin player to win that award since quarterback Graham Mertz last October against Illinois. Saturday against Army was his second straight 100-yard game and his teammates see a guy making improvements each week.

“Braelon is new to this system for the most part and game reps give you a feel on what you like. Each back likes different kind of things,” left tackle Tyler Beach said. “I think Braelon’s just getting comfortable with getting up and down with the ball and being able to make those cuts and make those different adjustments. I feel like as games go on, he’s going to get a lot better and a lot more comfortable running the ball. I think you’re gonna see a lot more of that kind of stuff.”

Allen’s teammates on defense have enjoyed watching him go from trying to run through them to running through and around other teams.

“I think he’s picked it up really fast,” linebacker Leo Chenal said. “In the earlier games he tried to rely on just running through people, which he does very well. But just adding move by move, getting more comfortable in each situation, he’s going to be really dangerous.”

Wide receiver heads to transfer portal

Wisconsin’s No. 1 kick returner has left the team and hit the transfer portal.

Wide receiver Devin Chandler made the decision to look elsewhere and 247Sports was the first to report it.

Chandler played in 10 games the last two seasons and made most of his impact on special teams. He averaged 24.1 yards per return on 10 returns, including a 59-yard return in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl that jump started the Badgers. He also caught two passes and carried the ball once in his career.

Chandler is the fourth player to leave the team this season, though the first to do so completely on his own. Running backs Loyal Crawford and Jalen Berger were dismissed from the team, while running back Antwan Roberts was suspended indefinitely.