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Boise State coach Chris Petersen, who has been linked to almost every BCS vacancy over the last half a decade, really might be interviewing for the Wisconsin job on Monday.
At least, that's what Madison sports radio station the Big 1070 is reporting. And they're also reporting that there is 'mutual interest'.
Yay for Wisconsin, if true. But it would be a thunderclap across the rest of the conference. Peterson, who has a career head coaching record of 83-8 in seven years at BSU, would be a stunning coup for the Badgers, who were sent reeling (kind of) when Bret Bielema bolted for Arkansas earlier this week.
Boise State has gone to a bowl game in all seven years with Peteren at the helm, and they are 4-2 with a date against Washington in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec 22nd. Of those 6 bowl games, BSU has won two Fiesta Bowls, one against TCU (hey, a potential Wisconsin coach that knows how to beat TCU in a BCS bowl, that's a plus) and the 2007 43-42 all time thriller against Oklahoma.
BSU has been ranked in the top 10 in 4 of Petersen's years, and in the top 25 in 5 of those seasons.
But all that said about Petersen and his more than impressive resume, he's been linked to just about every major head coaching job since about 2007. Just this season, Petersen's name was mentioned for Auburn, Arkansas, and Tennessee, and for any major and minor BCS program that has a vacancy, his name eventually gets mentioned.
Chris Petersen has it made in Boise--it's a small big town, a great place to raise a family, and he's virtually assured of 10 win seasons and a ranking in the top 25. But he has been there as either an assistant or a head coach for a decade, and it's easy to think that he feels he's taken the Broncos as far as he can, and he might be looking for a new challenge. Madison, with it's high quality of life and reputation as a great place to raise a family, might be a place for him to consider.
Or, he could be developing serious migraines from having to look at that ridiculous blue field.
With the B1G one of the few conferences assured to still be standing strong when all this conference realignment is finally finished, this might be as good a time as any for Petersen to make a move to what will be one of the three or four super conferences, and the Badgers might be a perfect fit for him.
It's still a long way from 'Petersen to interview' to 'Chris Petersen, Wisconsin head coach', especially when you consider Petersen and head coaching vacancies are reported on as often as there are Bigfoot sightings. And just like Bigfoot sightings, nothing has ever been confirmed.
Either way, fasten your seat belts. This just got real interesting.