The Craziest Conspiracy Theory Idea on Gary Andersen Leaving Wisconsin for Oregon State

It hasn’t quite been 24 hours and everyone’s still puzzled as to why Gary Andersen would leave one of the 4-or-5 best jobs in the Big 10 for one of the toughest jobs in the Pac-12. Who goes from Wisconsin to Oregon State? This move is at least 5.6 times more surprising than Mike Riley going from Oregon State to Nebraska.

We’re bound to hear the excuse Bret Bielema trotted out a couple years ago – the Badgers won’t pay my assistant coaches – and the other popular one seems to be that Andersen was unhappy that he couldn’t get kids he wanted to into the University.

When wacky things happen … the conspiracy theories start flowing. Here’s the strangest, most absurd one I’ve come across so far:

"The Big Ten knew the only way to get into the playoff was an impressive Ohio State win over Wisconsin, so the conference asked the Badgers – 4.5-point favorites – to throw the game so the Buckeyes could win, impress the committee and leapfrog TCU and Baylor into the playoff, thus making the Big Ten more money and avoiding the potential damage every school on the recruiting trail. Andersen, pissed at the conference, and having just seen Mike Riley depart Oregon State, showed little interest in the game, and started talking to the Beavers. The Badgers lost, 59-0, the first time they’d been shut out in 17 years. It was the worst loss in school history since 1979."

Beyond crazy. Makes no sense.

Beyond the fact that Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez is on the playoff committee, here’s where it falls apart – it appears the “more money” the Big Ten receives for getting into the playoff is a mere $2 million.

Want to be more confused? Check out the list of candidates Oregon State interviewed for the job, via the Portland Tribune:

"Eastern Washington coach Beau Baldwin, Utah State coach Matt Wells, Hawaii coach Norm Chow and San Diego defensive line coach Osia Lewis."

No offense to those coaches, but … yeah.

Andersen leaving certainly begins to explain the 59-0 defeat. Talk about showing up ill-prepared for arguably the biggest game of the season. The last two times the Badgers reached the B10 Title game, Bret Bielema had them ready: 70-31 over Nebraska and 42-39 over Michigan State.

The Badgers have to go through their 2nd coaching search in 24 months for a job that suddenly looks like a stepping stone gig, not a landing spot.