Can Wisconsin capitalize on recent momentum? Evaluating the Badgers at midseason

MADISON, Wis. — What a difference a couple of weeks and some strong performances can make on a team’s outlook.

When Wisconsin arrived home from a disappointing loss to USC in which the Badgers were shut out during the second half, it felt like confirmation they were still struggling to gain traction. But after hammering Purdue and Rutgers by a combined score of 94-13, Wisconsin looks ready to kick things into high gear.

Wisconsin (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) has reached the season’s midpoint with as much optimism as there has been since games began last season under Luke Fickell. Here’s a look at the Badgers at midseason.

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Best surprise

Wisconsin’s offense was less than inspiring four games into the season except in the first half against USC. The Badgers were 2-2, with closer-than-expected victories against Western Michigan and South Dakota, as well as losses to Alabama and USC. They averaged 21.5 points per game, 2 points fewer than last season, which at the time was the program’s lowest mark in a single season in 19 years.

That’s what makes the last two games so notable. It feels as though offensive coordinator Phil Longo and his unit turned a corner. First came a 52-6 annihilation at home against Purdue. Then came a 42-7 drubbing at Rutgers, which entered the game with a top-20 scoring defense. Wisconsin has amassed more than 500 yards of total offense in consecutive Big Ten games for the first time since 2010.

Quarterback Braedyn Locke deserves credit for stepping up. He was a career 50 percent passer, but over this two-game winning streak, he has completed 67.8 percent of his throws while averaging 299.5 yards passing per game. His playmakers have shown up to give Wisconsin big-play threats down the field, and his offensive line looks as good as it has in years.

Wisconsin also seems to have found a formula on the ground after shortening its running back rotation and news that tailback Chez Mellusi would step away to recover from injuries. In two games as the unquestioned No. 1 running back, Tawee Walker has carried 43 times for 292 yards and six touchdowns. Wisconsin’s performance against Rutgers — in which it blended explosive pass plays with a physical running attack that leaned on the offensive line — looked like the offensive identity Fickell has wanted since arriving in Madison.


Redshirt freshman QB Braedyn Locke started three games for Wisconsin in 2023 before stepping up in place of Tyler Van Dyke this season. (Vincent Carchietta / Imagn Images)

Worst surprise

Losing your starting quarterback for the season during the first quarter of the third game is far from ideal. But that’s what happened when Tyler Van Dyke sustained a season-ending ACL tear in his right knee on a scramble to the right sideline against Alabama. Van Dyke completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 422 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions during his brief time as the starter.

Although Van Dyke battled injuries over his previous two seasons at Miami, he came into this season looking sharp and eager to prove himself. He demonstrated in practice why he was the clear-cut No. 1 over Locke because of his stronger arm and more dynamic running ability.

We’ll never know what this season would have looked like with a healthy Van Dyke. But if there is a silver lining, it’s that the injury has given Locke, a redshirt sophomore, an opportunity to show whether he can be the long-term answer at quarterback.

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Defining stat

One of the hallmarks of this program under the new regime is something director of strength and conditioning Brady Collins preaches in the weight room: Tough. Nasty. Disciplined. That discipline has materialized on the field, as Wisconsin is not beating itself with as many silly mistakes that plagued it last season. Perhaps we are beginning to see some of the traits emerge that made Wisconsin so consistent for so long under previous regimes.

Case in point: Wisconsin ranks third nationally in fewest penalty yards per game at 28.8. Only Iowa (25.8) and Iowa State (27.7) are better halfway through the regular season. Last season, the Badgers ranked 53rd in that category at 48.1. That means Wisconsin gave opponents nearly 20 extra yards per game in mistakes. Wisconsin’s 4.33 penalties per game this season ranks tied for the 10th fewest nationally.

Wisconsin hasn’t been anywhere close to this good since the 2016 season when it ranked fourth nationally in fewest penalty yards per game at 32.6 and second in fewest penalties per game at 3.4. That team finished 11-3 and won the Cotton Bowl. From 2017 to 2023, Wisconsin averaged 48.7 penalty yards per game and 5.49 penalties per game.

Breakout player

It’s time to give some love to the special teams unit because punter Atticus Bertrams has been outstanding. Bertrams acknowledged during preseason practices that Fickell wasn’t happy with how he performed as a freshman.

“I’m the first one to come out and say I wasn’t good enough last year,” Bertrams said. “I think I’ve done a lot of work to redeem myself. Hopefully, that shows this season.”

It certainly has. Bertrams was too erratic a year ago when he averaged 41.3 yards per punt on 63 attempts with six kicks of 50-plus yards. He has been dominant this season, increasing his average to 45.6 yards and booming seven punts of 50-plus yards already. His ability to help flip the field has been critical, as has how opponents have struggled to handle some of those punts, which has led to three turnovers back to Wisconsin.

Bertrams’ lone punt against Western Michigan in the opener traveled 50 yards and was muffed by the Broncos and then recovered by the Badgers, which allowed them to take the lead in the fourth quarter. He connected on a 74-yard punt that rolled and was downed at the USC 1-yard line and another punt that Trojans return man Zachariah Branch muffed and gave away to Wisconsin.

Purdue also muffed a Bertrams punt that Wisconsin recovered, which led to its first touchdown on the ensuing play. And in Wisconsin’s game against Rutgers, Bertrams landed a perfect punt that was downed at the Rutgers 2-yard line. The Badgers defense immediately forced a three-and-out.

Best plays

Here are three nominees:

1. Kekahuna’s 69-yard touchdown catch vs. Purdue

Locke has produced some excellent throws since taking over as the starter, including but not limited to a 63-yard touchdown pass to receiver Vinny Anthony against USC, a 52-yard touchdown pass to Anthony against Purdue, a 25-yard touchdown pass to Trech Kekahuna against Purdue and a 47-yarder to Anthony down to the 2-yard line against Rutgers. But this play earns the nod because of what it represents about what Wisconsin’s offense wants to be.

It was a touchdown that required a complete team effort, beginning with the fact that Locke’s offensive line gave him nearly six seconds to stand in the pocket untouched and survey his receivers downfield. Locke threw the ball just 13 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, but he put it right in the hands of one of Wisconsin’s most electric playmakers, and Kekahuna took care of the rest. He turned upfield, cut back across the right sideline and outran the Purdue defense to give Wisconsin a 28-6 third-quarter lead. It marked the longest play from scrimmage for Wisconsin under Longo.

2. Walker’s 9-yard touchdown run against Rutgers

You want to talk about a thing of beauty? This play encapsulated the physicality and dominance Fickell wants from his offensive line and demonstrated that, even as Wisconsin undertakes a new offensive style, it can still get down and dirty in the trenches with an old-school approach.

Wisconsin went under center for just the third time all season and lined up in a Power I formation, with Jackson Acker serving as a traditional fullback in front of Walker. Tight ends Riley Nowakowski and Tucker Ashcraft were on the field as extra blockers, as was offensive lineman JP Benzschawel. Wisconsin then executed the play perfectly, with left guard Joe Brunner and Acker knocking their defenders backward to spring Walker around the left edge for the touchdown and a 28-0 third-quarter lead.

3. Defense stops Purdue at the goal line a second time

We can’t go this entire midseason report without mentioning the defense, which has allowed 10 points and an average of 243.5 yards in the past two games. And though there have been a handful of individual plays, one sequence near the goal line against Purdue stands out because of how many defenders contributed.

Purdue trailed 14-3 late in the second quarter and had a first-and-goal from the Wisconsin 4-yard line. On first down, defensive lineman Ben Barten blew up a running play to tailback Devin Mockobee, which allowed inside linebacker Jake Chaney to make the tackle for a 1-yard loss. On second down, outside linebacker Leon Lowery flushed quarterback Hudson Card from the pocket, and defensive lineman Elijah Hills was credited with a hurry on an incomplete pass. And on third down, three Badgers defenders converged on Card in the backfield — Barten, Lowery and defensive lineman Curt Neal — for another incompletion. It marked Wisconsin’s second goal-line stand of the quarter. Purdue settled for a field goal and never scored again.

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Biggest remaining question

Can Wisconsin continue the momentum from its last two games into the second half of the season?

Wisconsin has a winnable game at Northwestern on Saturday, which could get the Badgers to 5-2 and on a three-game winning streak ahead of a matchup against unbeaten and third-ranked Penn State at Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers need to play their best football during an absolute gantlet against Penn State, Iowa, Oregon and Nebraska, which are a combined 21-3 and 15-2 in Big Ten games.

Some solid showings there would not only help Wisconsin become bowl-eligible for a 23rd consecutive season but also create more optimism about what’s possible under Fickell in Year 3.

Most important remaining game

We asked our readers in a fan survey over the summer about what game they viewed as the most important this season. The answers were: 1. Iowa, 2. Minnesota, 3. Penn State. All three games remain on the schedule, and you can take your pick as to what you believe the answer is. Oregon, which finished sixth in the fan voting behind Alabama and USC, also remains.

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I’m going to go against the grain here and pick Penn State based on where things stand. Yes, Iowa and Minnesota are two traditional rivalry games that have been upheld as annual occurrences under the new Big Ten scheduling structure. There’s no denying their importance. But Penn State is idle this weekend, which means the Nittany Lions will arrive in Madison undefeated at 6-0 and presumably ranked no worse than No. 3.

If Wisconsin can beat Northwestern and pull off the upset at home against Penn State, the Badgers will sit at 6-2 overall, 4-1 in the Big Ten and will have created a level of excitement surrounding the program that hasn’t been felt in years. Wisconsin hasn’t beaten Penn State since 2011 and hasn’t defeated a top-three opponent since knocking off No. 1 Ohio State in 2010.

Predicted final record

I predicted before the season that Wisconsin would finish the regular season 7-5, and I’m going to stick with that, though I acknowledge the bar suddenly feels higher based on what has transpired over the past two weeks. An 8-4 record doesn’t feel out of the realm of possibility. Could Wisconsin somehow exceed that threshold? If Wisconsin continues on its upward trajectory, the Badgers have the potential to give themselves a chance in every game.

As of now, I’m not ready to say Wisconsin will beat Penn State or Oregon. A split against Iowa and Nebraska on the road, and wins against Northwestern and Minnesota, would get Wisconsin to 7-5. But the more the Badgers can play like they did against Purdue and Rutgers, the more belief will spread within the team and beyond. It’s a sign that things are beginning to trend in the right direction under Fickell.

(Top photo: Vincent Carchietta / Imagn Images)



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