Tag: Wisconsin Badgers

Nov 29, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Darrion Dupree (13) is tackled by Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive lineman Danny Striggow (92) during the second quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Minnesota defense dominates as Wisconsin dealt rare losing season

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Max Brosmer passed for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead Minnesota past archrival Wisconsin 24-7 in the annual battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe on Friday afternoon, ending the Badgers’ streak of consecutive winning seasons at 22.

Brosmer completed 17 of 26 passes for 191 yards without an interception for the Gophers (7-5, 5-4 Big Ten).

Wisconsin (5-7, 3-6) closed the season with five consecutive defeats and its first losing season since going 5-7 under Barry Alvarez in 2001. It was the longest active streak of winning seasons among Power 4 teams.

The defeat also likely snapped Wisconsin’s streak of 22 consecutive bowl games, as there is almost no chance the Badgers get a bid as a five-win team because of Academic Progress Rate (APR).

Darius Taylor rushed for 143 yards on 32 carries for the Gophers, who had a 374-166 advantage in total yards.

Wisconsin was held to just 36 yards rushing on 24 attempts. Braedyn Locke completed just 15 of 32 passes for 130 yards.

Brosmer’s 1-yard plunge put Minnesota up 7-0 late in the first quarter, capping a nine-play, 89-yard drive. Brosmer completed 4 of 5 passes for 71 yards on the march, including a 21-yard completion on third-and-7 to the 1-yard line.

The Gophers made it 14-0 on their next possession when Brosmer capped the 75-yard drive with a 7-yard scoring pass to Daniel Jackson.

Minnesota pushed the lead to 21-0 with a methodical 11-play drive that consumed the first 6:02 of the third quarter. Brosmer completed all six of his passes on the drive, including a 15-yard touchdown to tight end Jameson Geers.

Wisconsin answered with its first sustained drive, kept alive by a late hit penalty on third-and-15. Locke’s 15-yard pass to Vinny Anthony II made it 21-7 with just over three minutes left in the third quarter.

The Badgers drove to the Minnesota 10, but Nathanial Vakos was wide right on a 37-yard field-goal attempt with 12:10 remaining.

Dragin Kesich’s 43-yard field goal put the Gophers up 24-7 with 3:19 left.

–Field Level Media

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws out a pass as the Oregon Ducks host the Maryland Terrapins at Autzen Stadium Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 in Eugene, Ore.

No. 1 Oregon looks to hang on to top spot at Wisconsin

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Record-setting quarterback Dillon Gabriel and undefeated Oregon will be out to solidify the top spot in the College Football Playoff rankings when the Ducks visit inconsistent Wisconsin in a Big Ten matchup at Madison, Wis., on Saturday.

Oregon (10-0, 7-0), No. 1 in the CFP rankings released Tuesday, routed Maryland 39-18 last weekend behind three scoring passes by Gabriel, who broke the NCAA record for total career touchdowns.

Wisconsin (5-4, 3-3) is coming off a bye after a 42-10 loss at Iowa, one of the worst defeats in Luke Fickell’s two years as coach.

“We’re still having a lot of fun, coming up every single day to get better and find ways to improve,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said Monday. “The challenge of this new conference, the travel and some of the teams that we got to play, it’s been a lot of fun for us.”

Gabriel, a sixth-year transfer from Oklahoma, completed 23 of 34 passes for 183 yards against the Terrapins. That gave him 180 total touchdowns (147 passing, 33 rushing), surpassing the 178 touchdowns (155 passing, 23 rushing) that Case Keenum produced for Houston from 2007-11.

Gabriel leads the nation in pass completion percentage at 74.1 percent (237 of 320) for 284.8 yards per game, with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Gabriel and the Ducks’ passing game present obvious difficulties for the Badgers’ secondary.

“They’re going to be challenged in different ways,” Fickell said Monday. “That’s the beauty of college football. You can be challenged each and every week in a lot of different ways and this one may be one we haven’t seen really the entire year.

“The ability for them to throw the ball downfield. The dynamic of the wide receivers that they have. Obviously, the quarterback and the ability of him to make plays both with his feet and in the air.”

James Jordan paces the Ducks’ ground game with 946 yards (5.7 per carry) and 10 touchdowns.

Oregon has been efficient in the red zone with 39 scores in 44 opportunities, including 32 touchdowns.

The Ducks, who have scored 30 or more points in each of their past nine games, average 35.7 points while allowing 16. Oregon averages 457 yards per contest and is giving up 293.7.

Wisconsin took consecutive early-season losses to Alabama and Southern California, then dominated Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern during a three-game winning streak. However, the Badgers have since lost to Penn State, now No. 4 in the CFP rankings, and Iowa.

In their five victories, the Badgers outscored opponents 34.4 to 8.6 per game, with a 454-239 average advantage in total yards. In four losses, Wisconsin was outscored 37.5 to 13.5.

Redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke, who took over at quarterback when Tyler Van Dyke suffered a season-ending knee injury against Alabama, threw two costly interceptions against Iowa. Locke has completed 56.8 percent of his passes for 177.3 yards per game, but he has eight picks along with eight touchdown tosses.

Against Iowa, the Badgers allowed 329 rushing yards, 6.1 yards per carry.

In the teams’ most matchup, Oregon edged Wisconsin 28-27 in the 2020 Rose Bowl when the Ducks were still in the Pac-12. The Badgers have not defeated a No. 1-ranked team since a 31-18 upset of Ohio State in 2010.

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Tawee Walker (3) rushes for a touchdown in front of Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Desmond Igbinosun (4) during the second half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Tawee Walker, Wisconsin run over Rutgers

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Senior running back Tawee Walker rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries to help Wisconsin defeat host Rutgers 42-7 on Saturday in Piscataway, N.J.

Walker’s touchdowns came on a 2-yard run in the first quarter, a 9-yard run in the third and a 55-yard run with 11:11 to play. Wisconsin ran for 309 yards and averaged 6.6 yards per carry.

Wisconsin (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten Conference) also received a 16-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Braedyn Locke to Will Pauling in the first quarter, a 2-yard touchdown run from Darrion Dupree in the third and Locke’s 1-yard TD run in the fourth.

Locke finished 20 of 28 for 240 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis was 12 of 32 for 103 yards and one pick.

The Badgers led 14-0 at halftime and 28-0 entering the final 15 minutes.

Rutgers (4-2, 1-2) scored on a 13-yard run by running back Kyle Monangai with 13:48 to play.

The Scarlet Knights were 5 of 17 on third down and were held to 103 yards passing. They totaled 271 yards, to 549 for the Badgers.

Wisconsin opened the scoring on Pauling’s for a 16-yard touchdown catch with 9:10 remaining in the opening quarter, and then added Walker’s 2-yard TD run with 1:39 left in the quarter. Pauling caught four passes for 49 yards before he left the game in the first half with an upper-body injury and did not return.

Rutgers’ best scoring opportunity in the first half came when Jai Patel attempted a 37-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the second quarter, but there was a bad snap and the kick was blocked by Ricardo Hallman.

Dupree’s TD helped Wisconsin take a 21-0 lead before Walker added his two second-half touchdowns. Locke’s TD and Nathanial Vakos’ sixth point-after kick capped the scoring.

The Badgers played without starting wide receiver Bryson Green, who left Wisconsin’s 52-6 victory over Purdue last week with a lower-body injury.

Rutgers was missing senior cornerback Robert Longerbeam and senior linebacker Tyreem Powell. Both are defensive starters who didn’t play because of injuries.

–Field Level Media

Oct 5, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Hudson Card (1) is tackled during the second quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Braedyn Locke passes Wisconsin to 18th straight win over Purdue

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Braedyn Locke passed for three touchdowns and Tawee Walker ran for three more as the Wisconsin Badgers dominated visiting Purdue, 52-6, for their 18th consecutive victory over the Boilermakers in a Big Ten matchup Saturday.

Wisconsin (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) bounced back after lopsided losses to now top-ranked Alabama and No. 11 USC. The Badgers had 589 total yards to 216 for Purdue (1-4, 0-2 Big Ten), which lost its fourth straight game.

Locke, who became the starter after Tyler Van Dyke suffered a season-ending knee injury against Alabama, completed 20 of 31 passes for 359 yards with two interceptions. Walker, taking over the workload after leading rusher Chez Mellusi left the team this week for health reasons, ran for 94 yards on 19 carries.

Walker’s 1-yard run with nine seconds left in the half, followed by Locke’s 69-yard touchdown pass to Trech Kekahuna on the opening series of the third quarter put the Badgers up 28-6.

Locke hit Kekahuna with a 25-yard scoring strike to cap a nine-play, 98-yard drive on Wisconsin’s next possession to make it 35-6. Walker added a 17-yard touchdown run and Cade Yacamelli scored on a 30-yarder. Nathanial Vakos capped the scoring with a 26-yard field goal.

The loss capped a week of upheaval for Purdue, which has not beaten Wisconsin since 2003. Offensive coordinator Graham Harrell was fired earlier in the week and starting cornerback Markevious Brown was not with the team due to a “personal matter,” but was expected back next season, the school announced before the game.

Wisconsin recovered a muffed punt at the Purdue 12-yard line to set up its first score. On the following play, Walker went off the right side to put the Badgers up 7-0 with 8:04 left in the first quarter.

The Badgers extended the lead to 14-0 on their next possession on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Locke to Vinny Anthony II. The Boilermakers helped the 91-yard drive with a pair of 15-yard penalties.

Kyndrich Breedlove intercepted Locke twice in the second quarter, but the Boilermakers settled for field goals of 21 and 23 yards by Spencer Forath to pull within 14-6.

Wisconsin responded with an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive to go up 21-6 at the half. Locke hit CJ Williams with a 19-yard pass to set up Walker’s 1-yard plunge.

–Field Level Media

Sep 14, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Jalen Milroe dominates as No. 4 Alabama topples Wisconsin

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Jalen Milroe passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more Saturday to pace fourth-ranked Alabama to a 42-10 nonconference rout of Wisconsin, which lost starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke on its opening possession.

Van Dyke, a redshirt senior transfer from Miami, was carted off the field with an apparent right knee injury on a third-down scramble. Van Dyke was replaced by redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke, who started three games last season in place of injured Tanner Mordecai.

Milroe completed 12 of 17 passes for 196 yards with touchdowns of 31, 26, and 37 yards. He also ran for a team-high 75 yards on 14 carries.

Alabama (3-0) scored on each side of halftime for a 28-3 lead. The Crimson Tide outgained Wisconsin 407-290 and averaged 7.3 yards per play to 4.0 for the Badgers (2-1).

Locke completed 13 of 26 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. Chez Mellusi ran for 66 yards on 11 carries.

Alabama went in front 7-3 with 20 seconds left in the opening quarter when Milroe hit dynamic freshman Ryan Williams with a 31-yard scoring strike.

The Crimson Tide capitalized on a turnover to make it 14-3. Mellusi ran for 21 yards but fumbled on the tackle, which was recovered by Alabama at the Wisconsin 28. Seven plays later, Milroe skirted right end from 3 yards out.

Nathanial Vakos was wide right on a 44-yard field goal attempt with 36 seconds left in the half, but Milroe needed just two plays to go 73 yards the other way. He hit Williams deep right for 47 yards, followed by a 26-yard scoring pass to Germie Bernard for a 21-3 halftime lead.

The Crimson Tide marched 75 yards in five plays on the opening series of the third quarter, capped by Jamarion Miller’s 34-yard touchdown run to make it 28-3.

The Badgers answered with a 17-play, 75-yard drive capped by Locke’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Will Pauling.

Alabama recovered a fumble by Cade Yacamelli at the Wisconsin 18. Milroe scored on a 10-yard run for a 35-10 lead late in the third quarter and hit a wide-open Josh Cuevas with a 37-yard touchdown with 10:05 left.

Wisconsin opened with a 10-play, 40-yard drive before settling for Vakos’ 53-yard goal. Graham Nicholson was wide right from 46 yards on Alabama’s ensuing possession.

–Field Level Media

Oct 22, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio in the game abasing the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Jack Del Rio joining Wisconsin coaching staff

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Former NFL head coach Jack Del Rio is joining the Wisconsin staff as a senior advisor to head coach Luke Fickell, The Athletic reported Thursday.

The former Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach will assist on both sides of the ball with the Badgers and be there for Fickell “to bounce ideas off,” per the report.

The Badgers, who were 7-6 in 2023, will kick off their second season under Fickell’s leadership on Friday night against Western Michigan in Madison, Wis.

Del Rio, 61, most recently served as the defensive coordinator for the Washington Football Team/Commanders from 2020-23.

He compiled a 93-94 record with the Jaguars (2003-11) and Raiders (2015-17) and has also worked as the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos (2012-14) and Carolina Panthers (2002), as well as previous coaching roles with the Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints.

Del Rio played linebacker for 11 NFL seasons with four teams from 1985-95, making the Pro Bowl with the Minnesota Vikings in 1994.

–Field Level Media

Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (10) calls a play during football practice Wednesday, August 14, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin, Tyler Van Dyke out to bust Broncos with strong first impression

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The second year of the Luke Fickell era begins with a new quarterback and plenty of questions when Wisconsin opens the season against Western Michigan on Friday in Madison, Wis.

Wisconsin finished 7-6 overall and 5-4 in the Big Ten last year in Fickell’s first season, culminating in a 35-31 bowl game loss to LSU.

The Badgers were picked seventh in the preseason poll for the revamped 18-team Big Ten.

“That Week 1, there’s a lot buildup to it,” Fickell said. “You know, we’re getting close, we’re excited about that, but we’ve still got some work to do before we get to (Friday).”

Tyler Van Dyke, a transfer from Miami, won the preseason quarterback battle ahead of Braedyn Locke, who started three games last season after Tanner Mordecai was injured.

Van Dyke completed 65.8 percent of his passes for a team-high 2,703 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Leading rusher Braelon Allen, who ran for 3,494 yards and 35 touchdowns in three seasons, opted for the NFL. Sixth-year senior Chez Mellusi returns after playing in four games last season before suffering a leg injury. He has run for 1,595 yards in three seasons at Wisconsin.

Will Pauling, who had a team-high 74 catches last season with six touchdowns, is the top returning receiver.

The Badgers defense suffered a blow when Fickel confirmed Monday that senior defensive end James Thompson Jr. likely would miss all of 2024 with an injury. Thompson started 11 games last season.

Western Michigan was 4-8 last season, including 3-5 in the Mid-American Conference, in coach Lance Taylor’s first season.

Hayden Wolff completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 1,505 yards and eight touchdowns in eight games (four starts) last season.

Jalen Buckley was the MAC Freshman of the Year last season, rushing for 10 touchdowns on 1,003 yards while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

Kenny Womack had 76 receptions for 691 yards and one score. Anthony Sambucci had a team-high five touchdown catches.

“As we have gone through training camp, one of the things is this is a team of togetherness, not about offense or defense or special teams,” Taylor said. “They believe in each other and want to win and do whatever it takes to win.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 21, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (8) throws a pass against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota, in last shot to secure bowl eligibility, faces Wisconsin

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Minnesota’s final chance to secure bowl eligibility arrives when Wisconsin visits for a Big Ten matchup on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis.

The Golden Gophers (5-6, 3-5 Big Ten) missed out on three consecutive chances to qualify for a bowl bid, coming off losses against Illinois, Purdue and No. 2 Ohio State.

The finale of the 2023 regular season is the annual border battle against a top rival that would love to ruin Minnesota’s hopes.

“We’ve just got to know as a team that it’s on the line right here,” Golden Gophers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis said. “This is a really big game for us. We’re going to go play our best football.”

It’s also a big game for Wisconsin (6-5, 4-4). The Badgers, looking to finish with a winning record on the season and in conference play in the first season under coach Luke Fickell, beat Nebraska last week to snap a three-game losing streak.

With the 24-17 win, Wisconsin became bowl eligible for the 22nd consecutive season. The Badgers can bolster their bowl resume with a road win to end the regular season.

Fickell said he asked the team’s upperclassmen to explain to their younger teammates how important the rivalry game is against Minnesota.

“The guys that have been here so long are the ones who lead us,” Fickell said. “The guys in the locker room who have been in this rivalry are the ones we ask to be in the forefront of it.”

The winning team will receive “Paul Bunyan’s Axe,” a prize that has existed since 1948. The series goes back even further than that, with the programs tied 62-62-8 as they enter their 133rd all-time meeting.

Kaliakmanis will try to finish the regular season on a positive note for Minnesota. He has passed for 1,671 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Badgers quarterback Tanner Mordecai also is looking to end on a high note. During an injury-marred season, he has passed for 1,542 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

–Field Level Media

Nov 11, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai (8) is sacked by Northwestern defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard (91) during the third quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Nebraska and Wisconsin still chasing bowl eligibility

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Wisconsin and Nebraska both will attempt to become bowl eligible when the stumbling Big Ten teams meet Saturday night in Madison, Wis.

Wisconsin (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) is coming off an embarrassing 24-10 loss at home to Northwestern. Nebraska (5-5, 3-4) lost at home to Maryland, 13-10, on a field goal as time expired.

The Badgers and Cornhuskers are in a five-way tie for second, two games behind Iowa in the Big Ten West.

The Badgers, picked to win the West in the preseason poll under first-year coach Luke Fickell, have lost three straight. Wisconsin has played in a bowl game in each of the last 21 seasons, the longest active streak in the Big Ten and the third longest in FBS football.

The Wisconsin defense was shredded in the first half by Northwestern, which had touchdown drives of 79, 68 and 90 yards and then added a field goal for a 24-3 halftime lead.

“There’s no answers,” Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler said. “We just have to play better. We come out soft. We come out flat. We have zero energy on either side of the ball. And we get whooped around the field.”

Tanner Mordecai returned after missing three games with a broken throwing hand and completed 31 of 45 passes for 255 yards, but no touchdowns. Leading rusher Braelon Allen tried to return after missing the previous game with an ankle injury, but left again after gaining 3 yards on three carries.

Nebraska, which last played in a bowl game to conclude the 2016 season, has committed 27 turnovers, for a minus-14 turnover margin. The Huskers had five turnovers in the loss to Maryland, including three in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Heinrich Haarberg came away with an ankle injury against Maryland, and both Jeff Sims and Chubba Purdy played. All three QBs threw at least one interception as the Huskers passed for just 86 yards.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said Monday that the starter vs. Wisconsin might not be known until game time.

The Badgers have won nine straight against Nebraska, including all eight since the Freedom Trophy was introduced in 2014. Wisconsin has not lost a home game in the series and is 10-1 vs. the Cornhuskers since they joined the Big Ten in 2011.

“They’re a really good football team with really good players,” Rhule said of the Badgers. “Big, physical, raw, athletic. Luke Fickell’s an excellent football coach.”

–Field Level Media