The Wisconsin Badgers head into their Big Ten opener with Penn State on Saturday night carrying a depth chart shaped by the injury situation from Week 3. Kickoff in Happy Valley is set for 5:00 p.m. eastern on Peacock.
Quarterback remains unchanged at the top, with Colton Joseph still listed as the starter. Behind him, Ryan Hopkins and Deuce Adams are again tied as co-backups. Hopkins handled the backup reps once the game got out of hand in Week 2.
Running back is where the biggest wrinkle shows up. Abu Sama, who missed Week 3, is now in the injured column, and Darrion Dupree has been bumped into the top spot.
Sama told reporters on Tuesday that he is expected to play in Week 4. Bryan Jackson and Nate Palmer are listed behind Dupree, and Palmer’s Week 3 workload made it clear he’s still in the mix.
If Sama is back, Wisconsin’s backfield reps could narrow again to two or three players.
At receiver, Malachi Coleman’s status has forced another shift. With Coleman listed as questionable for Saturday, Shamar Rigby is now the backup at all three receiver spots.
Wisconsin used a four-man rotation last week with Rigby, Tyrell Henry, Chris Brooks, and Eugene Hilton. Emerson Mandell also remains part of the conversation after rotating with Stylz Blackmon in Week 3.
He’s questionable for Week 4 and is listed behind Blackmon on the two-deep, leaving open the possibility of another rotation if he’s not fully healthy.
Up front and on the edge, Wisconsin did not make any changes to the defensive line or outside linebacker groups. Even so, the snap counts keep telling part of the story.
Tyreese Fearbry continues to see plenty of work opposite Sebastian Cheeks, and in Week 3 he played 43 snaps to Cheeks’ 33, though the late game script played a role. DeNigel Cooper is also carving out a bigger role, and his 23 snaps on Saturday were the most among Wisconsin’s defensive linemen.
At linebacker, Mason Posa is getting back into the flow after dealing with a toe issue. He played 29 snaps in Week 3 and is probable for Week 4. That led to a noticeably heavier rotation in the middle of the defense.
The secondary has its own adjustment. Cai Bates is now out with a torn ACL, and true freshman Donovan Dunmore has moved onto the two-deep as the backup to Javan Robinson at boundary corner. Wisconsin has not rotated Robinson much, but Dunmore did get 11 snaps with the backups in Week 3.
In Other News...
Wisconsins Penn State Chances Suddenly Come Down To One Big Concern
The first Big Ten availability report for Wisconsins matchup with Penn State offered an immediate look at how much depth both teams may have to lean on when they meet. The Badgers listed four players as out, five as questionable and four as probable, while Penn States report also came with notable absences and a cluster of uncertain names as the week moves on.
For Wisconsin, the bigger issue is not just who is already ruled out, but how many key decisions are still hanging over the game. Penn States side adds to the intrigue with star receiver Koby Howard among the players unavailable, and six more Nittany Lions listed as questionable. In a game where both staffs are already sorting through injuries, the final availability report could end up shaping the matchup as much as anything on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin's Secondary Suddenly Has A Depth Problem Fans Didn't Want
Wisconsins secondary took another hit in Week 2 when cornerback Cai Bates went down with a torn ACL, ending his season before it really got started. The Florida State transfer had settled in as the No. 2 boundary cornerback, giving the Badgers a useful blend of experience and depth in a spot where every snap matters. Bates confirmed the injury on Instagram, and for a defense that has leaned on its back end to steady things, losing a player in that role is a tough break.
Donovan Dunmore now appears to be the next man up, with the true freshman expected to fill the opening on the boundary. For Wisconsin, the move is about more than simply plugging a lineup hole because the Badgers had been counting on Bates to provide reliable snaps in a secondary that could not afford to get thin. How quickly Dunmore can handle that jump is now one of the more important subplots on the defensive side. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Heads To Penn State With A Secondary Problem It Can't Ignore
As Wisconsin turns to Week 4 at Penn State, the conversation is already drifting toward availability as much as matchup. The Badgers are trying to navigate a secondary that took another blow with Florida State transfer cornerback Bates suffering a torn ACL and being expected to miss the season, a development that only sharpens the pressure on a defense that has to hold up on the road in a difficult environment.
The injury picture is still far from settled around Madison, with Mason Posa, Eugene Hilton Jr., Malachi Coleman, Abu Sama and Bryan Jackson all carrying different statuses heading into the trip. Penn State, meanwhile, has its own questions to sort through with starting center Brock Riker and tight end Andrew Rappleyea listed as questionable, while the Nittany Lions also will be without wide receiver Koby Howard for an extended stretch after his injury announcement. [Read more 🡒]