Wisconsin’s win at Penn State felt bigger than just one road upset. The Badgers finally knocked off a ranked opponent, and they did it in Happy Valley against the then-13th-ranked Nittany Lions, where they had been winless since 2003.
That finish came after a rough start. Wisconsin dug itself into a 17-0 hole in the first half, then flipped the game completely by outscoring Penn State 24-3 after halftime. The comeback gave Luke Fickell and his team a result they badly needed after a 4-8 season last year and a full offseason of roster turnover.
Fickell went heavy into the transfer portal for the first time at Wisconsin, bringing in 33 transfers, including 17 on offense. With his record now at 17-21 as the Badgers’ head coach, pressure has been building, and this kind of win could buy him more time.
He pointed to the team’s fight afterward.
"The way they came back, and we kept fighting, we saw it a little bit at the end of last year, and this is what we are, and this is who we need to be. We could make it a lot cleaner, but I'm so proud of these guys.
This is something I don't think a lot of people thought was going to happen. I know a lot of people, maybe back home, didn't know it either, but this team is getting better."
There were hints this might be coming. Wisconsin opened the year against Notre Dame and, even though the Irish were expected to win, the Badgers made them work in the first half. That game ended 13-10 at halftime and showed flashes of a strong defensive front and some real offensive weapons.
Saturday was the clearest sign yet that the Badgers may be finding themselves under Fickell. They’re 3-1 to start the season and trying to keep the momentum going, but the road ahead is not forgiving. USC, Iowa, and UCLA are all ranked and still waiting on the schedule.
In Other News...
Johnny Davis Is Giving Wisconsin Fans Reason To Believe Again
Johnny Davis is back in the kind of form that once made Wisconsin fans believe he could be a future pro star. The former top-10 NBA draft pick has opened his run with Korfez Basket in the Turkish Basketball Super League by turning in strong performances, including a 31-point, 12-rebound game, and the early numbers point to a player looking much more comfortable on the floor.
Over a three-game sample, his shooting efficiency has improved, his assist-to-turnover ratio looks better and his defensive activity has picked up as well. It is a promising stretch for a player whose path to this point has been bumpy, and it gives Badgers fans a reason to keep an eye on what comes next, even if the bigger question of whether this becomes an NBA return is still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Earned A Huge Road Win And Got No Respect After
Wisconsin left Beaver Stadium with a road win that should have carried real weight, especially against a Penn State team playing in front of its home crowd. The Badgers did enough to leave with the result, and in a game like that, the opponent usually has no choice but to acknowledge what happened on the other sideline.
Instead, Penn State head coach Matt Campbell spent his postgame news conference dwelling almost entirely on his own teams mistakes. He pointed to missed chances, a touchdown given up after a player slipped, and a long list of opportunities Penn State failed to convert, while Wisconsins performance barely got a mention. For the Badgers, it was a reminder that a hard-earned win does not always come with the respect it deserves. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin May Already Have Its Most Reliable Weapon Off The Bench
Through four games, Darrion Dupree has gone from a depth option to one of Wisconsin footballs most dependable answers on offense. He has already led the team in rushing yards in a recent game and has chipped in as a receiver, showing the kind of versatility that can change how the Badgers structure their snaps. Even with a dropped pass in one outing, he kept producing, and his ability to force missed tackles has made him look like more than just a change-of-pace runner.
That matters for a Wisconsin offense still sorting through other moving parts, with Abu Sama dealing with injuries and Malachi Coleman searching for steadier production. In that kind of mix, Duprees emergence gives the Badgers a back who can stay on the field and handle different jobs without much drop-off. For a team looking for reliable offense, the bench may already be hiding one of its most useful weapons. [Read more 🡒]