Week two is in the books, and Wisconsin has its first win of 2026. It wasn’t a clean one, and it wasn’t the kind of performance that leaves you feeling great about what’s ahead, but the Badgers still left the home opener with a four-score victory.
That’s the part that matters most. Everything else points to a team that still has plenty to sort out before Big Ten play arrives.
The offense gave Wisconsin an early jolt when Abu Sama ripped off a 72-yard touchdown on the first snap of the game, but the production never really settled in after that. Jeff Grimes’ group moved the ball better than it did a year ago, yet too many drives bogged down once they got into scoring range.
In the first half, Wisconsin settled for three field goals. In the second half, it finally put together a 68-yard touchdown march, with every yard coming on the ground, then added a late burst with a 50-plus yard catch from Tyrell Henry and a 33-yard touchdown by Chris Brooks.
There were signs of life, but not enough of them. Colton Joseph didn’t appear to be forcing many dangerous throws, which is a positive, but the accuracy just wasn’t there often enough.
Too many passes were a little high or didn’t lead receivers cleanly. Emerson Mandell was dressed, but he did not play, and his return should help.
Even so, the offense did not dominate an inferior opponent the way it needed to.
The defense drew even more concern. Mike Tressel’s unit kept Western Illinois out of the end zone, but that’s about where the good news stopped.
The Leathernecks were able to move the ball and control possession, and when they kicked a field goal on the opening drive of the second half, they were actually out-gaining Wisconsin offensively. Western Illinois didn’t do much through the air, but it ran the ball well and put together sustained drives.
For a Wisconsin team that will need to stop the run once conference play begins, that’s a real problem.
That makes the defensive showing tougher to stomach than the offensive one. This was supposed to be the side that set the tone, and against an FCS opponent, it never delivered the kind of control Wisconsin needed.
Special teams, though, gave the Badgers some of their best moments of the night. Carson Van Dinter delivered one of the game’s biggest plays by blocking and recovering a punt before taking it to the end zone, with help from Liam Danitz on the play. That score pushed Wisconsin’s lead to 17-0 and gave the home crowd something to really grab onto.
There were other bright spots in the kicking and return game, too. Tyrell Henry helped the offense with a strong punt return that set up a drive near midfield, and Nate Palmer brought a kickoff out of the end zone for a 42-yard return.
Gavin Lahm also stayed perfect on field goals, drilling kicks from 30, 49 and 51 yards. He has now made all five of his field goal attempts through two games, even after missing an extra point, and that shouldn’t outweigh the rest of what he’s done.
Special teams shouldn’t have to carry the night, but for Wisconsin, it was a reminder that this phase can still swing a game. That’s been true around these parts for a while, though usually because the other two units haven’t been strong enough. On Saturday, it was simply the most reliable part of the operation.
So yes, it’s a win. Wisconsin hasn’t had nearly enough of those lately to nitpick the result too hard.
But if you’re looking for the bigger picture, this was an underwhelming showing against an FCS opponent that hasn’t had a winning season since 2017. The Badgers came out fast, then let the game drift.
There were flashes on offense, signs of something better on special teams, and enough to think this team might be capable of turning a corner under Luke Fickell. But there was also too much slippage, especially on defense and against the run, to feel comfortable yet.
For now, the win stands. The questions do too.
In Other News...
Wisconsins Coaching Reset Is Back In Focus After Long-Awaited Comments
Nearly four years after Wisconsin changed course and moved on from Paul Chryst, the programs coaching reset is back in the conversation thanks to public reflections from both Chryst and Jim Leonhard. Chryst said he disagreed with the decision to fire him, but he also made clear he believed Leonhard was the right choice to take over the program at the time. It is a reminder of how abrupt that transition felt then, and how much lingering interest there still is in what came next.
Leonhards comments add another layer, since he said he had planned to stay at Wisconsin and was surprised when the job ultimately went to Luke Fickell instead. Since then, Leonhard has moved into NFL coaching and was recently hired as the Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator, while Chryst has kept a much lower public profile. For Wisconsin fans, it is a look back at a defining fork in the road, with both men now far enough removed from the moment to speak more openly about it. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Defense Has An Early Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Through two games, Mike Tressels defense has already offered a little bit of everything, and not all of it reassuring. Wisconsin flashed real control in the first half against Notre Dame, then lost some of that edge after the break, and the same unit also had trouble settling in against a mobile Western Illinois quarterback. The overall picture is less about one bad stretch than an inconsistency the Badgers can feel early in the season.
What stands out most is the missing takeaway. After spending the offseason stressing turnovers, Wisconsin still has not come up with an interception or forced fumble, and coaches and players have openly pointed to the need for more physical play and more pressure up front. For a defense built to set the tone, the next step is less about surviving drives and more about changing them, which is where the real concern now lives. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Fans Have One Real Complaint About A Huge Luke Fickell Test
Wisconsins early-season schedule has already given fans plenty to chew on, but the next stretch comes with a different kind of test for Luke Fickell and the program. The Badgers are 1-1, and two of their upcoming games are set to land on NBCs Peacock streaming service, a setup that has added a layer of annoyance for a fan base eager to follow along without jumping through another subscription hoop.
The bigger gripe is the Penn State matchup, which ESPN Analytics sees as a low-probability upset for Wisconsin and which would have been the kind of game that draws plenty of attention on traditional TV. Instead, airing it on Peacock has frustrated Badgers fans who now may need to subscribe just to watch a key conference game, and that kind of broadcast decision can make even a compelling test feel harder to embrace. [Read more 🡒]