Wisconsin has a chance to turn last week’s upset of Penn State into something bigger on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.
A win over Michigan State would push the Badgers to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Big Ten play before the bye week, setting up a trip to California to face UCLA afterward. It’s a clean runway for Luke Fickell’s team, but only if Wisconsin takes care of business in its home Big Ten opener.
That’s the big question hanging over this one. The Badgers just pulled off the biggest win of the Luke Fickell era, and now they have to prove it wasn’t a one-week burst of momentum. A loss would wipe out the feel-good energy from the Penn State comeback and send the noise around Fickell right back to an uncomfortable place.
Michigan State is not coming in as a soft landing spot. Pat Fitzgerald’s teams are built to be difficult, physical and stubborn, and the Spartans are not going to make this easy just because Wisconsin has the better roster. But the matchup still leans heavily toward the Badgers, especially if Mike Tressel’s defense stays disciplined and avoids the kind of self-inflicted mess that can drag a game into the mud.
There’s also a real chance this turns into a game where Wisconsin doesn’t have to be perfect on offense to win comfortably. Even if the Badgers are sluggish for stretches, the defense looks capable of controlling the day.
That’s where the injury situation for Michigan State matters. The Spartans are already down running back Cam Edwards for the season, and linebacker Jordan Hall is doubtful to play.
Several more contributors in the second level and secondary are also banged up. Against a Wisconsin defense that should be able to handle the run, that leaves Michigan State leaning more on its passing game than it probably wants to.
For Wisconsin, the key is simple: don’t hand out freebies. Turnovers and cheap points would be the fastest way to let a manageable home game slip into something messy, especially for Colton Joseph. If the Badgers protect the ball and stay composed, the defense should do the rest for long stretches.
There’s also reason to think Wisconsin’s offense will land enough explosive plays to separate eventually. The Badgers have shown enough to believe they can hit a couple of big shots, and that may be all they need to put the game away before the fourth quarter gets too interesting.
So yes, this is a huge one. Win, and Wisconsin heads into the bye on a four-game streak with momentum. Lose, and the glow from Penn State disappears in a hurry.
In Other News...
Luke Fickell Just Said What Wisconsin Fans Wanted To Hear
After Wisconsins 31-3 win over Michigan State, the Badgers headed into their bye week at 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Big Ten play with a little more clarity than they had a few weeks ago. One of the biggest takeaways from the victory was the offensive line shuffle, and Luke Fickell pointed to Ryan Corys work at center in place of the injured Austin Kawecki as a promising sign for a group that has been trying to settle in and protect the offenses rhythm.
Fickell also made it clear the Badgers are treating the run of recent success as more than just a couple of good Saturdays. He talked about the teams focus, leadership and momentum, the kind of language fans want to hear in early October when the season starts to show who is ready to separate from the pack. With the bye week here, Wisconsin has a chance to build on that momentum, but the bigger question is how much of this sharpened identity carries forward once the games resume. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Fickells Bold O-Line Shakeup May Have Fixed Wisconsins Run Game
Luke Fickells decision to shake up the offensive line paid off in a way Wisconsin has been waiting to see. By moving Kevin Heywood into the starting left tackle spot and benching PJ Wilkins, the Badgers got their best five linemen on the field for a unit that looked far more settled against Michigan State, protecting the quarterback without allowing a sack and opening enough space for a rushing attack that finally found some rhythm.
The move was about more than one game, too. Fickell framed it as a push for Wilkins as much as a reward for Heywood, a reminder that competition still matters up front for a program built around physical football. If the new alignment can hold up, Wisconsin may have found a cleaner path to the kind of run game it wants, even if the long-term answer at left tackle still leaves one important question hanging. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Fickell Just Framed Wisconsins Fast Start The Way Fans Needed
Wisconsins 4-1 start has given the program some early breathing room, and Luke Fickell sounded like a coach who knows it. The Badgers have already flashed the kind of convincing performance that can steady a season, including a 31-3 win over Michigan State, but Fickell made clear he views the first month as more of a checkpoint than a destination. With a bye week in hand before UCLA, the timing gives Wisconsin a chance to reset while still carrying momentum into the Big Ten stretch ahead.
Fickell also pointed to the bigger picture inside the program, where the culture change he has been pushing remains a work in progress. Part of that next step involves continued growth from quarterback Colton Joseph, whose development matters as the schedule tightens and the stakes rise. The Badgers have reason to feel good about where they stand, but the message coming out of Madison is that the real test is still in front of them. [Read more 🡒]