Wisconsin’s defense has found a real anchor in Sebastian Cheeks, but the bigger picture up front is still unsettled.
The Badgers’ bye week conversation starts with the same split over and over: the run defense has been sturdy, while the pass rush has leaned far too heavily on one player. That adds up to a B- for the group, even with some clear bright spots.
Against the run, Wisconsin has held firm. The Badgers are allowing just 3.17 yards per carry and have given up only three rushing touchdowns, numbers that place them comfortably in the top half of the country.
Nolan Vils and Charles Perkins have handled a lot of the dirty work inside, closing gaps and helping control the middle. Luke Fickell has also shuffled pieces around often, using a wide rotation to find the right combination for each situation.
The edge pressure, though, has been another story. Cheeks has been the engine there, and the production jumps off the page: team-highs in pressures with 27, sacks with 2.5, tackles for loss with 2.5 and forced fumbles with 2. He’s not just leading Wisconsin in those categories - he’s sitting first in the power four in pressures, per PFF.
That’s why the numbers around him matter so much. Cheeks has been “pretty much the only guy who is capable of consistently winning off the edge,” even though he isn’t the biggest body for the job.
Tyreese Fearbry, Nick Clayton and Hammond Russell IV have each flashed at times, but none has put together the kind of steady stretch Wisconsin needs. Fickell has mixed and matched those rushers, just as he has on the interior, trying to squeeze value out of the whole group.
For now, the Badgers have a defense that can point to a strong run front and one standout disruptor. But as the schedule gets tougher, that’s not enough. If offenses start sliding more help toward Cheeks, Wisconsin will need someone else to emerge and force the issue.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Faces A New Worry With Its Top 2027 Commit
Kingston Allens senior season has only added to the buzz around Wisconsins top 2027 commit. The four-star running back is piling up rushing yards, creeping toward a state touchdown record and keeping his profile high in the process, which is exactly the kind of attention the Badgers hoped to land when they made him a centerpiece of the class. As the top player in the state, Allen gives Wisconsin an in-state headliner to build around, and his production has only strengthened the case that he can be one of the class anchors.
The concern for Wisconsin is that his commitment has not stopped the recruiting traffic. Allen has recently taken visits to Ohio State and Minnesota, a reminder that high-profile prospects with standout seasons tend to stay on the radar of other programs until signing day arrives. Ohio State in particular could make this a tougher hold than it looked on paper, and for Wisconsin the question is no longer just how good Allen can be, but how hard the Badgers may have to work to keep him in the fold. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Just Got A Harsh Reminder Against College Volleyballs Best
The seven-match surge Wisconsin carried into Lincoln met a blunt reality check against the sports standard-setter. The No. 7 Badgers were swept 3-0 by No. 1 Nebraska on the road, a result that snapped the winning streak and underscored how quickly the margins shrink when a top contender runs into the best team in the country. Nebraska controlled the night with a sharp offensive showing, while Wisconsin had to lean on Decelise Champion and the rest of its lineup just to stay in striking distance.
For Kelly Sheffield, the loss was less about effort than the level of competition waiting on the other side of the net. He said afterward that he still liked what he saw from his team, even if the final score did not reflect it, and that kind of response matters with the Badgers trying to measure themselves against elite opposition. Harper Murray and Nebraska made sure Wisconsin left with plenty to study, but also with a reminder that the path back to the top of the Big Ten still runs through nights like this. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Gets A Huge Chance To Prove Its Surge Is Real
UCLAs rise into the AP top 12 has only raised the stakes for Wisconsins next chance to show its recent surge is more than a nice stretch. The Badgers are still unranked, but they have already put together wins over Penn State and Michigan State, results that have started to change the way people look at this team. Now they get a shot against a Bruins squad coming in with national attention and a fresh ranking after beating Oregon.
Wisconsins opening is even more interesting because UCLAs quarterback situation is suddenly uncertain. Nico Iamaleava left the Bruins last game with a leg injury, and Ty Dieffenbach finished in relief, leaving one of the more important parts of the matchup in flux. For a Badgers team trying to prove its progress is real, this is the kind of game that can validate the climb, even if the full picture in Los Angeles is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]