After UCLA’s win over Oregon, Wisconsin’s matchup with the Bruins suddenly comes with a sharper edge. The headlines may still center on the quarterback situation, the two head coaches, and the bigger question of whether either team is truly for real. But the Oregon game exposed three issues Wisconsin has to respect if it wants to leave Saturday in good shape.
The first is UCLA’s ground game, and it jumps off the page. This is no ordinary rushing attack.
UCLA is averaging 253.2 rushing yards per game and has already piled up more than 1,200 on the season, which makes it the best Power 4 rushing offense right now. It hasn’t been concentrated in one place, either.
The Bruins have run the ball 209 times as a team, with the load shared across roughly four players, quarterback included.
Wayne Knight is the name that should keep Wisconsin up at night. He leads the Bruins with 548 rushing yards and a 7.7 yards-per-carry average.
That’s a nightmare number. Oregon did what it could to slow him down, and Knight still got more than 100 yards and finished above four yards per carry.
He also ripped off a 35-yard run. The Bruins’ offensive line deserves plenty of credit for turning the run game into a weapon this dangerous.
For Wisconsin, that means the front has to be ready to squeeze the middle and force the backup quarterback - whether that ends up being Madden Iamaleava or Ty Dieffenbach - to win the game through the air. Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano are going to have to help keep Knight and the rest of the UCLA backs from getting loose.
The second concern is UCLA’s defense, which looked awfully familiar against Oregon. The numbers line up closely with Wisconsin’s own defensive profile, but what matters most is how the Bruins handled the Ducks.
Oregon managed only 272 total yards and couldn’t string enough plays together to stay on schedule. UCLA held the Ducks to 1-for-12 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down, shutting the door whenever Oregon tried to extend a drive.
That kind of resistance changes the way Wisconsin has to attack. The Badgers are going to need patience, some creativity, and a few wrinkles to find explosive plays. This is the kind of defense that can make you work for everything, so Wisconsin can’t get rattled if a couple of drives stall while it tries to set up something bigger.
The third issue is turnovers, because UCLA forced a pile of them against Oregon. The Ducks gave it away seven times, with the Bruins recovering five fumbles and grabbing two interceptions. That kind of disruption can turn a game sideways fast, and UCLA will be looking to create the same kind of chaos against Wisconsin.
So the Badgers have to protect the ball, and Colton Joseph has to stay away from dangerous throws. Just as important, Wisconsin has to try to take some of that disruption back from UCLA by forcing the Bruins into mistakes of their own.
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Wisconsin Suddenly Gets A Different UCLA Test In Huge Road Spot
A week that began with one kind of UCLA challenge has turned into another for Wisconsin, with Nico Iamaleava leaving the Bruins last game with a leg injury that is expected to end his season, even if the coach has not locked down a final prognosis. Ty Dieffenbach stepped in and handled the moment well, even throwing a touchdown pass, so the Badgers are preparing for a road test that now looks different from the one they thought they were getting.
For Wisconsin, the shift matters because Colton Joseph has been on a heater of his own, accounting for all four touchdowns in the recent game and hitting at least one long touchdown pass in every outing this season. The Badgers were already facing a tricky Big Ten road spot, but now they have to sort out a UCLA offense with a new lead quarterback while also making sure Joseph and the Wisconsin attack keep pressing the same explosive edge. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Could Get A Crucial Offensive Boost At No. 12 UCLA
Wisconsins offense could be getting healthier at just the right time for Saturdays trip to No. 12 UCLA, with the first injury report pointing to some key availability questions breaking in the Badgers favor. Starting tailback Abu Sama is listed as probable, starting center Austin Kawecki is questionable and wide receiver Jaylon Domingeaux also appears likely to return, giving Luke Fickells group a chance to reclaim some of the balance it has been missing.
There is still at least one lingering concern, with halfback Nate Palmer listed as doubtful, but the overall picture is more encouraging than it might have looked earlier in the week. Fickell addressed the players conditions in his weekly press conference, and Wisconsin now heads into a difficult road matchup with the kind of offensive depth that can change the tone of a game if those expected returns hold up. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Gets A Real Early Test In One Critical Area
The Badgers are only a little way into preseason work, but Tuesdays exhibition at the Resch Center already offers a useful measuring stick for a roster still trying to settle in. Wisconsin is coming off an exhibition win over UW-Parkside, and the focus in camp has been on sharpening the frontcourt and bringing a steadier edge defensively as the games start to matter more in terms of evaluation.
Green Bay should provide a different look, too, with a lineup that includes several newcomers and some recognizable names in Ne'Quan Brown and Aidan Holloway. For Wisconsin, the bigger question is not just whether it can control the game, but how it handles that early test inside and whether the defensive intensity shows up against a more unfamiliar opponent. [Read more 🡒]