Wisconsin’s depth chart looks a little different heading into a primetime showdown with USC, and the changes tell the story of where the Badgers are trying to shore things up after a 17-7 loss to No. 12 UCLA.
The Badgers get another major test in Week 8, this time at Camp Randall Stadium against No. 16 USC.
Coming out of the bye, Wisconsin was in better shape health-wise, and that showed up with several players removed from the injury report. One of the biggest developments was wide receiver Jaylon Domingeaux, who made his season debut after missing time with a hand injury suffered in fall camp.
Domingeaux wasn’t listed on the depth chart at receiver, but he still started against UCLA. He’s already in position to push for a bigger role, and the opportunity appears wide open if the rest of the room keeps struggling to make consistent plays.
At running back, Abu Sama was cleared again after also being available against Michigan State. Even so, Darrion Dupree saw the heavier workload, with the snap count finishing 31 to 19.
Wisconsin’s most effective run-game looks came when it attacked outside the tackles, especially with jet sweeps and other movement plays, but those concepts didn’t show up nearly enough against UCLA. The Badgers also leaned on just two backs in what was easily the biggest game of the season so far.
Up front, Wisconsin made a notable switch with Austin Kawecki out. The staff moved Stylz Blackmon to center and brought in PJ Wilkins at guard instead of turning to Ryan Cory, who had played well in relief against Michigan State two weeks earlier.
Wilkins has continued to struggle, and Wisconsin may need to revisit the group before USC. Kawecki, who has a broken hand, could still have a chance to play with a club.
The tight end rotation stayed steady. Ryan Schwendeman and Grant Stec remain the primary options because of their blocking, while Jacob Harris brings the receiving element at the position. Emmett Bork is in that mix too, and all four have played a significant number of snaps over the past two weeks.
On defense, the workload climbed because UCLA kept the ball and Wisconsin struggled to get off the field on third downs. Hammond Russell was the clear No. 1 on the defensive line, but the Badgers still rotated seven players up front.
Junior Poyser, who logged the third-most snaps, stood out in that group. Wisconsin held up well against the run, and E.J.
Whitlow continued to spread the snaps around to keep his line fresh.
Linebacker usage tightened even more. Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano were the two main guys in a big game, each playing 77 snaps. Jon Jon Kamara, by comparison, had just three.
At outside linebacker, Sebastian Cheeks and Tyreese Fearbry remain the mainstays. Nicolas Clayton had the best performance of his young career so far against UCLA, and Justus Boone and Aaron Witt were also involved.
The secondary had its own storylines. Javan Robinson went 55 snaps without being targeted, while Eric Fletcher Jr. also worked into the rotation.
Wisconsin continued to lean on nickel packages, and Bryce West played a heavy load. It wasn’t his cleanest outing overall, but he still brought the kind of physical edge Wisconsin wants from that spot.
Jai’mier Scott also turned in a strong game as a tackler, coming up with a couple of big open-field stops and a pass breakup.
Safety was the area that raised the most questions. Cairo Skanes and Marvin Burks have been splitting time opposite Matt Jung, and on Saturday the split was close, 46 snaps to 37 in Burks’ favor.
But Skanes had a rough day. He was beaten in one-on-one coverage several times while playing big nickel, and he also had a major coverage bust late that helped put the game away.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Just Got A Reality Check In The New Big Ten FPI
ESPNs Football Power Index offered another reminder of where the Big Ten stands after Week 7, and it was not especially kind to the middle of the pack. Ohio State remains the leagues top team in the model, with Indiana sitting right behind it, while the projections continue to sort out the rest of the conference based on how teams have performed and what the simulations expect from here.
For Wisconsin, the broader takeaway is how unforgiving these rankings can be once conference play settles in. The FPI is built to project the rest of the season, so every result gets folded into the picture quickly, and Marylands tumble to the bottom after its loss to Rutgers shows how sharply the model reacts when a team slips. For the Badgers, it is another snapshot of a league where the margin between contender and also-ran is getting clearer by the week. [Read more 🡒]
USC Suddenly Has A Bigger UCLA Problem Than Expected
UCLAs win over Wisconsin in Week 7 gave the Bruins a boost, and it also offered a useful scouting report for anyone watching the rest of the Big Ten schedule. In his first start, backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach threw for more than 250 yards, giving UCLA enough through the air to overcome a Wisconsin defense that otherwise did a solid job against the run.
For the Badgers, the concern is less about the loss itself than what it revealed about how the Bruins can attack when the ground game is held in check. Senior Wayne Knight was limited to 23 rushing yards with a touchdown, but UCLA still found ways to move the ball, which is the kind of wrinkle USC now has to factor in as it prepares for both teams. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Is Running Out Of Time To Prove It Belongs
The latest Big Ten power-rank chatter has turned into more than a simple snapshot of who is hot and who is not. Ohio State, UCLA and Indiana have been holding up the leagues stronger side, while Penn State, Michigan State and Rutgers have been used as examples of teams that have stumbled when conference play starts to sharpen the picture. It is the kind of weekly sorting exercise that can say as much about perception as it does about results, and Wisconsin is now being measured in that same unforgiving light.
For the Badgers, the problem is no longer just winning a game here and there, but proving they still fit with the leagues more convincing teams before the schedule tightens further. The conversation around Big Ten imposters leaves little room for long explanations, and Wisconsins next stretch matters because it needs something more than a decent showing to change the tone. Each week now feels like one fewer chance to establish that it belongs in the part of the conversation where the conferences real contenders are staying put. [Read more 🡒]