Just when Wisconsin looked like it had fallen off a cliff, Ryan Hopkins gave the Badgers a reason to breathe again.
After last week’s 30-0 beating at Iowa - the kind of loss that sent Luke Fickell’s hot seat into overdrive - Wisconsin answered with a much-needed rebound against Rutgers, and Hopkins was the engine. In his first start, the quarterback went 18-of-24 for 241 yards and three touchdowns. He also would have had a fourth if Tyrell Henry had held onto a beautiful throw to the front corner of the end zone.
That kind of showing changes the conversation fast. Hopkins had already flashed enough in offseason work to win the backup job, and now he looks like the guy moving forward. Against Rutgers, he played with the confidence Wisconsin needed after the Iowa disaster, and Fickell finally has a quarterback decision that feels settled.
The timing matters, too. Colton Joseph had been stuck in a rough October, failing to top 100 passing yards in three straight games, but even with that slump, it would have been hard for Fickell to make a switch after the upset of then-No.
16 USC. That win was arguably the biggest of Fickell’s Wisconsin tenure, and benching Joseph right after it would have been a tough sell.
Then came Iowa, and the calculus changed completely. After Halloween in Iowa City, Fickell’s seat was scalding to the touch.
Now Hopkins gets a runway. Maryland and Purdue are next on the schedule, a lighter three-game stretch that gives him a chance to stack starts before Wisconsin meets Minnesota for Paul Bunyan’s Axe. That game, after the missed chance to reclaim the Heartland Trophy, could end up carrying major weight for Fickell.
There was plenty else to like from the Badgers, especially up front on defense. After getting pushed around by Iowa, Wisconsin’s front seven bounced back with eight tackles for loss and five sacks against Rutgers.
Sebastian Cheeks added his eighth sack of the season, while sophomore Nick Clayton beat Rutgers’ right tackle cleanly for his second sack. His burst off the edge is worth watching going forward, especially if he returns to Madison next season.
The defensive line joined the party, too. Junior Poyser, Nolan Vils and Charles Perkins each recorded a sack, a sign of what this group can do when it’s right. Rutgers is one of the worst teams in the Big Ten, so this was the kind of matchup where Wisconsin needed to assert itself, and it did.
The passing game also offered a glimpse of what this offense could become if Hopkins keeps growing. Rutgers doesn’t exactly boast elite corners, but Wisconsin’s receiver group has real pieces in Eugene Hilton Jr, Jaylon Domingeaux, Malachi Coleman and Shamar Rigby. The issue hasn’t been talent so much as distribution - there are four or five receivers who can make plays, but no true alpha.
Hilton was involved again with four catches for 44 yards, and he also led Wisconsin on the ground with three carries for 39 yards. Rigby, who had just one catch coming into the game, emerged as the top receiver in Madison with four grabs for 71 yards. Domingeaux and Coleman had quieter nights, but both drew pass interference penalties, showing their ability to separate on go routes.
That’s the encouraging part for Wisconsin: the pieces are there. The question now is which of them rises to the top as this passing game gets a real upgrade down the stretch.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Defenders Breakout Season Just Earned National Attention
Wisconsins win over Rutgers did more than lock in bowl eligibility. It also put a spotlight on the kind of defensive season Cooper Catalano has been putting together for the Badgers, with the linebacker turning in 14 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in the victory while continuing to anchor a unit that has helped steady the teams push into the postseason picture.
Catalanos production has now earned national recognition, as Wisconsin announced he has been added to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watchlist, which honors the top defender in college football. He enters that conversation ranked seventh in the FBS with 89 tackles, a reminder that his breakout year has gone well beyond one strong afternoon and has become one of the defining developments of Wisconsins season. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Fickell Signals Wisconsin May Need A Backfield Change
Wisconsins offense has taken real steps forward this season in scoring and through the air, but the ground game still has not matched the rest of the unit. The Badgers have managed only a modest bump in rushing production from a year ago, and Luke Fickell has been open about the fact that the running back room has not found the kind of rhythm this offense needs.
Fickell pointed to a mix of injuries and a committee approach as part of the problem, and he made it clear he wants to tighten up how the carries are distributed. For a team trying to keep building on its offensive progress, the next question is whether Wisconsin sticks with the current rotation or leans harder toward a more defined lead back to help someone get rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Just Turned Ryan Hopkins Into A Real QB Debate
Ryan Hopkins first start for Wisconsin against Rutgers gave the Badgers something they have been searching for at quarterback: a real reason to keep watching the position closely. The coaching staff turned to Hopkins in part because of Colton Josephs injury, and the move also doubled as a chance to see what the young quarterback could handle. He showed enough promise to make the decision feel meaningful, even with the usual mistakes that come with a first extended look.
Luke Fickell came away encouraged, and so did teammates Mason Posa and Jacob Harris, who both spoke positively about Hopkins play and upside. For a Wisconsin offense still trying to settle the most important spot on the field, the performance did not answer every question, but it certainly changed the tone around the competition. The Badgers now have more to weigh, and Hopkins has made sure this is no longer a placeholder conversation. [Read more 🡒]