Wisconsin’s start to the season has been about more than the 4-1 record and 2-0 mark in conference play. After opening with a disappointing loss to Notre Dame, the Badgers have stacked together four straight wins, including three blowouts and a 17-point road comeback. At the bye week, the bigger story is which players have driven that surge.
A few names have separated themselves through five games, and the list starts with the guys carrying the load on offense and creating havoc on defense.
Dupree has been Wisconsin’s de-facto RB1 while Iowa State transfer and presumed starter Abu Sama has been banged up. He’s brought more than just his usual elusiveness this fall, pairing it with better strength and contact balance.
Dupree has 43 carries for 195 yards and two scores, plus seven receptions for 62 yards. After a rough drop on the road in Happy Valley, he helped spark the Badgers offense late in the fourth quarter during the comeback win.
Harris has also become a major weapon, even if he doesn’t fit the usual tight end mold. All offseason, I wrote about how Harris isn't a normal tight end.
He's got the hands and body control of an elite, go-to outside receiver. He's proven me right time and time again this fall, He’s Wisconsin’s second-leading receiver with 13 catches for 238 yards and three touchdowns.
His 72-yard score to put the Badgers ahead against Penn State is already the kind of play that sticks in program memory, but his first touchdown against Michigan State may have been even more impressive because of the concentration it took to haul in an ill-advised throw from Colton Joseph.
Henry has been the most productive pass catcher in the room. He set the Wisconsin single-game receptions record with 14 catches for 160 yards and a touchdown against Eastern Michigan, and he leads the team with 26 catches for 339 yards and that score. He’s also been Joseph’s favorite target by a wide margin, with 40 targets to the next closest receiver, Eugene Hilton Jr., at 21.
The Badgers have gotten steady production from their offensive line too. Heywood has allowed just three pressures across 154 pass-blocking snaps, and he moved to left tackle last week against Michigan State without losing a step.
Coming back from a torn ACL only makes what he’s doing look more impressive. Blackmon has been just as notable in a different way, making a seamless jump after playing D-II ball at Augustana last fall.
He’s now Wisconsin’s starting right guard and has settled in quickly, even if he hasn’t been overwhelming as a run blocker.
On the perimeter, Robinson has been one of Wisconsin’s most reliable defenders. His breakout moment came against Penn State, when he was targeted 10 times and gave up only two catches.
He stayed composed on deep balls even when receivers had a step, and his ball skills at the catch point have stood out. At 5-11 and 184 pounds, he plays bigger than his size.
Cheeks has been one of the most disruptive players on the roster. The coaching staff made it clear all offseason that they wanted him to take another step, and he has answered in a big way in 2026.
Through Week 5, he led the nation in pressures with 27 and added 2.5 sacks, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He’s been a constant source of havoc in a Mike Tressel defense that looks borderline elite.
Posa has been even more overwhelming in the middle. He has put together numbers that are impressive across the board, but the stat that jumps out most is his 29 “stops,” which ranks second nationally and first among Power Four players. His start was quieter than expected, but over the last two games against Penn State and Michigan State, he has been dominant.
Catalano has matched the expectations that came with his freshman season, and that says plenty given how high those expectations already were. He leads the team with 45 tackles and has added three PBUs and a scoop-and-score touchdown. When he’s rolling, he owns the line of scrimmage.
Coleman has been limited since suffering a head injury against Western Illinois and missed the Eastern Michigan game, but the 6-4 wideout has still flashed big-play ability. He’s become Wisconsin’s main deep threat with a 46-yard touchdown and a 28-yard touchdown, and his combination of speed, size and route-running looks NFL-caliber. Keeping him involved will matter for Jeff Grimes’ offense.
In Other News...
Wisconsins New-Look Roster Showed Promise And One Early Concern
Wisconsins exhibition win over UW-Parkside offered an early glimpse of a roster that looks different, deeper and more physical than it did a year ago. The Badgers rolled to a 94-71 victory, with all 11 players who logged significant minutes getting into the scoring column, a sign that the offense may not have to lean on just one or two options while the group finds its footing.
Nolan Winter set the tone inside with 15 points and nine rebounds, and transfer Eian Elmer added 14 points in a debut that hinted at how much help the Badgers may get from newcomers. Wisconsin also flashed better defense and a clear size advantage throughout the night, keeping a double-digit lead in hand most of the way, even as the game offered one early reminder that this roster will still need time to settle into its best rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Already Has One Early Question In Its New Look Offense
The first look at Wisconsins new offense brought plenty to like in a 94-71 exhibition win over UW-Parkside, especially from the players expected to help shape the next version of the Badgers. Owen Foxwell, Will Garlock and Nolan Winter all had moments that suggested the group can bring more pace and variety than fans have been used to seeing in recent seasons.
Even with that encouraging start, the rotation still has a spot that looks unsettled. The backup point guard position remains an early question for a team expected to play a different style this year, and the exhibition provided a reminder that the Badgers may have to sort through that spot as they settle into the season. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin's Top TV Ranking Comes With One Huge Catch
Wisconsins early college football TV profile has gotten a boost from a very familiar kind of matchup: a marquee game on a major network against Notre Dame. For now, though, the Nielsen numbers telling that story are built on just that one NBC broadcast, which means the Badgers apparent reach is coming from a single, highly visible window rather than a broad sample of their season.
That leaves the current ranking looking a little sturdier than it really is, at least until more Wisconsin games land on network television. Big Ten Network and Peacock broadcasts are not part of the data being cited, so the picture could shift once more ratings are added in, but when that happens and how much it changes remains unclear. [Read more 🡒]