Wisconsin’s final four games could end up saying a lot about how this season is remembered, and a few players look positioned to shape that finish.
At 5-3, the Badgers still have a bowl game back in reach, and there’s a real chance to turn the last month into something more than just a late-season slog. That won’t happen on team play alone. Wisconsin needs some of its better pieces to keep showing up in key moments, and three names stand out.
Jaylon Domingeaux is the one worth tracking most closely on offense. Against Iowa, he caught six passes for 86 yards and was one of the few Wisconsin players who gave the offense any kind of spark on a tough day. That kind of usage makes him interesting heading into Rutgers.
Six catches isn’t a massive breakout by any stretch, but it was enough to make it look like the Badgers may have found something. The chance should be there for him again, and while nobody is expecting him to suddenly turn into a weekly monster, Wisconsin could use a few timely plays through the air. Given how this offense has looked at times, that would be plenty.
On defense, Sebastian Cheeks keeps jumping off the page. He seems to be around the ball whenever Wisconsin turns up the pressure and goes after the quarterback, and that part of his game is already established. Through eight games, he has six sacks, including another one against Iowa.
That’s the kind of production Wisconsin needs to keep leaning into. With four games left, there’s room for that sack total to climb, and Cheeks looks like one of the best bets on the roster to create a game-changing play.
Cooper Catalano is another defender who has earned trust. He piled up 16 tackles against Iowa, and it matched the way he looked throughout the game: active, involved, and constantly near the action. That’s what stands out most about him.
The expectation with Catalano isn’t about chasing another 16-tackle day. It’s about being there when the play comes his way and finishing it.
He’s already become one of the more reliable pieces on this defense, and there’s no reason to think that changes over the last four games. If Wisconsin needs somebody to clean up a play, No. 44 figures to be in the neighborhood.
These final weeks can still swing the way this season is viewed, and Wisconsin will need a few players to seize the moment. Domingeaux has a chance to build on what he did against Iowa.
Cheeks and Catalano are already giving the Badgers what they need. Now it’s about seeing how much more they can deliver.
In Other News...
Barry Alvarez Just Turned Up Pressure On Wisconsin's Quarterback Debate
The quarterback discussion in Madison has only gotten more interesting, and Barry Alvarez just added another layer to it. With Luke Fickell weighing a choice between veteran Colton Joseph and true freshman Ryan Hopkins, the longtime Wisconsin voice floated a middle-ground approach that would let Hopkins get on the field early without fully handing over the job.
The idea is simple enough on paper: give Hopkins some real snaps, see how he handles the moment and keep Joseph engaged at the same time. It also puts a spotlight on the next stretch of games against Rutgers, Maryland and Purdue, where Wisconsin could decide whether this is a short-term spark or the start of a longer evaluation. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Rutgers Prep Just Took A Tough Turn Up Front
The first injury report for Wisconsins upcoming matchup with Rutgers already gives the game a different feel up front. The Badgers are dealing with questions along the offensive line, with Kevin Heywood listed as doubtful and Austin Kawecki injured, which puts extra pressure on a unit that will need to hold up as the week moves on.
Rutgers has its own problems, and they are not limited to one side of the ball. The Scarlet Knights are set to be without starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan and top offensive lineman Kobe Asamoah, among others, and both teams are expected to keep updating their injury statuses as kickoff gets closer. For Wisconsin, the next few days could say a lot about how much flexibility it will have in the trenches. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Has An Early Problem To Clean Up Before Delaware
Wisconsin got the result it wanted in its season opener against Denver, but the way it got there left Greg Gard with plenty to sort through before the next tip. The Badgers faded in the second half and the coach said the performance was below their standard, a familiar early-season checkpoint for a team still trying to settle into its identity while the staff works through rotation decisions and keeps an eye on players recovering from injury.
Delaware arrives next for a first-ever meeting that gives Wisconsin a clean slate in the record book, but not much time to linger on the opener. The projected starting group looks largely the same as it did against Denver, which suggests the Badgers are still leaning on continuity even as they search for a better stretch of basketball over 40 minutes. For a team with bigger goals ahead, the early fix is obvious enough: sharpen the second half before a more demanding part of the schedule starts to ask tougher questions. [Read more 🡒]