Wisconsin’s trip to Pasadena turned into the kind of night everybody involved will want to forget.
The Badgers met UCLA for the first time in decades, and the game never really found a rhythm. Whistles kept piling up, momentum never settled in for either side, and Luke Fickell now has to get his team moved on quickly with USC coming to Camp Randall next.
The officiating crew drew the loudest criticism of the night. This Big Ten group was bad from start to finish, with both teams seeing strange calls and missed calls in equal measure.
There were phantom penalties, obvious ones that went untouched, and a handful of decisions that hit Wisconsin especially hard. That said, the Badgers didn’t do enough to survive it, but the night was as rough as it gets from an officiating standpoint.
In total, there were 18 penalties for 185 yards, with Wisconsin responsible for 10 flags and 108 yards.
Wisconsin’s defense also had a miserable night on third down. UCLA kept extending drives over and over, finishing 13 for 20 on third down, including several long-yardage conversions that kept a sputtering offense alive. It was one of those performances where the Bruins didn’t always look sharp, but they kept finding ways to stay on the field and punish Wisconsin for it.
The Badgers’ offense didn’t offer much help, either, and Jeff Grimes will take heat for that. With an extra week to prepare for UCLA, Wisconsin still looked stuck for most of the game.
Outside of one drive, the offense never really got rolling. The Badgers finished with 214 total yards and went just 3 for 10 on third down, and the lack of a clear plan showed up fast.
Still, there were a couple of bright spots on a grim night.
Marvin Burks Jr. was everywhere for Wisconsin. He picked off two passes, helped erase a couple of potential explosive plays, and his interception set up the Badgers’ lone touchdown. Burks also finished with three tackles and showed up repeatedly in coverage.
Mason Posa was just as active. He led Wisconsin with seven tackles and added one tackle for loss, all while dealing with constant holding from the UCLA offensive line. He also helped force one of Burks’ interceptions with a deflection, giving the Badgers one of the few true momentum swings they managed all night.
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