Wisconsin heads into Happy Valley with a real shot at making noise, but if the Badgers are going to knock off No. 13 Penn State, they need a few things to go right fast. The Nittany Lions are 3-0 after taking care of business against three Group of 6 opponents, while Wisconsin has already shown both its ceiling and its flaws.
That’s the tension with this team. The second half against Notre Dame exposed how far the Badgers still have to go against elite competition.
The FCS game against Western Illinois did not exactly calm nerves, either, because it looked a lot like the inconsistent Wisconsin group fans have seen during the first three years of the Luke Fickell era. Then came the 54-10 rout of Eastern Michigan in Week 3, which gave the fan base a jolt of confidence.
But now the Badgers have to back it up on the road in one of the Big Ten’s toughest environments.
For Wisconsin to have a real upset chance, the left side of the offensive line has to hold up, and that starts with Wilkins. His play has been a problem all season, and the trend line has not improved.
He struggled against Notre Dame, looked better in Week 2 against FCS competition, then had another rough outing against Eastern Michigan. At this point, Lucas Simmons-Johansson starting with the offensive line would not be a surprise.
Wilkins has not been good enough in pass protection, and that’s the kind of issue Penn State can expose in a hurry.
That task gets even tougher because Penn State’s best pass-rusher through three games, sophomore Yvan Kemajou, has 10 pressures and a sack with a pressure rate of 20%. He mostly lines up opposite the left tackle. That’s a dangerous matchup for Wisconsin if the Badgers can’t firm things up quickly.
Colton Joseph has given Wisconsin a better version of itself lately. Against Eastern Michigan, he posted 408 total yards and four touchdowns, added 46 yards and a score on the ground, and recovered from an early interception to settle in and make some sharp throws. One of those passes, on the move, drew plenty of attention for good reason.
Jacob Harris (deservedly) got a ton of credit for this catch, but this ball from Colton Joseph - while on the move - is absolutely gorgeous. #Badgers pic.twitter.com/T4fqCf8Rd1
Still, Joseph’s biggest job Saturday is simple: protect the football. He has two turnovers on the season, both ugly interceptions.
He has otherwise done a solid job steering the offense, but Penn State presents a different challenge. The Nittany Lions rank No. 1 in the country in pass defense, allowing just 90.0 yards per game through the air.
Joseph will need to live with the easy stuff when it’s there, especially the check-downs. He passed up several of those early against Eastern Michigan, and one of those decisions led to his interception.
Against this kind of defense, staying ahead of schedule matters.
The other area Wisconsin has to fix is the pass rush. Through three games, the Badgers have just three sacks, though two came on strip sacks and one turned into a scoop-and-score.
Sebastian Cheeks has been the best of the bunch, with 14 pressures on 56 pass-rushing snaps for a 25% pressure rate. But Wisconsin cannot ask him to do everything by himself.
That’s the problem for the Badgers. Outside of Cheeks, there hasn’t been enough consistent heat on opposing quarterbacks.
Fearbry has the second-most pass-rushing snaps on the team with 51, but he has just one pressure. Penn State is likely to key on Cheeks and try to limit his impact with chips and double-teams, which means Wisconsin needs another edge threat to emerge.
Nick Clayton may be the name to watch. He has two pressures on 25 pass-rushing snaps and looks like the Badgers’ next-best pure edge rusher, though his role has been limited so far in 2026. Whether Wisconsin gives him a bigger workload could tell the story of its pass rush on Saturday.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Suddenly Has A Chance At A Recruiting Stunner Under Fickell
A major recruiting opening has quietly surfaced for Wisconsin, and it centers on five-star edge rusher Jalanie George. The top 2028 prospect has trimmed his list to Wisconsin, Washington, Auburn and Miami, and several recruiting analysts now view the Badgers as one of the strongest contenders after Georges recent visit and the connections he has built with current players and staff.
For a program trying to keep raising its ceiling under Luke Fickell, getting into that kind of conversation matters almost as much as the final decision. Nothing is settled yet, and the picture can still shift in a hurry, but Wisconsin has put itself in position for a result that would stand out even in a strong recruiting cycle. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Has A Left Tackle Concern At The Worst Time
Wisconsins offensive line has settled in well enough to give the offense a real chance to breathe, and that matters with league play approaching. Through the first three games, the group has looked more connected in pass protection and has kept the quarterback relatively clean, with just two sacks allowed, while several linemen have drawn praise for steady play and better cohesion.
The one uneasy spot has been on the edge, where PJ Wilkins has had a harder time holding up in pass protection and has surrendered multiple pressures. The staff has already acknowledged the issue, and if the problems continue, there is a backup option in Lucas Simmons-Johansson who could see more work, which makes left tackle a position worth watching closely at exactly the wrong time for the Badgers. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Suddenly Has A Real Shot At A Massive Recruiting Win
Wisconsins 2027 recruiting push has taken on real momentum, with the Badgers now sitting at 23 commitments and building a class that includes several of the states best prospects along with important adds from Arizona. For a program that has made in-state talent a priority while also looking beyond its borders for impact players, the group has started to look less like a promising haul and more like one that could reshape the conversation around the class.
The next big swing comes from Desert Edge High School edge rusher Jalanie George, a five-star talent whose decision is expected on October 1. Recruiting analysts have recently moved their projections toward Wisconsin over Washington, which is a notable shift for a prospect of that caliber and one the Badgers would gladly celebrate. Even with the class already growing, landing George would be the kind of headliner that changes how the rest of the country views what Wisconsin is building. [Read more 🡒]