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Wisconsin vs. New Mexico
ILLUSTRATION BY CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL PHOTO BY CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”
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Column
“Nobody Cares, Work Harder:” As UW’s underdog status fades with success, players still focused on field SEBASTIAN VAN BASTELAER
Unopinionated The Wisconsin football program has thrived on an underdog mentality for years. Each season, the first Associated Press poll is released, and Badgers fans are crestfallen, finding their team far lower than anticipated. In 2017, a Wisconsin team fresh off a Big Ten Championship appearance and a victory in the Cotton Bowl found itself ranked ninth. In 2016 they were unranked and in 2015 they opened at #20. Both of those teams had won a bowl game against marquee opponents the previous season. The consistent disrespect that the Badgers have felt over the years is not limited to the preseason rankings. A stigma surrounding the supposed athletic shortcomings of the roster persists to this day, bandied about by lay observers on television and internet message boards. Despite a demonstrated ability to beat teams like USC, LSU, Auburn, Miami and others, Wisconsin is still seen as a team that doesn’t have the size and the speed to keep up with the so-called blue bloods. The Badgers also consistently fall short in industry-generated recruiting rankings, helping to perpetuate this stereotype. Yet, year after year, this team has quietly, doggedly outworked
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Despite earning a program best 13-1 record last season, Wisconsin football opened spring camp with a new motto of “Nobody Cares, Work Harder” to maintain the program’s gritty, hard-working culture and outmuscled opponents, finding its way to Indianapolis and to major bowl games. And at long last, the script appears to be flipping. The team’s decision to make their new motto “Nobody Cares, Work Harder,” is a telling one. In years past, one would have expected a more defiant, indignant philosophy, something about proving doubters wrong or taking the next step. This slogan tells a different story: the unmitigated successes of last year led to higher than usual expectations. It’s time to meet them.
A No. 4 ranking in this year’s A.P. poll, tied for the highest mark the program has achieved this century, shows that the rest of the nation is no longer overlooking the denizens of Camp Randall Stadium. Colin Cowherd called the Badgers’ coaching staff the best in America, while some experts (including beloved ESPN personality Lee Corso) have chosen Wisconsin to not only make the College Football Playoff, but to win the entire thing. This season is uncharted territory for a program that derives much of its motivation from being
ignored, neglected by pundits in the field who instead spend their time fawning over the traditional football powerhouses. No team or journalist is looking past Wisconsin now. The question remains: how will they meet these new pressures and expectations? It’s up to the coaching staff to keep the team focused and not to take for granted the respect they have finally earned nationwide. Recent off-field distractions, including legal troubles and transfers, provide a test to the resolve and focus of this team. The defense in particular has been drained of
many upperclassmen through graduation and the draft and is ravaged by injury. Molding this young but talented group into a formidable unit poses the biggest challenge yet for defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and this team moving forward. The offensive stars, too, need to find a way to look past the attention and praise and find a way to keep their chip-on-ourshoulder mentality. Running back Jonathan Taylor is a consensus Heisman contender. The offensive line, widely seen as the best in America, was recently featured in a Sports Illustrated article that doubled as a free advertisement for Red Robin (don’t get me wrong, the Bottomless Steak Fries and Freckled Lemonades were a staple of my own childhood—yet somehow I ended up 7 inches shorter and 200 pounds lighter than those guys). Even occasionally-maligned passer Alex Hornibrook ended up on preseason award watch lists and won the Manning Passing Academy competition over the summer. Listing all the acclaim and accolades the team has received would be a dizzying task; this level of hoopla is a rarity in Madison at this time of year. Yet despite all of the excitement and attention this team has received, they continue to insist on not caring and working harder. Whether or not they can truly rise above the chatter and prove that they deserve the love is entirely up to them. If they succeed, this could
Freshman Report
Freshman Nelson already key cog in secondary By Noah Bennett THE DAILY CARDINAL
The Badgers defense features seven new starters this year, three in the secondary alone. Of those new faces, Scott Nelson is the player to keep an eye on as the year progresses. Players and coaches alike praised Nelson’s work this offseason in spring and fall camp, and the early benefits showed when he made his collegiate debut alongside senior D’Cota Dixon against Western Kentucky. In his first career start, Nelson, a redshirt freshman, tied for the team lead with 7 tackles — including one for loss — along with two pass breakups. It’s critical that Nelson keeps progressing to help anchor a young defense moving forward. This week, watch for Nelson to continue to be a factor against the pass, as well to get his knocks in around the line of scrimmage. Nelson could very well be the heir to the throne in Wisconsin’s secondary, and with his mix
of physicality and athleticism, there is a real chance he could be an All-Big Ten level player very soon. Nelson showed he is ready for the responsibility of starting on one of the nation’s top defenses, proving himself defending the pass and the run during the game. The freshman also showed that he’s ready to be a leader off the field as well during the postgame press conference, when he took responsibility for a long pass play by Western Kentucky just after halftime. Should Nelson have another strong showing against New Mexico, it would allow defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard to increase D’Cota Dixon’s use against the run, which could prove extremely helpful once Big Ten play begins in a few weeks and the Badgers face more potent passing attacks. What really makes Nelson stand out is his versatility and athleticism. He showed that he
CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Freshman safety Scott Nelson has already impressed senior safety D’Cota Dixon and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and played a key role in the opening game with seven tackles has speed to stay with opposing teams wideouts, but also showed that he is more physical than his 6’2, 194 frame suggests, and can
make plays at the line of scrimmage, which also will prove critical once Big Ten play begins. With sustained play, Nelson
can be a key cog in the Badgers’ young defense going forward, and could prove to be a standout player in his first year.
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Wisconsin vs. New Mexico
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Player to Watch
Out of the spotlight, Dunn does what’s needed By Sebastian Van Bastelaer THE DAILY CARDINAL
Wisconsin’s wide receiver depth, viewed as a considerable strength following the group’s strong performance down the stretch in 2017, recently took a hit when starters Quintez Cephus and Danny Davis were implicated in reports of a sexual assault in the spring. In need of a boost in the passing game, the Badgers have turned to young players who otherwise may not have seen much time. In Friday’s victory over Western Kentucky, Jack Dunn was one of those players. Dunn, a former walk-on, is a redshirt sophomore who starred at Madison’s Edgewood College, only a mile from Camp Randall Stadium. After playing in eight games in 2017, mostly on special teams, he appears poised to claim a larger role in the offense this season. In the victory over Western Kentucky, Dunn reeled in a 20-yard reception on a 3rd-and-long in the second quarter, helping to set up Kendric Pryor’s two-yard touch-
down in the waning moments of the first half. He also served as the primary punt returner. New Mexico’s defensive weaknesses will give Dunn the opportunity to make a splash in the second game of the season. Last year, the Lobos finished 3-9 and gave up nearly 32 points per game. That included 240 passing yards per contest and 28 total touchdowns through the air. They also gave up a healthy 10 yards per punt return. The defense experienced similar issues in their season opener on Saturday, giving up 30 points and 328 passing yards to FCS opponent Incarnate Word. The Lobos defense will likely focus on stopping the run game while limiting the impact of Kendric Pryor, A.J. Taylor, tight end Jake Ferguson and the running backs in the passing game. This could leave opportunities for Dunn to expose openings in a runof-the-mill secondary and provide an outlet for Alex Hornibrook under pressure. The newfound opportunity and occasionally porous defense Dunn
CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Sophomore reciever Jack Dunn started his career as a walk-on at Wisconsin. This season he’s been featured more in the offense and punt return game and hoping to make the most of his opportunity
will face Saturday will give him the opportunity to continue to earn reps and prove that he deserves increased playing time, even when conference
play begins and Danny Davis presumably returns. As a face of the next generation of Wisconsin wide receivers, Dunn will be a player to keep
an eye on against New Mexico and throughout the season to come as defenses grapple with ways to slow down the balanced Badgers offense.
Daily Cardinal Roundtable
Roundtable: Predictions for what’s to come in 2018 Campaign Who will be the MVP for the Badgers in 2018?
What will Wisconsin’s record be at the end of the regular season?
Jared Schwartz
Jonathan Taylor. The Heisman candidate is a clear choice. Taylor broke the FBS freshman rushing record with 1977 yards in 2017. The Badgers boast one of, if not the best, offensive line units in the country, and under a Paul Chryst offense that loves to pound the ball on the ground, the Badgers offense will take advantage of his talents early and often
Wisconsin should beat up on other Big Ten West teams, like they have in recent years, and were afforded an easy home schedule in 2018. The Badgers shouldn’t have any problems at Camp Randall. UW faces three tough opponents on the road with trips to Iowa, Michigan and Penn State. Expect UW to drop one of their games on the road. Final record: 11-1
Jake Ferguson. After redshirting and learning from Troy Fumagalli in 2017, the grandson of Barry Alvarez is set to play a big role in the Badgers offense. Ferguson showcased his natural ability to catch the ball throughout spring and fall camp, and has already become a favorite target for Alex Hornibrook, especially on third down.
Morgan Spohn
Alex Hornibrook. Many ESPN personalities were discussing how if Wisconsin were to make that last push to the College Football Playoff, Alex Hornibrook needs to step-up. I think he will make that final step. He’s shown he’s maturing to be a decisive signal caller as seen in the Orange Bowl against Miami. As Hornibrook goes, so goes UW.
A realistic finish to the season might be suffering two loses still enough for a spot in the Big Ten Championship game, but the Badger’s might struggle at Iowa due to Kinnick Stadium being a proven tough place to win for highly-ranked Big Ten foes. Road trips to Penn State and Michigan also prove a threat. I think the Badgers might lose one of those games. Final record: 10-2
Scott Nelson. The redshirt-freshman safety was highlighted during the opening game by broadcasters. Nelson remarkably almost played last year despite the Badgers’ depth in the secondary. Now with those seniors gone, he’s been touted by defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard as a “sponge”for the team’s gameplan. He will be one Badger fans come to love in the future.
Cameron Lane-Flehinger
TJ Edwards. For the first time since they switched to a 3-4 base defense in 2013, the Badgers’ defense comes with major question marks. Edwards decided to forgo the NFL to surpass the success of last year, and if that defense is playoff-caliber it will be on the back of award-winning performance by the man in the middle of the defense.
While I don’t think that Penn State or Michigan have quite the fangs their preseason rankings suggests, last year obscured just how hard it is to win week in and week out in a Power 5 conference. This team might be even better than last year’s squad, but it’s still likely to slip up somewhere. Final record: 10-2
Tyler Biadasz. UW’s offensive line has gotten plenty of hype as a unit going into the year, and it’s the youngest returning starter who’s going to shine brightest when the lights are on. Watch him get thirty yards down the field ahead of the running back on a jet sweep and you’ll understand why.
Bremen Keasey
D’Cota Dixon may be the key to UW’s secondary this season. Dixon consistently has been a ball hawk for the Badgers and will be a leader to the very youthful secondary. A lockdown secondary will be a key if the Badgers will finally win the Big Ten Championship
Wisconsin has a sneaky tricky schedule this season. Road games against Penn State and Michigan seemed like tricky propositions based on rankings and a trip to Iowa is always tough, but the Badgers’ talented offense should be able to do enough to reach the title game with one loss. Final record: 11-1
Which Badger will have the biggest breakout in 2018?
Andrew Van Ginkel. Thor’s stunt double might already be familiar to most UW fans after his performances against Ohio State and Miami in the postseason, but the talented outside linebacker will have an even bigger role this year in the pass rush.
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What We Learned
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Week One Gallery
Overreactions and App State is scary: Lessons from a busy Week One Editor’s note: College football is nothing without its fans, and its fans are nothing without their passion. In an attempt to capture that unique intensity and overreactability, we’ve asked sports editor and The South enthusiast Bremen Keasey to give us a weekly breakdown of college football happenings around the country like only a true fan could. Another college football season has dawned on us, and not a moment too soon. As with the start of actual college, or at least in the good classes, we start to learn things. Here’s what we’ve learned so far about week one of the college football season. ‘Bama has a QUARTERBACK As if Alabama head coach Nick Saban didn’t have a terrifying enough Death Star of a football program, they seemed to have added a real life, honest-togod, capital-q quarterback. Turns out sophomore signal caller Tua Tagovailoa’s game winning second half against Georgia in the national championship game last season was not a fluke. Nope, he is a dangerous weapon that the CIA, FBI, NSA and every other government organization might need to find and disable. With a near perfect QBR rating of 99.1, two passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown and a gazillion beautiful looking throws in a 51-14 win over Louisville, Tua is turning out to be less of a star and more of a supernova.
“He is a dangerous weapon that the CIA, FBI, NSA and every other organzation might need to find and disable” Bremen Keasey On Tide Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa
I messaged one of my friend who is a huge Tide fan the night of the game saying “Looks like Tua is pretty good.” He messaged me back “This is the most excited I’ve been about Bama football, ever.” This is a kid who grew up in the Nick Saban era and has seen five national championships in the last 10 years. Tua’s got folks believing down in Tuscaloosa. Maybe they’ll rename the town Tua-scaloosa. Who likes to overreact? I DO! I DO! Ahhhh, remember the turnover chain? Good times. Yeah, the No. 8 Miami Hurricanes were unable to break out the turnover chain as the No. 25 LSU Tigers got the win 33-17 down in “Jerryworld” (Dallas’ AT&T Stadium) on Sunday night. It’s a scoreline that seems like a blowout, especially because for stretches LSU seemed to domi-
nate the game. It was 27-3 Tigers at halftime and felt worse. But then in the second half, Miami looked a lot better and the Tigers looked like they might choke it away. Miami actually outgained the Tigers 342-296. Their much-maligned quarterback, Malik Rosier, had two picks including a pick-six, but he also had over 250 yards and two total touchdowns. And while LSU’s transfer
“Remember when...everyone thought Texas was back? Me too. In case you weren’t aware, Texas is not back.” Bremen Keasey On the virtue of maintaining perspective
quarterback Joe Burrow was kind of efficient, he still looked like an LSU quarterback, which is not a great sign for the Tigers. A win is a win, but remember, this is the first week of the season. Remember when Texas beat Notre Dame a couple years ago and everyone thought Texas was back? Me too. In case you weren’t aware, Texas is not back. They just lost to Maryland for the second straight year. Notre Dame also finished 4-8 that year, which I bring up not only because that was objectively hilarious, but also because it was a super hyped first week matchup that meant basically nothing for the rest of the college football season (other than the fact it meant Notre Dame went 4-8, instead of 5-7). Sure, maybe the Tigers will take this confidence and the ability of senior running back Nick Brossette who averaged a powerful 5.7 yards per carry and two touchdowns and make noise in the SEC West. Maybe the Canes will bounce back and give Clemson a fight in the ACC. All I know is I’m ready and willing to give my first official overreaction of the college football season: GEAUX TIGERS!! LSU TO THE PLAYOFF! Never schedule app state Appalachian State was almost at it again this weekend. After their famous win against the Michigan Wolverines in 2007 in the Big House, the App State Mountaineers became college football legends as the ultimate David that would give you a difficult game if you decided to schedule them. In 2016, they pushed the Tennessee Volunteers to overtime, but the Vols ended up barely scraping by in their own stadium. This year, Penn State invited the Mountaineers to their town, and the ‘Neers proceeded to scare the crap out of Penn State.
After a 28-point fourth quarter, App State was beating the Nittany Lions 38-31 with a few minutes left in the game. I was scrambling to find the Big Ten Network on my TV to watch the game, ignoring the closing moments of Washington vs. Auburn. PSU Quarterback Trace McSorley threw a clutch touchdown with less than a minute left to tie the game back up. App State got the ball back and was driving, but the ‘Neers got to a fourth down and four. Instead of going for it with 15 seconds left, App State decided to kick a 56-yard field goal and missed, sending the game to overtime at 38-38 Who knows what would’ve happened if App State decided to go for it. In the end, Penn State scored first in overtime and intercepted Mountaineer quarterback Zach Thomas in the endzone to give Penn State the 45-38 win. But I think the lesson to all major programs is not to schedule App State. The Wisconsin Badgers are scheduled to play Appalachian State in 2020 at Camp Randall. I’m not nervous, you’re nervous. NOTRE DAME IS BACK!!!!! Haha, just kidding. They did beat the No. 14 Michigan Wolverines in South Bend 24-17, but again let’s not overreact. The Irish have a ridiculous schedule partly because they refuse to fully join a conference in football (of course, they’re technically with the ACC, because as we know, South Bend is a beautiful city on the Atlantic coast, not a disgusting greyscape in Indiana). They play Stanford, Florida State, Virginia Tech and USC this year, and their offense did not look very electric against Michigan. That’s not to say that Notre Dame didn’t deserve the win over the Wolverines. The Irish came out of the first quarter up 14-0 and probably had some Michigan boosters looking through Harbaugh’s contract for the section that’s labeled “Can we actually fire this guy?” But the game ended up a lot closer than Notre Dame’s early performance indicated. Michigan’s defense stepped up and wreaked havoc while the Wolverines’ offense tried to claw its way back. Then with some clock management that would make Les Miles happy, Michigan seemed to dawdle to the line for a two-minute drill late in the fourth quarter down by one score. Quarterback Shea Patterson improved as the game went on, but he was also sacked three times, capped by a strip sack that ended Michigan’s final drive. Maybe we’ll get an obnoxiously good Irish team, meaning I’ll be forced to look at Brian Kelly’s purple rage face on my television more times this year. Or maybe they’ll go 4-8 again.
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Big Ten Preview
UW still tops in west, four-way fight out east Familiar faces in the race for Indy as Wisconsin joins OSU, Penn State, MSU and Michigan as favorites
By Will Husted THE DAILEY CARDINAL
With the 2018-19 college football season just barely underway, most teams are still hopeful that this year is their year. Last season’s tumults and flaws are by the wayside and — at least on the fan blogs and sports bars of college towns across the nation — there is nothing but potential for every team in the land. Let’s put some of that hype out of the way and try to be slightly more realistic regarding the chances of success for the teams in the Big Ten. The Big Ten is home to five legitimate playoff teams in Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Penn State, and our beloved Bucky. There is something glaring in that picture of playoff hopefuls; the strength of the Big Ten East. Four of the top 14 teams in both major polls call the eastern division home. This most likely means that these four programs will beat up on each other and result in one or two coming out of the season with playoff hopes dashed early. Michigan State is a popular dark horse pick to make a run at the playoffs this season. After saving face from a 3-9 2016 season, a win in the Holiday Bowl last year demonstrated the revamped Spartan program. Senior running-back LJ Scott was a part of that abysmal season and no doubt would like to finish his tenure at MSU with a run to the CFP. It will take a more developed Brian Lewerke at quarterback to propel Michigan State past the likely favorite in the Big Ten overall. That team? The Buckeyes of Ohio State. OSU comes into the season with a plethora of talent, and knowledge of what it takes to make it to the playoff after an appearance last year in the number 4 slot. The young, yet skilled, tandem of sophomores quarterback Dwayne Haskins and running-back J.K. Dobbins. Named to the Freshman All-American team, Badger fans will remember Dobbins’ overwhelming
speed and size from last year’s Big Ten Championship game. In addition to these weapons on offense, junior defensive lineman Nick Bosa will anchor the Buckeye defense. Projected to be a top ten pick in the upcoming draft, Bosa’s pass-rushing abilities set him apart in the Big Ten and the nation. Despite the abundance of talent and experience for the Buckeyes, the suspension of Head Coach Urban Meyer for the first three games of the season could prove to derail the unit. If OSU can overcome the off-field distractions, they are the likely favorite to give the Badgers their toughest obstacle in winning a Big Ten Championship and be a force in the East. Unlike last year, Wisconsin faces a stout test in their crossover games against the east divi-
sion, and will face a pair of tough road games on its way to achieving dreams of a College Football Playoff appearance. Trips to Penn State and Michigan will likely require a strong showing from the Badgers. In particular, the high-level quarterback play of the Wolverines and Nittany Lions that may spell problems for the inexperienced Wisconsin secondary. Mississippi transfer quarterback Shea Patterson will don the maize and blue this season, giving the Wolverines their first legitimate passing threat in the Harbaugh era. The maestro of the Penn State offense will no doubt be dual-threat quarterback Trace McSorley. With the departure of alleverything running back Saquon Barkley, receiver DaeSean
Hamilton — the program’s all time leader in receptions — and standout tight end Mike Gesicki to the NFL, the Nittany Lions will look to McSorley in order to replace the combined 2,762 allpurpose yards the two accumulated last year. With the focus on McSorley, look for junior running back Miles Sanders to take over some of the responsibilities running the ball for Penn State. These two quarterbacks will most likely attempt to pick on a young Badger secondary that was already thin before the departure of sophomore cornerback Dontye CarriereWilliams, the most experienced corner for UW. Before they can test themselves against the East’s best, Wisconsin will travel to Iowa City to battle the Hawkeyes. Kirk Ferentz’s Iowa teams have a habit of beating the Big Ten’s best when they really don’t want to be beaten. The last two seasons have seen Iowa take down no. 3 Michigan in 2016, nearly beat Penn State last year and rout then-no. 5 Ohio State in Iowa City. If Wisconsin is not careful, week four could mean trouble. Continuing on the topic of challengers to Wisconsin in the West, the primary team that comes to mind is Northwestern. Quietly a 10-win team last year, the Wildcats face four preseason top 25 teams this year which will most likely mean a drop in the polls. However, Northwestern returns seven starters on offense including quarterback Clayton Thorson. Another challenger in the West could be a revived Nebraska. Led by former Central Florida coach and Nebraska alum Scott Frost, the Huskers are seeking to change the conversation surrounding a program that has failed to meet its own lofty expectations in recent years. After having their worst season since 1957, the Cornhuskers will rely on the energy of their new “national championship winning” coach, fresh off a perfect 13-0 season coaching UCF, to inject life back into the program.
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Wisconsin vs. New Mexico
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3 Keys to the Game
Badgers need to clean up mistakes, be wary of Lobos’ strong run game By Jake Nisse
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Pound the Rock
Test the Young Defense
Wisconsin fans may not know it, but New Mexico also boasts an impressive rushing attack. The Lobos recorded 319 yards on the ground in their first game of the season, not with a workhorse like Jonathan Taylor, but with an efficient, balanced stable of running backs. Three players recorded at least 50 yards on the ground, and four received at least seven carries out of the backfield. New Mexico will face a stout Wisconsin defense on Saturday, but it’s not clear whether the Badgers can reach the lofty heights of last season with such large roster turnover. Western Kentucky posted 124 rushing yards at Camp Randall Friday, which will encourage New Mexico enough to stick with their ground attack. The team ran the ball 66 times Saturday, compared to just 25 pass attempts. They may not be as good as the Badgers, but they sure seem to play like them.
2 Chew Some Clock If New Mexico does manage to run the ball somewhat effectively against Wisconsin, it will achieve something else by proxy: a possession battle advantage. Both teams held the ball for at least 34:03 in their first games, which is obviously a testament to their lopsided victories and their commitments to the run games. But keeping your defense off the field in the September heat is vital, especially when facing an offense like UW’s, and both teams managed to do just that Despite their 3-9 record in 2017, New Mexico actually ranked 18th nationally in average time of possession, so it appears an impotent offense was a greater issue than a negative game script. Still, keeping the Badgers’ defense on the field will only help the Lobos’ chances this weekend.
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3 No More Penalties
Keep Hornibrook Upright While quarterback Alex Hornibrook shined against Western Kentucky, passing for 257 yards and two touchdowns, the redshirt junior suffered three sacks on the night. That can’t happen if the Badgers are to be successful in the future, especially when Wisconsin hits a tough Big Ten schedule that includes road games against Iowa, Michigan and Penn State. It’s not just that Hornibrook should be kept off the turf; he needs time and space to operate at his best. Take last year’s Big Ten Championship, for example. With the Badgers’ O-line bullied by the Buckeyes, Hornibrook completed below 50 percent of his passes and threw two picks. The Wisconsin offensive line is one of the best in the country. It even got its own Sports Illustrated cover before the season began. Now, it needs to shake off some of that rust before New Mexico visits Madison and give Hornibrook the security he needs.
However, if the game goes as Wisconsin intends it to, the Badgers will likely have more time on offense than the Lobos. New Mexico would be wise to test the Badgers’ young secondary with some of those plays. D’Cota Dixon is the only upperclassmen starting at defensive back, and Nick Nelson is now in the NFL after leading the nation with 21 passes defended last season. And while New Mexico’s first-week opponents Incarnate Word were weak opposition, the Lobos still seem to have a knack for the long ball. They completed seven passes of 30+ yards in their first week, and only completed 15 passes in total. When the offense does pass, however, it swings big, so the Badgers need to keep an eye out for quarterback Tevaka Tuioti. New Mexico would be loathe not to try and unsettle the Badgers early.
2 Protect the Football The Badgers value pristine play from the quarterback position, and that’s exactly what Hornibrook, who had no picks or fumbles, provided last game. But the story is different in losses. Hornibrook has just two touchdowns and six interceptions in four career defeats, so coach Paul Chryst will hope his signal-caller continues his strong start to the season. The same goes for Jonathan Taylor, who lost six fumbles last season. The sophomore lost another Friday night during 145-yard, two-touchdown performance. His gaffe didn’t make much of a difference against a weak Western Kentucky team, but the same mistake in a conference game could be deadly. The easiest way for the Badgers to beat others is to avoid beating themselves, and that starts with Taylor and Hornibrook.
Though the Badgers led for much of the game against the Hilltoppers, they still committed eight penalties for 80 yards – a mark of indiscipline which Chryst won’t have been happy with. After the departures of seniors Troy Fumagalli, Leon Jacobs and Derrick Tindal, the Badgers start the season with lots of young faces atop the depth chart. The youth movement is stronger on defense, where three starting defensive backs (Caesar Williams, Scott Nelson and Faion Hicks) are redshirt freshmen or sophomores. Furthermore, both of the team’s starting defensive ends in Week 1 were redshirt freshmen. The Badgers have a talented team, but also a young one, and so the first few weeks of the season will be full of both brilliance and blunders. Week 1 is the time to make these mistakes, of course, but Wisconsin will need to be more disciplined over the course of the season if it has serious playoff aspirations. Eight penalties is too much.
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Senior linebacker Ryan Connelly and UW’s defense will work to contain New Mexico’s dangerous stable of running backs
New Mexico Lobos look to rebound after disappointing season By Peyton Kadlecek THE DAILY CARDINAL
After opening 2018 with a 62-30 win over FCS Incarnate Word, the New Mexico Lobos football team comes into Camp Randall facing a vastly greater challenge Looking back at the 2017 season, New Mexico began on a decent note with three wins and two losses during the month of September, but soon after they fell into a downward spiral, ending the season with seven straight losses. Despite a 3-9 record last season, New Mexico has a lot of momentum moving into this season thanks to a big recruiting class and three new coaches. One of these new coaches looking to make a change in New Mexico’s program is Calvin Magee from Arizona. Magee, who was hired as offensive coordinator and running backs coach, is best known for being one of the innovators of the spread option offense. On the field, redshirt sophomore quarterback Tevaka Tuioti started the season particularly strong. In just his second career start, Tuioti accounted for five touchdowns. The Long Beach, CA native threw for 327 yards, beating the past record for a New Mexico quarterback of 300 yards which was set in September of 2010. One of the advantages New Mexico will have throughout
this season is their abundance of offensive weapons. In their home opener, New Mexico had 10 different receivers catch passes. One key returner, senior running back Tyrone Owens, became the 17th New Mexico player to run for 2,000 yards, while also scoring two touchdowns in the opening victory. For the second straight season, Owens has also been named to the pre-season watch list for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and is sure to give opposing defenses headaches throughout the season. The shifty back will be another challenge forWisconsin’s defense. New Mexico also comes with unusual anticipation for the performance of redshirt freshman kicker Andrew Shelley, who is most well-known within the state for his walk-off 38-yard field goal in his 2015 high school season which sent Eldorado into the state title game. Moving forward, New Mexico has a lot to offer this season with a handful of talented seniors returning, a new line of coaches looking to implement new plays and lineups and a deep recruiting class. However, even with many advantages, New Mexico will have to channel all of their strengths and remain calm when facing top Division I teams this season if they hope to redeem themselves after a discouraging 2017 season.
Wisconsin vs. New Mexico
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Rosters
Wisconsin Badgers 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 14 15 15 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 21 21 22 22 23 23 24 25 25 26 27 27 28 28 30 30 31 32 32 34 36 36 37 37 38 38 39 41 41 42
Cruickshank, Aron Johnson, Patrick Wolf, Chase Pryor, Kendric Burton, Donte Taylor, A.J. Wildgoose, Rachad James, Chris Davis III, Danny Pearson, Reggie Shaw, Bradrick Harrell, Deron Nelson, Scott Guerendo, Isaac Currens, Seth Smith, Alexander Hornibrook, Alex Bondoc, Evan Dixon, D’Cota Lotti, Anthony Vanden Boom, Danny Dunn, Jack Coan, Jack Van Ginkel, Andrew Farrar, Arrington Wilder, Collin Carter, Nate Torchio, John Hicks, Faion Saari, Mark Williams, Caesar Green, Cade Heyroth, Jacob Stokke, Mason Taylor, Jonathan Krumholz, Adam Burrell, Eric Watson, Nakia Blaylock, Travian Gaglianone, Rafael Volpentesta, Cristian Deal, Taiwan Schipper, Brady Mais, Tyler Wanner, Cory Cone, Madison Collinsworth, Jake Strey, Marty Goetz, C.J. Knaak, Kobe Johnson, Hunter Cesarz, Ethan Groshek, Garrett Jackson, Paul Rosowski, P.J. Hintze, Zach Burks, Noah Eschenbach, Jake Franklin, Jaylan
WR S QB WR CB WR CB RB WR S RB CB S WR S CB QB S S P QB WR QB OLB ILB S QB S CB RB CB WR ILB ILB RB WR S RB CB K CB RB WR S FB CB FB OLB DE CB RB ILB RB OLB P K OLB TE OLB
5-9 5-11 6-1 5-11 5-10 5-11 5-11 5-10 6-0 5-10 6-1 6-2 6-2 6-0 6-3 5-11 6-4 6-1 5-10 6-0 6-5 5-7 6-3 6-4 6-2 5-10 6-5 6-1 5-10 6-0 6-0 5-11 6-0 6-2 5-11 6-1 6-0 5-11 5-11 5-11 5-9 6-1 5-11 6-0 6-3 5-9 6-1 6-2 6-3 5-9 6-3 6-0 5-11 6-3 6-3 6-0 6-2 6-6 6-4
154 193 189 185 181 203 193 222 196 190 216 182 202 194 213 181 215 199 198 191 212 172 211 236 249 195 200 197 184 207 185 186 204 225 221 194 187 231 183 238 184 221 195 188 248 176 240 214 238 186 216 231 218 234 224 186 241 213 214
FR SO FR SO FR JR FR SR SO FR JR FR FR FR SO FR SO SR SR SO FR SO SO SR SR JR FR FR FR SR SO FR FR SO SO SO SO FR FR SR SO SR FR FR FR SO FR FR FR SO FR FR SO JR SR JR SO FR FR
43 44 45 46 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 52 53 54 55 56 57 57 58 59 59 60 61 63 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 81 82 84 85 86 87 89 90 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 96 97 98 98 99
Connelly, Ryan Chenal, John Ingold, Alec Tiedt, Hegeman Lloyd, Gabe Grady, Griffin Platter, Mason Penniston, Kyle Green-May, Izayah Bay, Adam Bernhagen, Josh Pfaff, David Edwards, T.J. Orr, Chris Bell, Christian Baun, Zach Balistreri, Michael Sanborn, Jack Maskalunas, Mike Johnson. Tyler Lyons, Andrew Bruss, Logan Biadasz, Tyler Deiter, Michael Beach, Tyler Benzschawel. Beau Dietzen, Jon Moorman, David Vopal, Aaron Seitzner, Josh Van Lanen, Cole Fenton, Alex Roberg, Gunnar Kapoi, Micah Lyler, Kayden Smithback, Blake Erdmann, Jason Edwards, David Mustapha, Taj Perry, Emmet Ferguson, Jake Neuvile, Zander Benzschawel, Luke Cephus, Quintez Abbot, A.J. Allen, Connor Mullens. Isaiah Williams, Bryson Henninsen, Matt Rand, Garrett Dietzen, Boyd Preston, Keldric Sampson, Cormac Schlichting, Conor Loudermilk, Isaiahh Howe, Kraig Larsh, Collin Sagapolu, Olive
ILB FB FB OLB TE ILB OLB TE OLB LS LS DE ILB ILB OLB OLB DE ILB ILB OLB OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL DE OL OL OL NT OL NT OL OL OL TE WR TE TE TE WR WR P DE NT DE DE DE DE TE P DE DE K NT
New Mexico Lobos 6-3 6-2 6-2 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-6 6-0 6-2 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-5 6-3 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-5 6-6 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-6 6-7 6-0 6-2 6-5 6-5 6-6 6-1 6-2 6-0 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-2 6-7 6-3 5-10 6-2
228 235 242 235 231 214 222 243 223 217 229 284 242 232 247 230 294 228 229 240 289 303 319 328 290 315 323 306 300 333 311 313 300 308 323 301 325 315 192 182 239 252 247 207 179 172 283 277 277 278 252 250 255 218 300 278 182 346
JR FR SR SO SO SO FR SR FR SO SO JR SR JR SO JR FR FR SO JR FR FR SO SR FR SR JR JR FR FR SO FR JR SR FR FR JR JR FR FR FR SR SO JR FR JR FR FR FR JR FR SO FR FR SO SO FR JR
2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 20 21 21 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 28 28 29 30 31 31 32 33 33 34 34 35
Greely, A.J. Hart-Johnson, Delaney Ross, D’Angelo Shuler, Zahneer Jones, Sheriron Parker, Bijon Reed, Patrick Sewell Jr., Michael Rogers, De’John Manly, Blair Umeh, Anselem Drennan, Q’ Hobdy, Willie Barnwell Jr., Stanley Carroll, Bryson Baker, DaQuan Hall, Trae Epting, Rhashaun Gerhart, Coltin Peek, Patrick Somoye, Amu Burrell, Jalin Hidalgo, Rafael Ortega, Gabe Harris, Emmanuel Miller, Kameron Martin, Donte Tuioti, Tevaka Bertram, Ben Patterson III, Cedric Horton, Dylan Leyva, Jonah Lilly, Elijah Wilkinson, Reece Bolden, Nico Vigilant, Daevon Griffin IV, Jay Hayes, Marcus Hightower, Corey Moran, Kentrail Fehrmann, Blake Owens, Tryone Johnson, Lawrence Tamaivena, Sitiveni Burton, Brandon Peabody, Daniel Davis, Ahmari Woisin, Joshua Flack, Jordan Vainikolo, Alexander Vieira, Thomas Wilson, Nic Gray, Micah Hart, Alex Jones, Javohn Cole, Bobby EnRico, Jared Irving, Dequez
S WR CB RB QB S WR S DB CB WR WR CB S RB LB QB LB QB S WR CB WR S WR S CB QB DL WR LB QB WR RB S RB WR S CB RB LB RB RB LB LB TE RB LB LB LB WR CB ER LB RB RB LS LB
5-9 6-3 5-9 6-1 6-3 6-1 6-2 6-1 5-9 6-2 5-11 6-2 6-2 6-2 5-6 6-2 6-2 6-2 5-11 5-10 6-2 6-0 5-10 6-2 5-9 6-2 5-9 6-1 6-2 5-11 6-4 6-0 6-0 5-8 6-3 5-7 5-10 6-0 5-11 5-9 6-3 5-9 5-9 6-0 6-0 6-1 5-10 5-10 6-3 5-11 5-10 5-10 5-11 6-3 5-10 5-9 6-1 5-10
215 219 180 232 196 190 190 201 170 205 176 194 181 197 185 250 181 218 214 199 195 195 173 199 202 204 167 199 202 168 222 189 159 165 207 180 159 199 176 203 221 188 195 231 215 220 182 214 215 246 182 177 191 235 185 199 195 227
JR SR SR SR JR SR SR SR JR JR SO JR JR SR SO SR FR SO SR JR JR SR SR SO SR SO FR SO FR FR FR FR JR FR FR FR SO FR SO SO FR SR FR SR JR FR JR FR SR JR JR FR FR SR JR FR SO JR
36 38 39 41 45 46 47 49 50 52 53 54 54 55 55 56 56 57 60 64 67 68 69 70 71 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 84 84 85 87 88 90 91 92 93 94 95 95 96 97 98 99
Vigil, Xavier French, Matt Hernandez, Johnny Portilla, James Tohi, Evahelotu Shook, Brandon Kelly-Romero, Dylan Brown, David Saltes, Teton Blackwell, Aaron Baker, Cody Jang, Radson Murray, Langston Jenkins, Aaron Joseph, Emmanuel Cook, Austin McVaney, Micah Powell, Everett Chacon, Colston Stapley, Kyle Wilson, Hayden Iacovangelo, Nick Hott, Beau Murphy, Brad Zavala, David Beilman, Erik Sylvester, Jarred Grammel, Charlie Harden, Louis Estrella, Chris Hackey, Cade Molina, Aaron Erickson, Andrew Dickey, Brayden Sellers, Trent Overacker, Aaron Jones Jr., Jeffrey Williams, Marcus Austin, Erin Mitchell, John Conyers, Jermane Flowers, Nahje Shelley, Andrew Ruiz, Stephan Soremekun, Adebayo Dyer, Tyson Hampton, Lon Sutton, Danny Murphree, Donovan
LB LB S LB LB LB PK LB OL DL DL OL DL OL DL OL LB LB OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL WR WR WR TE DL TE TE TE DL P DL DL PK PK DL P LS PK P
5-11 6-0 5-10 6-1 6-2 6-2 5-10 6-1 6-6 6-3 6-3 6-1 6-2 6-2 6-4 6-5 6-2 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-7 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-3 6-1 6-4 6-3 6-5 6-2 6-5 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-1 6-3 6-3 6-1 6-4 6-2 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-2
231 224 187 220 227 231 192 217 284 288 293 242 318 293 260 295 225 235 275 307 281 314 268 290 297 263 309 307 290 294 196 200 185 230 271 227 212 205 269 194 334 278 198 228 298 198 221 195 175
SO JR SR SR SO SO FR SO SO JR SR FR FR SR SO JR JR SR FR SO FR JR JR SO JR JR JR JR FR JR FR SR FR SR JR JR JR SO JR FR SR SO FR FR JR SO SR SR FR
Game Information Kickoff: 11 a.m. Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI TV: BTN Radio: Badger Sports Network CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Wisconsin aims to remain perfect early as New Mexico visits Camp Randall Stadium
gameday 8
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Wisconsin vs. New Mexico
A M E R I C A’ S C I N E M A B R E W E R Y
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FREE SINGLE SERVE CHEESE CURDS
WITH ADULT ADMISSION
FOR SHOWTIMES AND TICKETS, V I S I T F L I X B R E W H O U S E . C O M
N O W O P E N AT E A S T T O W N E I N M A D I S O N
Printed coupon must be presented at the time of order. Discount valid in auditorium only for one each cheese curds discount per regularly priced adult admission (offer not valid on Wednesday Discount Day admission). Valid 9/8/18 9/25/18 in Madison, WI location.
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