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Wisconsin vs. Kent State
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“…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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National Outlook
After Week Four, Wisconsin shapes up to be tops in College Football this year By Cole Wozniak STAFF WRITER
Editor’s note: As the season draws on, the Badgers are beginning to look more like a championship contender. Since its our duty to cover the Badgers, it’s now our duty to cover the other top teams in the country. Ohio State looks like the most complete team in the country This was an odd weekend in college football. Teams are just beginning conference play, and the top teams in the country are starting to show weaknesses. Alabama, one of the most consistently elite defenses in the country, was tested this week by Ole Miss, who put up 31 points on Nick Saban’s injury-prone defense. Alabama won the game handedly, riding a career day by receiver Devonta Smith, but the defense is shaping up to be a major issue for Alabama. Clemson also barely won a thrilling game in Chapel Hill this weekend. The reigning National Champions almost fell to Mack Brown’s upstart Tar Heels, but a botched two-point conversion sealed the game for Clemson. Trevor Lawrence, who some hail as the most complete quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck, could not sustain drives against the Tar Heel defense, which ranked 63rd in the country heading into the game. The Tigers are currently ranked second in the AP Poll, but if they keep turning out bad performances against conference opponents in the weak ACC, many might question their claim to a spot in the College Football Playoff. Teams like Florida and Auburn are also dominating in early conference play, but they both have a lot of questions on the offensive side of the ball. However, the Oklahoma Sooners don’t have that prob-
lem. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been playing as good, or better than his last two predecessors at his position, both of whom won Heisman Trophies. However, this team still has not shown much talent on the defensive side of the ball, and must improve if they want to contend for a National Championship. On offense, Georgia Bulldog transfer Justin Fields cemented himself as one of the top Heisman contenders after scoring his 16th touchdown of the year. Defensively, the team is led by the potential top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Chase Young, and possibly the best cornerback in the country, Jeffrey Okudah. Another team that did not exhibit any issues, is the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State has proved doubters wrong all season, and did it again after pummeling the highly hyped Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln, winning by a score of 48-7. Although the Buckeyes struggled last year on defense, they are now ranked second in the country behind the Badgers, who come visit Columbus on October 26th. The Big Ten’s top teams are showing off Tiers are starting to develop in the Big Ten, with teams like Ohio State and Penn State looking like top tier contenders for the conference championship out of the East Division, as they outscored their opponents, Nebraska and Maryland, respectively, by a whopping 107-7 combined score. On the other side of the confrence, Wisconsin and Iowa are showing why they are the only real contenders for the Big Ten Championship from the West Division. Wisconsin won a sloppy game against Northwestern, largely due to their defense, which ranks first in the country, and Heisman contender
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Chris Orr has emerged as a leader on the Badegrs defense, helping UW to a No. 8 ranking in the country. Jonathon Taylor’s ninth straight 100 yard rushing game. He now ranks number one in touchdowns by players who don’t play quarterback, and this Wisconsin team is relishing in his talent, as they are shaping up to be potential College Football Playoff contenders. Iowa is riding behind strong performances by quarterback Nate Stanley, who is quietly having his best year as a Hawkeye. They are now 4-0, but big games are coming up against Michigan and Penn State where they will prove their status as one of the top teams in the conference. Campaigns for the Heisman Trophy are heating up The Badgers own Heisman candidate, Jonathon Taylor, wrapped up his 26th career
game with over 100 yards rushing, while also adding a touchdown on the ground. With eleven touchdowns, he leads the country in non-QB touchdowns, by a long shot. One surprising quarterback might be dropping out of Heisman contention, with Trevor Lawrence performing below expectations he had in his sophonmore year through five weeks of play. The Tigers quarterback has thrown for eight touchdowns and five picks, and is ranked 14th in the country in Quarterback Rating. It’s been a sophomore slump for ages, and it’s hurting Clemson. A player who has not underperformed this season? Alabama’s veteran quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The highly touted Crimson
Tide quarterback has been dominating teams through the air, throwing for 23 touchdowns along with two on the ground, all without throwing an interception. The player who is perhaps leading the pack is none other than former back-up Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts. Hurts has thrown for twelve touchdowns and run for another five, leading the Sooners to be ranked as the number one offense in the country through five weeks of football. The Heisman race is shaping up to be the closest of the last few years, and even though this season may firmly affix Jonathon Taylor as the most prolific rusher in college football history, he is being outshadowed by some crazy good quarterbacks in Fields, Tagovailoa, and Hurts.
MVP from Nebraska
Orr named one of Big Ten Defensive Players of the Week after carrying defense against Wildcats in sloppy game By Justin Alpert STAFF WRITER
Donning minimalist red jerseys and brown pants on Saturday against Northwestern, the No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers (4-0 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) beat the Northwestern Wildcats (1-3 overall, 0-2 Big Ten) in their late-19th century throwback threads. Thanks to the continued dominance of Wisconsin’s defense as a whole, the Badgers won, but linebacker Chris Orr was a star. The Wildcats struggled running the ball mightily, averaging just 2.4 yardsper-carry, large in part to Orr’s nine
total tackles, five of which were solo. The sophomore also tallied two sacks and three tackles for a loss. Though, no play proved more pivotal than Orr’s forced fumble. With eight minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Northwestern had just narrowed the deficit to two possessions, and recovered an onside kick. Before the snap, Orr inched forward from his middle linebacker position and blitzed from the strong side. Unaware of the pressure, Northwestern backup quarterback Aiden Smith absorbed Orr, and
promptly coughed the ball up. Quickly, any hopes of a comeback were extinguished. Beginning his career at the University of Wisconsin in 2015, Orr a three-star recruit, made an instant impact as a true freshman. In only his third game of the 2015 season, Orr abused Troy’s offense, lighting up the box score with nine solo tackles out of 11 total, with a pass deflection to boot. 2016 was a lost season for Orr, who tore his ACL early in Week 1. Against Nebraska in 2017, Orr spoiled quarterback Tanner
Lee’s opening drive with a 78 yard interception returned for a touchdown in dominant fasion. Last season in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Orr recorded eight total tackles and picked off the Miami Hurricanes’ quarterback Malik Rosier, leading the way for the Badgers’ bowl victory. In 2019, winning just any bowl game would be a disappointment for the Badgers, who currently sit at No.8 in the AP rankings. Granted, the road to Glendale for said playoff’s semifinal round will be a challenging one, with the Badgers
taking on the No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes later in the year. Until their October trip to Columbus however, the Badgers must take care of inferior teams on their schedule like Northwestern. Saturday’s game may not have gone as smoothly as expected, but the Badgers faced true adversity for the first time and responded admirably. In a gridlocked defensive showdown like the Northwestern game, one clutch play can make all the difference. Orr made not one, but several plays, and was key in helping Wisconsin stay unbeaten.
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Feature
Zack Baun’s development, leadership runs Wisconsin’s top-ranked defense By Raul Vazquez STAFF WRITER
Entering the 2017 season, senior linebacker Zach Baun was primed to be a key piece on Wisconsin’s defense after playing meaningful snaps and contributing in 2016. Baun had appeared in 12 games in 2016, with his best performance coming against Ohio State where he had six tackles and a tackle for loss. Baun’s 2017 season was cut short, however, when he suffered a torn lisfranc ligament in his left leg, sidelining him for the rest of the year. The injury came in late August during fall camp – a devastating blow to what looked to be a promising season for the Brown Deer, Wis. native. That season, Baun was poised to be on the two-deep depth chart at outside linebacker after T.J. Watt and Vince Biegel were drafted in the 2016 NFL draft. Baun missed out on the opportunity to be apart of a special defense that season – the Badgers had the third ranked defense in the country. Two years later, he is the leader of another dominant Badgers defense. “That’s not how a lot of kids handle adversity,” defensive
coordinator Jim Leonhard said about the way Baun has come back from injury. Baun has been dominant through four games this season – he has already accumulated three sacks, and two forced fumbles, which both lead the team. On top of that, Baun has racked up 20 tackles, which is second-most on the team behind sophomore middle linebacker Jack Sanborn. The three sacks already surpasses his total of 2.5 sacks a season ago. “He just continued to work,” Leonhard said. “He’s had a great approach. He’s continued to grow throughout his career the way that you hoped he would as a coach.” Leonhard had seen glimpses of what Baun was capable of before his breakout season this year, and knew the kind of player Baun could become even as he battled through injury. “There are certain games you put on last year where he was really dominant and disruptiveYou kind of know the potential is there. The big thing we were going to ask him to do was to be more consistent,” Leonhard said. Baun has answered that
question with flying colors. He has had a sack in three consecutive weeks to start the year. Though he didn’t get to the quarterback against Northwestern, he still managed to accumulate seven tackles and forced the tipped pass which led to a Noah Burks interception and return for a touchdown. Baun’s impact and growth on the field have been a result of his continued development, despite being set back with an injury. His big jump this season has been the result of a desire to continue to learn the game and learn more about himself as a player on the field. “He’s just kind of growing up and learning how to use his tools,” offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph said. “He always had very special tools.” Baun and senior linebacker Chris Orr have emerged as leaders on UW’s defense. How they go about leading, however, varies greatly. “Chris is obviously extremely vocal – that’s his leadership style,” Leonhard said. “He brings a lot of energy, he plays as fast as he can. He does it in a lot of different ways than Zach. Zach is more of a follow my example kind of guy. He’s playing very
disruptive. He’s creating a lot of energy more through his play, not necessarily his voice. That’s who he is. “ Baun has had plenty of Badger linebackers to learn from before him – T.J. Watt, Vince Biegel, Andrew Van Ginkel, Ryan Connelly and T.J. Edwards all made their way through Madison while Baun was on the roster. Now, it’s Baun’s turn to take control of the group. “He does a great job with his group,” Leonhard said. “I think he’s really owned that outside linebacker group. He’s brought energy and leadership through play on the field with the rest of the defense and really the rest of the team which is awesome to see. Being really productive as far as leadership goes but doing it in a completely different way which every team needs.” Baun was a multi-sport athlete in high school, something his teammates believe helped his development. Outside of football, Baun also led Brown Deer High School to a Division 3 state title in basketball and placed in track and field at the Division 2 state meet in both the 100M and 200M. Baun has also caught the eye of his teammates. “He’s very fast off the ball,”
junior safety Eric Burrell said. “He’s always the first one to come off the ball. He’s very strong, athletic. He was a quarterback in high school so he knows a little bit of the offense. Snap counts and stuff like that.” UW’s defense struggled to get to the quarterback all of last season. Through four games last year, they only had three total sacks – a tally Baun already matched this year alone. Through four games in the 2019 campaign, the Badgers have 12 sacks, which has helped them return to the kind of defensive performances they saw in 2017. Wi s c o n s i n’s outside linebacker group was a major question entering the season – the unit had a combined two starts outside of Baun. His development, and more importantly, his perseverance through setbacks, has Wisconsin owning the top-ranked defense in the country. “When you get guys to buy into the process of continuing to learn football and to learn the type of football player that you are and how you’ve got to have success, you preach it all the time. He’s just a great example of that. You see from year to year the growth,” Leonhard said.
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After an injury ended Zack Baun’s 2017 season before it started and a disappointing 2018 season, the senior linebacker has played a central role in UW’s top-ranked defense in 2019.
Kent State Outlook
Kent State looks overmatched in weekend contest against Badgers By Anupras Mohapatra STAFF WRITER
The Wisconsin Badgers host the Kent State Golden Flashes at Camp Randall on Saturday, 5th October 2019 at 11AM, in a match that provides the Badgers their second brush with a MAC conference opponent after their game against Central Michigan. The Badgers have had some very impressive showings of late, winning their first four games of 2019. They started the season strong with a resounding 49-0 victory over the South Florida Bulls and followed that up with a 61-0 thrashing of the Central Michigan Chippewas. These convincing results
were followed by matches against stiffer opponents in Michigan Wolverines and Northwestern Wildcats, but both games ended in victory— and bragging rights—for the Badgers as they sit on top of the Big Ten West with a ton of momentum going forward. With form like this, it isn’t a surprise to see the Badgers being predicted to beat Kent State (ESPN’s online predictor predicts a whopping 97.6% win probability for the Badgers) but sport just wouldn’t be as thrilling if it were all decided on paper. Underdogs have known this for years, and Kent State will try to capalize Saturday. Kent State have had mixed
fortunes, going 2-2 so far. They’ve had a perfect home record but haven’t won an away game this season. Considering Kent State’s next trip is away to Camp Randall, it doesn’t look like they can reverse their away fortunes. They do still sit on top of the MAC East and stranger things have happened, but they’ll still come in as significant underdogs. Statistically speaking, upon comparing the pointsper-game and points allowed per-game by the Badgers and Golden Flashes, we see that the Badgers have a clear advantage in both points scored and allowed ( Badgers have a 42.3 PPG vs Kent State’s 27.8, and
7.3 points allowed per game as compared to Kent State’s 32.0). The Badgers have also covered more yards in total(441 yards to Kent State’s 402), trumping Kent State in both passing and rushing yards. In terms of yards allowed, the Badgers come out on top again, allowing far fewer yards in total (192.3 yards to Kent State’s 471.3 yards) and demonstrating a far superior defense than Kent State. Overall, the Badgers clearly have the edge over Kent State in this contest. This is set to be the first ever football game between Kent State and The Wisconsin Badgers, thus making the game on Saturday one for the history
books that no one will read. However, if Kent State were to pull off the increadible upset, they would instantly jump into history booksthat people actually will read. It would be a game on-par with the famous Appalachain State over Michigan upset in the early 2000’s, and would certainly send the Badgers tumbling down the rankings. Gameday at Madison is always a great occasion that kicks the whole city into life and with the home team being such strong favorites to win, it should only add to the atmosphere in the city. In any case, the game should be a fun spectacle for all involved on Saturday.
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4 • Wisconsin vs. Kent State
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Chris Orr
Linebacker | 6'0'' | 224 lbs.
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gameday 6 • Wisconsin vs. Kent State
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3 Keys to the Game
Coan needs to get back on track, Kent State to get creative on offense Story by Ryan Cody
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Air it out
Get Creative CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Looking at both teams’ offenses and situations, it shouldn’t be too surprising that both teams should consider trying to put the ball down field. Kent State’s strength as an offense against Wisconsin could be its quarterback, Auburn transfer Woody Barrett. Barrett has struggled thus far, completing only around 50 percent of his passes, but was able to complete around 60 percent in the 2018 season. It could be beneficial for the Golden Flashes to try and make a few big plays. In addition, reciever Antwan Dixon, who was one of last year’s Mayo Clinic Comeback Players of the year, returns after catching a teamhigh 52 catches last season. If the Golden Flashes want to win this game, it will be very difficult for them to do so conventionally, they simply don’t have the size or the speed to compete with Wisconsin up front, they will need to air out the ball and hope for the best.
2 Shut Down Jonathon Taylor It goes without saying that Heisman candidate Jonathon Taylor is Wisconsin’s best player by far. The Junior running back is averaging nearly seven yards-per-carry, and has eight touchdowns so far, despite being taken out early in games. Taylor has also opened up a new facet of his game as well. He’s become a much better receiver, catching nine passes so far this year, including three for a touchdown, beating his career high despite only playing four games thus far. These past two years he has rarely been held to less than 100 yards in a game. He’s lightning fast, reads coverage well, and can power through tackles. There really isn’t a key to stopping Taylor, but the key to stopping Wisconsin runs through Taylor.
The Badgers’ D has been second to none this year, giving up only 7.25 points to opposing offenses per game. A large part of this has been their ability to make plays in the red-zone, including a highlight reel fumble recovery against Michigan in Week 4. Red zone opportunities have also been very slim for opposing teams. This is in part due to the Badgers’ ability to force turnovers, 16 on the year. Turnovers aside however, offensive units have had an extremely difficult time moving the ball. The Badgers have allowed less than two yards-perrush attempt, and less than five yards-per-pass attempt. If the Badgers defense is able to keep up the momentum, then Wisconsin should be able to run away with the game early. If Kent State gets their way early, there could be a major upset.
3 Throw the Football
1 Make plays on defense
As stated previously, the Golden Flashes will find it extremely difficult to beat Wisconsin if they stick to a conventional game plan. According to an Athlon Sports Poll, the Golden Flashes are ranked 116 in the FBS, a far cry away from Wisconsin, who currently stands at 8 in the AP poll. Kent State is going to have to get creative if they want to stop the Badgers dominant offense, and get past a formidable Wisconsin defense. The one ray of hope they have however is on special teams. Sophomore Kicker Matthew Trickett converted 14 of 17 FG attempts last season, if they are able to get close to the red zone, they will likely be able to score if they avoid turnovers, but if they want to keep up with Taylor and the Badgers offense, they will need to put up 7 consistently.
2 Get back in rhythm on offense While as a whole, Wisconsin has had one of its more dominant seasons ever on offense—scoring over 42 points per game— Jonathon Taylor and the Badgers were stymied by Northwestern, scoring only ten points off of a Taylor touchdown and a field goal. This shouldn’t be concerning against a Big Ten defense, but the Badgers should look to get back into rhythm against a weaker Kent State defense that has surrendered 42.5 points to Power Five programs this season. While it is important to focus on the game at hand, the Badgers would do well to view this as a tune up game before facing much tougher competition in Big Ten conference play.
While Kent State lost its premier player on defense in nose tackle Kalil Morris, the Golden Flashes do return four experienced run stopping linebackers. While Jonathon Taylor and the rest of Wisconsin’s running backs should prove a much tougher challenge, it’s not a bad idea to get Jack Coan some more reps from the pocket against a less formidable secondary. Coan has exceeded expectations this season, and after a bit of a lackluster game against Northwestern, it would be beneficial for him to improve his confidence against a weaker team and open up the run game for Taylor. Coan had a shaky game last week, and a team like the Golden Flashes is a nice cupcake for Wisconsin to beat up on mid-season. If Coan can get his confidence back in him, the Badgers will be more formidable than ever, both in the Big Ten, and in College Football Playoff discussion. It should be a good week for Badger fans, and their quarterback Coan.
After struggling last week, Jack Coan looks to rebound vs. Kent State.
Player to Watch: Kent State
Orr poised for big game By Jake Goldsmith THE DAILY CARDINAL
Last season’s starting inside linebackers T.J. Edwards and Ryan Connelly both moved on to the NFL, leaving a hole which redshirt senior Chris Orr has thrived in. Over the last two years 12 defensive starters have departed the program, leaving a relatively inexperienced group for this season. Orr was one of the more experienced of the bunch coming in, already having played in 36 games in the last four years, and has become a leader for this team. Despite the inexperience, the Badger’s defense has been one of the best in the nation, leading all of college football holding their opponents to 192.3 yards per game, and tied for second in touchdowns allowed with just four through four weeks. At one point during the Michigan game the defense had scored more points in the season then they gave up. Orr started the first three games this season, playing a significant
role with nine total tackles, two quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery. Against Northwestern despite Wisconsin’s overall struggles, Orr had a breakout game. He doubled his tackles on the season with another nine, sacked the quarterback twice, and forced a fumble. Coming into the Kent State game, Orr is third on the team in total tackles and second for sacks. Despite Kent State’s 2-2 record, they averaged 383.6 yards of offense last year and their top passer, rusher, and three receivers have all returned. They were able to put up a respectable 16 points against then No. 7 Auburn, and in their last game scored 62 points against Bowling Green. The Badgers are coming off a strong game and facing an underrated offense, so the defense will want to continue their success and have a dominant game. Orr individually will want to stay hot following his career game and with big games coming up against Michigan State, Ohio State, and Iowa.
Feature
Sanborn helping anchor best defensive unit in entire nation By Alexis Shavitz THE DAILY CARDINAL
The Wisconsin Badgers (4-0 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) offense was not as dominant as usual, therefore the defense had to step it up. It was the Badger’s slowest start of the season, due to the fact they only scored seven points in the first half. The defense led the Badgers to this victory with sophomore linebacker Jack Sanborn, starring in the game. Sanborn has made multiple impressive improvements this season so far starting as a freshman playing in 11 games. Sanborn has become aconsistent player for Wisconsin’s defense, and has yet to disappoint so far this season. He had a career high 13 tackles, and one for a loss against the Northwestern offense. While the offense couldn’t get it together, the defense is what prevented the Wildcats from scoring more touchdowns.
Sanborn also holds up in pass coverage and the Wildcats had to find a strict way to exploit him on the field. Sanborn is skilled at properly reading the plays and pressuring the quarterback; and getting his hands on the offensive opposition. Sanborn is rapidly on the rise to becoming a powerhouse player with his 2019 stats. He has had one sack, one forced fumble, one interception, and 26 tackles so far this season. He stopped the Northwestern offense from reaching the end zone on multiple occations. If Sanborn did not make as many stops as he did, it is very possible that they Wildcats would have come out with the win. The Badgers had thirteen tackles for a loss on the day, one of these coming from Sanborn, which only allowed the Wildcats to 255 total yards. With the Wildcats only scoring 14 points, Jack Sanborn was a major asset.
Wisconsin vs. Kent State
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Cruickshank, Aron Hicks, Faion Pearson, Reggie Wolf, Chase Pryor, Kendric Burton, Donte Taylor, A.J. Mertz, Graham Wildgoose, Rachad Davis III, Danny Engram, Dean Lytle, Spencer Shaw, Bradrick Harrell, Deron Nelson, Scott Currens, Seth Bracey, Stephan Smith, Alexander Toler, Titus Gregoire, Mike DiBenedetto, Jordan Lotti, Anthony Vanden Boom, Danny Dunn, Jack Coan, Jack Phillips, Cam Wilder, Collin Larsh, Collin Torchio, John Guerendo, Isaac Melvin, Semar Nelson, Cooper Williams, Caesar Green. Cade Heyroth, Jacob Taylor, Jonathan Krumholz, Adam Williams, James Burrell, Eric Watson, Nakia Blaylock, Travian Volpentesta, Christian Easterling, Quan Wilcox, Blake Kollath, Jackson Schipper, Brady Mais, Tyler Wanner, Coy Cone, Madison Davis, Julius Strey, Marty Stokke, Mason Johnson, Hunter Knaak, Kobe Groshek, Garrett Caputo, Dante Grass, Tatum Hintze, Zach Burls, Noah
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Eschenbach, Jack Franklin, Jaylan Rucci, Hayden Chenal, John Chenal. Leo Lloyd, Gabe Tiedt, Hegeman Cundiff, Clay Wiltjer, Travis Bell, Christian Brown, Logan Green-May, Izayah Bay, Adam Paez, Gio Bernhagen, Josh Pfaff, David Orr, Chris Njongmeta, Maema Baun, Zack Johnson, Rodas Balistreri, Michael Sanborn, Jack Maskalunas, Mike Johnson, Tyler Lyons, Andrew Bruss, Logan Biadasz, Tyler O’Brien, Logan Bowden, Peter Beach, Tyler Sampson, Cormac Moorman, David Vopal. Aaron Seltzner, Josh Van Lanen, Cole Fenton, Alex Furtney, Michael Roberge, Gunnar Tippmann, Joe Lyles, Kayden Smithback, Blake Erdmann, Jason Mustapha, Taj Perry, Emmet Ferguson, Jake Neuville, Zander Benzschawel, Luke Cephus, Quintez Abbott, A.J. Allen, Connor Williams, Bryson Henningsen, Matt Rand. Garrett Dietzen, Boyd Benton, Keeanu Schlichting, Conor Loudermilk, Isaiahh Goetz, C.J. Mullens, Isaiah
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Faulkner, Nick Matthews, Will Price, Kavious Phillips, Cepeda Bahr, Matt Parker, Jamal Hines, Elvis Dixon, Antwan Carrigan, Mike Peters, Akeam Blue, Capone James, Raymond Orr, Keenan Bronczek, John Henry Crum, Dustin Barrett, Woody Sherald Jr., Keith Glover, Marquez Taylor, Pyrce Williams, Xavier Musolino, A.J. Schlee, Collin Durden, Troy Nunez, Mario Bangda, Joachim Miller, Montre Williams, Javaughn Clark, Dean McKoy, Isaiah Knight, Qwuantrezz Elmore, Craig Hayes, Glenn Carpenter Jr., Richie Ray, Jae’Vante Vance, Isaac Lawrence-Burke, Mandela Poke, Ja’Shaun Decoteau, Jaylen Bradford, Bryan Okituama, Prince Jennings, Colt Shaw, Jo-el Gamble, KeSean Coleman, Brandon Wooden, Isaiah Salaam, Jeremiah Breinz, Paul Daniel, Miles Price, Jabbar Schmidt, John Curtis, Nick
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R-SR R-SR SR JR GS SR JR R-SR SR SR R-FR R-SO R-SO R-SR JR R-JR JR R-FR R-SO R-SO R-SO FR FR FR FR R-FR R-FR FR SO R-JR R-FR FR R-JR R-SR R-SO R-JR FR FR FR FR FR SR JR FR SO SO SO R-JR JR SO FR
43 44 45 47 48 50 50 51 52 53 54 55 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 64 65 66 67 69 70 71 72 73 75 76 77 78 80 81 82 83 85 86 87 88 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98
Henzi, Ian Harmon, Matt Dulka, Adam Palumbo, Joey Lenke, Tyler Spear, Sebastian Tourville, Adam Morris, Anthony McNicholas, Michael Hoag, Alex Warnock, Nate Diaby. Sekou Sams, Julian Ratliff, Elijah Okombi, Oly George, Brad Burns, Will Pawlak, Luke Spicer, Nick Morris, Mike Gibbs, Bryce Bailey, Jack Lamptey, Elijah Monnin, Nathan Allan, Sam Clement, Jack Kuduk, Bill Viaud, Jamil Whaley, Zach Gregorie, Adam Swartz, Logan Johnson, Daniel Corrigall, Zach Abram, Keshunn Hartzell, Justin Hall, Kwincy McFadden, Lon’Kevious Williams, Mark Cephas, Donte Junker, Hayden Leach, Kris Jones, Buddha Novitski, Neiman Majette, Theo Bell, Matt Sutorius, Mitchell Trickett, Matthew Adams, Derek West, Zayin Hill, Dominic
P LB TE LS LS LB OL LB OL DE OL DL OL OL DL LS DL K OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR WR WR WR TE WR TE TE DT DL DL DL P K P DE NT
6-0 6-5 5-9 6-0 6-1 6-0 6-3 5-10 6-3 6-3 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-1 5-9 6-3 5-10 6-1 6-1 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-5 6-2 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-4 6-6 6-5 6-5 6-3 6-2 6-2 5-5 6-4 6-4 6-1 6-3 6-6 6-3 6-2 5-11 5-11 6-0 6-0 6-0 6-1 6-0
185 222 218 214 210 215 330 200 305 250 300 240 260 286 308 205 258 160 260 282 284 293 265 270 276 300 285 273 282 313 293 265 280 185 195 155 201 228 175 235 240 320 238 238 240 190 191 197 246 277
SO R-FR JR SR FR R-JR R-JR FR FR R-SR SR JR SO R-FR FR FR R-FR FR R-SO R-FR R-SR FR FR JR R-SO R-JR SO SR R-FR R-JR FR R-FR R-JR JR FR R-FR R-FR R-FR FR FR R-SO FR R-SO SR R-JR FR SO R-JR R-SO R-SR
Game Information Kickoff: 11:00 a.m. Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI TV: BTN Radio: Badger Sports Network
CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
The Badgers are one of the top teams in the nation, and looking to crush Kent State.
gameday 8 • Wisconsin vs. Kent State
dailycardinal.com
What We Learned
Overreactability: Top of Big Ten are continuing to stand out above pack By Bremen Keasey THE DAILY CARDINAL
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 washed-up sports editor and southerner Bremen Keasey to give us a weekly breakdown of college football happenings around the country like only a true fan could. Listen, college football happened. There were a couple cool games but mostly this weekend just felt weak. Not a whole lot to offer. Stil, I’m here to write about it and pick apart what any of this means, and hope that next week will be better. Almost the Return of the Mack The defending champion Clemson Tigers were supposed to breeze through their schedule once again this season. With AllAmerican and hair legend Trevor Lawrence at quarterback, stud Travis Etienne in the backfield and a wide receiving core that seems like a video game cheat (especially Tee Higgins), it seems inevitable that they’ll return to the Playoff, and possibly go back-to-back. Sure, they lost a lot in their defensive front seven, but they have the talent to steamroll their ACC opponents. But the script was almost flipped last Saturday in a trip to Chapel Hill. The Mack Brown-led North Carolina Tar Heels almost had the moment of the season, scaring the No. 1 Tigers at home, running rampant through the Clemson defense. But the key word in this previous statement is “almost,” because a missed two-point conversion in the final seconds meant Clemson escaped by the skin of their teeth with a 21-20 win. While some fans were confused by going for the win instead of playing for overtime, I want to celebrate Mack Brown here. This is a UNC team in the middle of a huge rebuild, and they really held the Tigers for most of the game. In fact, UNC had the lead for a large part of the first half. Their best bet was to try and win it on that one play, because like most teams in the country, they are not as talented as Clemson. While the play was snuffed out, the Tar Heels made the college football world hold its breath for a few seconds to see what fall out happened. Now what is the fallout here for Clemson? Big questions might be asked on the offense, especially the offensive line, which seemed to have a false start on every single snap. Lawrence at times really felt the pressure in the passing game and the Tigers only averaged four yards-per-rush. Save for a typically superhuman effort from Tee Higgins, the Tigers did not have many explosive plays on offense. UNC’s defense also did a really good job of confusing the Tigers’ O-Line, and Chazz Surratt was a menace for the Heels. Clemson’s schedule is looking Charmin Ultra
COURTESY OF OHIO STATE FOOTBALL TWITTER
Ohio State looks like the most dominant team in the country, following a total rout of Nebraska in Week 5. soft the rest of the way and they probably won’t get tested again until the Playoff. But imagine what could’ve been if UNC pulled off that upset. Big Ten Beatdowns Sure, Wisconsin didn’t have the game that most fans would’ve expected against Northwestern, but many other of their conferencemates kicked a lot of collective butt. On Friday, Penn State went down to Maryland and had their students take over the Maryland student section while their players take over the field. The Nittany Lions thrashed the Terps 59-0 as quarterback Sean Clifford had nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Penn State added an additional 198 rushing yards, while Maryland mustered just 128 total yards. It was a smackdown that forces us to remember at one point this season, Maryland was ranked in the AP Poll. Meanwhile, Michigan, in its annual tradition, shutout woeful Rutgers 52-0. Their offense was able to get going this game (something that may I remind you didn’t happen against Wisconsin) as Shea Pattreson and Joe Milton combined for 335 yards through the air. As is typical in a game where you play Rutgers, Michigan held their opponents to 1.6 yards per rush. It was so bad, that Rutgers head coach Chris Ash got fired this weekend. Pretty rough considering just a couple years ago they lost 70-0 to Michigan. He was just starting to show signs of improvement! Last but certainly not least, with College Gameday visiting Lincoln for the weekend, the Huskers got dumped on by Ohio State 48-7 in a game which was 38-0 at half time; it didn’t even feel that close. Quarterback Justin Fields could do pretty much whatever he pleased against Nebraska as the Buckeye offense hummed to the tune of 580 total yards of offense. Meanwhile, Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez had a Quarterback Rating of 3.4 (on a scale of 0-100) with three picks. Fun sidenote, Nebraska has a
tradition where fans let red balloons fly into the sky after the Huskers score their first points of the game. Those first points didn’t happen until there were 17 minutes left in the game. It was ugly. Stagnant Standings None of the top teams played anyone particularly exciting or worrying. And that trend will stay for the next week, too. No. 5 LSU hosts Utah State, No. 6 Oklahoma
travels to Kansas, No. 3 Georgia plays a 1-3 Tennessee, No. 9 Notre Dame plays Bowling Green and both Bama and Clemson have the week off. No. 4 Ohio State will travel to No. 25 Michigan State in a game with some slight intrigue, but considering the Buckeyes’ war path through their early season slate and Sparty’s inept offense, I’m not expecting any fireworks. However, we finally have a Top 10 showdown, our first since way
back in Week 2 when Texas hosted LSU. No. 7 Auburn travels down to No. 10 Florida in a big early game in the SEC. While based on recent results and the fact Florida is down to their second string quarterback, I expect Auburn to beatdown on the Gators. Why am I saying all of this? Mostly because I don’t like the narrative of college football that just focuses on who is gonna make the Playoff. Obviously, that is very important considering it decides the national champion. But right now, the crazier stuff, much like in local politics, is happening down the ballot. For example, Minnesota right now is somehow 4-0, and has a weak enough schedule they can hit 7-0. There are no undefeated teams in the Pac-12 right now, which means chaos in that conference’s race. Wake Forest, one of the smallest schools in the “Power 5” conferences is undefeated and ranked No. 22 with a similarly soft schedule. There is a legit race between Boise State, UCF and an undefeated SMU for a big bowl game invite. What I’m saying, basically, is to be patient. It’s a marathon, not a sprint to enjoy all of college football has to offer. And I think the best of the year is yet to come. How’s that for some positivity?