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Wisconsin vs. Nebraska
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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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Week Four Gallery
Overreactability: ‘Hot Rod’ gets even hotter and the Irish are back 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 propensity for overreaction, 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. This is Overreactability. Sometimes a week of football sneaks up to you and surprises you with good games. While we knew this week was loaded in the evening, I was hoping the day slate would sneak up and be exciting. And it kinda was! Let’s look at the stories from this week. Clemson still has two quarterbacks The saying in football is “if you have two quarterbacks, you don’t have any.” We were reminded of this time and again because ‘Bama, Georgia and Clemson all had two quarterbacks going into the season. While it’s clearly Tua Time in Tuscaloosa and Jake Fromm has held onto his starting job at Georgia, Clemson had quite the competition. Eventually, the luscious locks of freshman Trevor Lawrence were too much for Kelly Bryant to hold onto his starting job. Bryant, understandably, wanted to transfer and bring his very useful talents to another school with Lawrence now the face of the Tigers’ offense. Nothing could go wrong! And then, while losing at home to Syracuse, Lawrence was hit hard and brought to the sidelines for the concussion protocol. Panic struck the entire town of Clemson, South Carolina. I texted my friend — she would bleed tiger orange — at halftime to ask her what was going wrong. Her response was “Hell if I know gosh. This is horrible.” But luckily, good ol’ Dabo Swinney had a trick up his sleeve: Another quarterback! Yes friends, former-fifth string quarterback Chase Brice did enough to help steer the Tigers to a season-saving 27-23 win over Syracuse, avoiding an embarassing second-straight loss to the Orange. Sure, Brice did not have Lawrence’s flowing golden hair or a good stat line — his 33.9 QBR was actually quite bad — but he had moxie! He also had running back Travis Etienne go off for 203 yards and three touchdowns, and the best defensive line in the country on the other side of the ball. All in all, I’m sure Tigers fans aren’t worried about whether letting Kelly Bryant leave on a transfer was bad or anything. Because as we know, college football fans never overreact to anything. Our Lord and Savior Hot Rod Staying in the South, UGA strolled through a 38-12 win against the Tennessee Volunteers that was routine and weird at the
same time. I’m not sure if UGA fans were actually worried about the result but it was a very stop and start game with lots of penalties. But that’s not the main point. Because ladies and gentlmen, if you don’t know who Rodrigo Blankenship is, let me introduce you to An American Hero™. Probably the greatest living Georgian other than former president Jimmy Carter, “Hot Rod” is the Dawgs kicker who wears rec specs and released a rap song named “ATD” on soundcloud under the name BLANKO (it kinda slaps). He was a former-walk on at UGA who makes basically every kick asked of him including two 50-plus yarders in the College Football Playoff where Georgia almost won the whole thing. On Saturday, Hot Rod lined up for a seemingly routine extra point, and then he created magic. After the holder bobbled the spot, Blankenship was able to halt his run up, take a step back, and still sink the extra point. The laces weren’t even out on the hold. Even with the kick rush collapsing into his space, Mr. “Rod” showed the cool to just barely dink it over and past the uprights. The bespectacled redshirt junior with a soccer background made it look like a panenka penalty — the most disrespectful way to score a penalty in soccer. It’s so disrespectful, that when it’s completed successfully in a penalty kick shootout, it changes the careers of the taker and the goalkeeper. I don’t know if Hot Rod’s stutter-step extra point will permanently change the trajectories of Tennessee and Georgia, but I wouldn’t rule it out. I could write more words on Rodrigo Blankenship, but one words sums him up: perfect. I can’t wait for him to be an NFL kicker. NFL fans don’t know what’s coming (just like the punter Jordan Henderson. College football fans stanned him since before you knew he existed). Penn State Forgets They Have Trace McSorley Imagine you’re sitting on your couch playing NCAA Football. There’s a minute left in the game, you have a fourth-and-five on your opponent’s side of the field, down by one, your kicker sucks because you forgot to recruit one, your starting halfback has gained 45 yards in the whole game, and your quarterback is averaging seven yards per carry. What’s your play call? Oh, and don’t forget that this is one of the most anticipated games of the entire season. Penn State’s head coach James Franklin was faced with that exact situation — except it was a real game. His Nittany Lions were down 27-26 to the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes with the ball on the 43-yard line facing a fourth-andfive to keep the game alive. He had to come up with a play call, so he called timeout.
Then he did it again. Then, to make matters worse, he called a really, truly baffling play: A handoff to running back Miles Sanders. He of the aforementioned 45 yards. Generally that’s not a terrible decision, but when Ohio State’s defenders shut him down all night and quarterback Trace McSorley played like he wanted to win the Heisman, it’s a questionable decision. It seemed to be building up to a heartbreaking ending for Penn State fans. They built a 26-14 lead over OSU after shutting out the Buckeyes’ previously potent offense in the first quarter. It seemed like the Nittany Lions had way more chances to build their lead when they were doing well, and they didn’t. To make it worse, when the Nittany Lions scored off a 93-yard touchdown pass to speedster KJ Hamler to go up 12-0, they forgot to go for a two-point conversion to make it an assured two-score lead. Instead, they kicked a PAT to go up 13-0. Seems like such a small change, but imagine if Penn State got the two-pointer (no guarantee with OSU’s defense). They would’ve been up 14-0. If you count all the other scores as the same, then the game would’ve been tied 27-27. I think James Franklin will want to forget this game. Maybe he should talk to Urban Meyer about forgetting things. But I Don’t Want to Talk about the Irish Notre Dame beat Stanford 38-17. As someone who watched that game, I can tell you that the final scoreline is still too close for the drubbing that the team from South Bend put on the Cardinal. Notre Dame outmuscled Stanford, and quarterback Ian Book looks like the real deal. Let’s face it: in a time when the whole country is divided, everybody from the south to the midwest, from the ACC to the PAC-12 — even your friend who disagrees with you just to be annoying — can agree on one thing: Notre Dame sucks. They act smug. They don’t want to join a conference and they’re stuck in the past from when football was played with an actual pigskin and a bottle of Coke cost just a nickel. I’m pretty sure they would vote to make the forward pass illegal again if they got the chance. Unfortunately for frankly, everyone, they’re undefeated with two wins over AP top-25 teams, and their once-daunting schedule (Florida State, USC and Virginia Tech) now looks a lot eaiser. They have a legitimate playoff claim right now. Honestly, if they do make it, they might unite the country over something truly unbelievable: they might make the whole country root for Alabama. No matter what happens, at least we don’t live in South Bend. CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
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Matchup to Watch
Wisconsin vs. Nebraska
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Nebraska Outlook
Nebraska still without a win under first-year head coach Scott Frost By Peyton Kadlecek THE DAILY CARDINAL
CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Seniors TJ Edwards and Ryan Connelly should be able to exploit a weak Nebraksa offensive line.
UW Linebackers look to punish Huskers run game By Sam Shiffman THE DAILY CARDINAL
Even in a down year, Nebraska is still Nebraska. As such, the Cornhuskers will likely attempt to establish the run early in the game when they visit Camp Randall. Although they rarely use formations with fewer than four receivers, Nebraska is not a passfirst team and Wisconsin’s inside linebackers will have to make good reads and tackle well to keep the Huskers from having a breakout day offensively. Early in games the Cornhuskers love to use senior running back Devine Ozigbo in zone read running concepts with freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez, which will test the discipline of Wisconsin’s linebackers. Because Nebraska splits out so many receivers, Wisconsin will be forced to spread out their defense out and potentially rely on their nickel package, leaving only one or two linebackers in the box. Because of this, senior linebackers TJ Edwards
and Ryan Connelly will likely have to make many one-on-one tackles in space on Ozigbo and Martinez. If Nebraska’s offensive line can get to the second level and hold blocks at the line of scrimmage — something they’ve completely failed at the past two weeks — the Huskers will move the ball quickly and effectively. But if Connelly and Edwards can stay fundamentally sound, tackle well and put the Cornhuskers in obvious passing situations, Nebraska will struggle to generate any momentum on offense. Edwards and Connelly can make an impact in the passing game as well. The Cornhuskers’ offensive line has struggled to deal with added pressure, specifically blitzing linebackers from depth. Watch for Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard to make an active effort to confuse Nebraska’s weak offensive line with different blitz packages much like they did late in the game against Iowa.
Freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez will struggle to get comfortable in his first away primetime Big Ten matchup if Nebraska’s offensive line can’t stop Connelly, Edwards and the rest of the Badgers from getting quick pressure. Nebraska’s offensive line has to step up for them to have a chance. Against Michigan and Purdue, they were simply dominated by superior linebackers and defensive lines and gave Martinez and the offense no chance to make plays. Their task won’t get any easier this week as they face two of the conference’s best inside linebackers, each of whom possess the ability and experience to change the game. Connelly and Edwards need to play well for the Badgers put this game away early. If they can tackle well, hold the Cornhuskers to two or three yards on first down and make Martinez uncomfortable on third down, this game could get out of hand quickly.
With a local hero coming off an undefeated season as their head coach, much was to be expected of Nebraska in the 2018 season. Unfortunately, Nebraska has severely underperformed thus far, to say the least. Former UCF head coach, Scott Frost, came back to his alma mater Nebraska in the off season with the hopes of restoring the program to its former glory after one of its worst seasons in school history last year as they went 4-8 and 3-6 in Big Ten play. At the start of the season, many were eager to see what Frost would be able to do with the Nebraska program coming off a perfect 13-0 season with the Knights that featured a conference championship and a bowl win over Auburn. But while there was potential for a successful turnaround prior to the start of the season, the Huskers have gone winless through four games. Despite the departure of quarterback Tanner Lee, Nebraska returned key skill players like running back Mikale Wilbon and wide receiver Stanley Morgan Jr. But even with some returning starters, Nebraska has come up very short, losing to Colorado, Troy, Michigan and Purdue with the offense playing especially poorly against Michigan. As they travel to a night game at Camp Randall, it looks like a first victory against Wisconsin will also be unlikely. Wisconsin will be coming off of a bye week when it faces the Huskers at home on October 6. The Badgers recovered quickly after its hiccup against BYU by taking down Iowa 28-17 on the road. Nevertheless, the
Badgers have no more room for mistakes during the remainder of the season if they want to be considered for the College Football Playoff. Junior quarterback Alex Hornibrook stepped up against Iowa and completed some imperative plays that helped lead the Badgers to victory. Nebraska struggled against a similar offense to the Badgers when they lost to Michigan 56-10, and after Hornibrook’s strong performance, it seems likely the Huskers’ 75th ranked defense will struggle. Nebraska, while they’re mostly young and undisciplined, there are some players like senior running back Devine Ozigbo who are still leading the team in a positive direction. Against Purdue, Ozigbo took major hits, but was one of few seniors still out-hustling everyone on the field. Ozigbo recorded 170 yards on 17 carries for the game. Another player who showed heart and resilience was senior wide receiver JD Spielman, who even after a fourth quarter injury was anxious to get back on the field to help out his team. That kind of grit and effort will be needed to keep the game close against a tough opponent like Wisconsin. Looking at this weekend’s game, Nebraska is outmatched in their first year under Scott Frost against the Badgers and it doesn’t look incredibly likely that they’ll find a first win soon. Except for Bethune-Cookman and Illinois, there are very few games where Nebraska would be the favorite. Scott Frost is likely building for the future this year, and a solid showing against Wisconsin in a loss would be at least a sign of improvement.
MVP against Iowa
Alex Hornibrook’s final drive against Iowa highlights his spectacular night
CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Alex Hornibrook didn’t look stellar for much of the game against Iowa as UW’s offense struggled, but he did everything asked of him while leading the go-ahead touchdown drive. By Raul Vazquez THE DAILY CARDINAL
In their first conference game of the season, the Badgers (1-0 Big Ten, 3-1 overall) would continue to be challenged, and absolutely could not afford a loss to start Big Ten play, and more importantly a game against Iowa. Entering the fourth quarter losing 17-14 in hostile territory, the Badgers had struggled all night on offense against the top ranked Iowa defense that had only given up 13 points per game. With the run game from Heisman-hopeful Jonathan Taylor slowed from the
production Badger fans are accustomed to, Wisconsin was looking to have a disappointing 2-2 start on their hands. With under six minutes left in the game and the ball at their own 12-yard line, UW needed to at least get a field goal to extend the game. With a near perfect performance on that drive, quarterback Alex Hornibrook stepped up with a season defining drive. Hornibrook showed great control of the offense as the Badgers methodically moved the ball down the field with a mix of solid running the running backs and clutch
throws from Hornibrook. After a 28-yard dime from Hornibrook to sophomore wide receiver Kenric Pryor that brought the ball into Iowa territory, the Badgers were faced with a crucial third down and five a few plays later. That’s when Hornibrook calmly found running back Garrett Groshek, who was just able to stress across the line and grab a first down. Two plays later, Hornibrook found tight end Jake Ferguson for a 12-yard game to bring the Badgers to the 17-yard line with less than a minute left in regulation.
The Badgers were now well into field goal range, but with ample time left, a win was on their mind. Hornibrook found AJ Taylor in the end zone for the go-ahead score on a 17 yard touchdown pass. Hornibrook finished the drive 5 for 5 for 65 yards and the game winning throw, coming up big in a primetime matchup. His performance on this final drive told the story of how big Hornibrook was on the night. Going 17-for-22 with 205 yards and three scores, the junior came up huge on the night as the Badgers eventually capped
off the 28-17 win. The win in Iowa can become a season defining moment for the Badgers. They often started sloppily in the their first three games including the terrible performance against BYU where Hornibrook threw a crucial interception that gave the Cougars all the momentum. Hornibrook — much maligned as he is — seems to have found his groove in the Iowa game, and he’ll look to continue his great play in leading the offense against a struggling Nebraska team at home Saturday night.
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Big Ten Roundup
Purdue leaves Nebraska winless, Michigan survives upset scare from NU, Ohio State and Penn State live up to hype in clash By Simon Farber THE DAILY CARDINAL
Scott, Frost-trated Another week, another loss for new Nebraska Head Coach Scott Frost. Coming off a frustrating 56-10 loss at Michigan a week prior, the Cornhuskers headed back home in week five still searching for their first victory. Taking on a 1-3 Purdue squad, Nebraska was off and running with a 10-play, 75-yard drive to start the game with a 7-0 lead. It was all downhill from there. Purdue answered with 20 unanswered points to take a 20-7 halftime lead that they would never relinquish. Nebraska’s offense moved efficiently in the second half but the big deficit proved too much to overcome as the Huskers lost 42-28. The defeat drops Nebraska to 0-4 this season which is their eighth consecutive loss dating back to last November. Frost, who signed a seven-year, $35 million deal this year to coach the Cornhuskers, certainly has left a lot to be desired in his Lincoln debut. While most media expected a rough season, most fans wouldn’t have expected their worst record since World War Two.
Huskers fans might have to wait a little longer as they go play Wisconsin this weekend. Northwestern squanders upset bid over No. 14 Michigan It was truly a tale of two halves Saturday at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois between the No. 14 Michigan Wolverines and the struggling Northwestern Wildcats. Northwestern exploded out of the gates on both sides of the ball. Two lengthy touchdown drives and a field goal from the Wildcats’ offense put them ahead 17-0 quickly, while the NU defense stopped Michigan on each of their first three drives. Making the most of just 166 total yards of offense, Northwestern took a 17-7 lead into the break looking to finish off a huge upset in their second conference win. The lights went out for Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson and the offense in the second half. The Wildcats punted on their first five drives of the half, amassing an abysmal 32 total yards across the possessions. A scoreless half from Northwestern in the second opened the door for a dramatic comeback from quarterback Shea Patterson and the
Wolverines’ offense. Trailing 17-13 late in the fourth quarter, Patterson moved the UM offense deep into Northwestern territory. A crucial nine-yard scramble on third-and-six from the mobile quarterback kept the drive alive, setting up a clutch fiveyard touchdown carry from running back Karan Higdon to put Michigan ahead 20-17 with 4:06 remaining in the ballgame. Northwestern was (shocker!) unable to put together a strong drive to equalize the score; Thorson was sacked at midfield as time expired on the game clock, and Michigan escaped Evanston with a win. New quarterback, same story for No. 4 OSU against No. 9 Penn State For the second straight season, an Ohio State quarterback ripped the hearts out of Penn State and its fans. Penn State’s students and fans brought out their annual “White Out” attire Saturday night in Happy Valley, as the team looked to avenge a disastrous 39-38 defeat at OSU last season. The Penn State defense was the story of the first half, as they held quarterback and Heisman Candidate Dwayne Haskins to
just seven points in the first half. The Nittany Lions defenders were all over OSU’s wide receivers on each of the first eight drives, eliminating the big-play potential that the Buckeyes are known for. Up 6-0 in the second quarter, Penn State broke out a big play of their own. With the offense facing third and five from their own seven yard line, Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley hit speedster K.J. Hamler over the middle for the first down and ended up with a bit more than that first down. Hamler sprinted to the far sideline and outran three Ohio State defenders for a 93 yard touchdown grab, putting the Nittany Lions up 13-0 early, but momentum-changing fumble by PSU running back Miles Sanders led to a two-play, 25-yard touchdown drive from the Buckeyes before the half. Ohio State added their second touchdown of the game to start the second half, a 13-play, 75-yard drive capped off by a J.K. Dobbins four yard TD rush, and OSU was back in front 14-13. That lead would hold unto the fourth quarter, when McSorley
Associated Press Top 25 1. Alabama (58) 1,497 2. Georgia 1,405 3. Ohio State (1) 1,395 4. Clemson (1) 1,278 5. LSU 1,233 6. Notre Dame 1,216 7. Oklahoma 1,193 8. Auburn 1,002 9. West Virginia 998 10. Washington 978 11. Penn State 920 12. UCF 759 13. Kentucky 707 14. Stanford 700 15. Michigan 687 16. Wisconsin 642 17. Miami (FL) 600 18. Oregon 462 19. Texas 403 20. Michigan State 281 21. Colorado 225 22. Florida 210 23. NC State 118 24. Virginia Tech 89 25. Oklahoma State 88
and the Nittany Lions led backto-back trips to the endzone to give Penn State a commanding 26-14 lead with just eight minutes to play. For the second consecutive season, the Nittany Lions held a two-score lead late in the fourth quarter against their bitter Buckeye rivals. Alas, Ohio State proved why they’re a perennial College Football Playoff contender. Penn State’s nightmares quickly became a reality as Haskins and the OSU offense drove the field for two quick touchdown scores, regaining the lead 28-26. It looked almost too easy for the Buckeye offense that had been silenced all night long. Penn State’s hopes were dashed for the final time when the OSU defensive line snuffed out a e fourth-and-five handoff to Sanders —some are calling it the worst play call of the season — and the Buckeyes hung on to their lofty ranking and heartbreaking role with that 28-26 victory. The Buckeyes are very much in the driver’s seat to win the Big Ten East with that win, an outcome that’s sure to leave most Big Ten fans very angry.
USA Today Coaches Poll 1. Alabama (61) 1,597 2. Georgia 1,490 3. Ohio State (1) 1,467 4. Clemson (2) 1,417 5. Oklahoma 1,313 6. LSU 1,285 7. Notre Dame 1,246 8. West Virginia 1,055 9. Auburn 1,049 10. Washington 1,027 11. Penn State 1,002 12. Wisconsin 797 13. UCF 763 14. Stanford 753 15. Kentucky 690 16. Michigan 627 17. Miami (FL) 587 18. Oregon 453 19. Michigan State 376 20. Texas 342 21. Oklahoma State 255 22. Colorado 170 23. Virginia Tech 167 24. Boise State 160 25. NC State 121
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Wisconsin vs. Nebraska
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Report Card
Report Card: Grading UW’s positional groups after an eventful four weeks By Morgan Spohn THE DAILY CARDINAL
The college football season is short, and analysts who want to make conclusions before the season ends run the risk of making too many claims off of not enough game tape. On the other hand, there’s not much point in waiting until the season is over to get a sense of how it’s going. So with that in mind, let’s throw small sample sizes to the wind, and with a third of Wisconsin’s regular season already gone as the Badgers prepare to take on Nebraska, dive into how well each position group has performed through the first four games.
Quarterback Although Pro Football Focus has Alex Hornibrook graded out as the third-best quarterback in the nation, a deeper dive into his performance tells a different story. The junior has had some ups and downs but a clutch performance against Iowa brings his grade up entering midterm season. Through four games he’s tied for 21st in the FBS with a 66.7% completion percentage, and has only thrown two interceptions. His six touchdowns don’t jump off the page, but a three-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio is a big step up from last year. If this Badgers team will make a run to the Big Ten championship game they will need Hornibrook to produce more performances like the one he delivered at Iowa. Grade: B+
Wide Receivers A position that was touted going into the season with was
shorthanded before the season even started with Quintez Cephus charged and Danny Davis suspended. It left the Badgers with AJ Taylor, Kendric Pryor and Jack Dunn to start the season, with Davis returning against BYU and Iowa. Taylor made sure that the wide receiving corps would not skip a beat as he lead the Big Ten in receiving yards after the first two weeks. The recievers couldn’t do much to overcome a poor game from Hornibrook against BYU but they’ve showed up in key moments all season. The numbers for this group don’t match with the game-changing expectations that some fans have, but they’ve been more than solid despite the early setbacks. Expect the receiving corps to be the deciding factor in the two remaining big games for the Badgers when they go on the road to Michigan and Penn State. Grade: B
Running Backs Heading into the season, all the talk surrounding the Badgers backfield had been around the possibility of a Heisman trophy for sophomore Jonathan Taylor, after his impressive freshman campaign when he ran for a FBS freshman record 1,977 yards. Taylor’s picked up right where he left off, averaging 157 yards per game through the first month, with a career-high 253 yards and a trio against New Mexico the capstone. Taylor’s performances have lacked the shock value that he brought as a freshman last year, but he’s still firmly in contention for the Heisman. However the story has been the depth in the backfield this season, with Taylor, redshirt senior Taiwan Deal, redshirt sophomore Garrett Groshek and senior fullback Alec Ingold all getting touches. The Wisconsin offensive line has at times lacked identity throughout the first four games, but when the holes have been there the backs have delivered a much-needed spark to the offense. As the season goes on, expect this group to maintain their identity as the main cog of the Badger offense. Grade: A+
his 6’5”, 239 pound frame. With Ferguson’s ability in the passing game and Neuville’s skill as a blocker, this could be one of the important and dynamic groups for the Badgers offense if all three players can get healthy. Grade: B+
Offensive Line The offensive line entered the season as the most experienced and talented positional group for the Badgers with five returning starters and three potential firstround picks. However with all the hype surrounding this group, they have hit a few speed bumps so far throughout the season — most notably against BYU. The line played an uncharacteristically sluggish game against BYU that brings down their grade, but should get credit for bouncing back against a strong Iowa defensive line. Although they have held their own in the running game so far this season — allowing Jonathan Taylor to run for 628 yards — they have struggled protecting Hornibrook and keeping him upright. As the season moves forward they have to focus on keeping Hornibrook standing and if they do that it will make their job easier in the run game. Grade: B+
Tight End One of the biggest question marks heading into this season was who would replace tight end Troy Fumagalli. The competition looked to be between Zander Neuville and Kyle Penniston, but with Neuville missing the beginning of the year with a hamstring injury, redshirt freshman Jake Ferguson has stepped up to take over the starter’s role and the heaviest workload. From the first game against Western Kentucky — where he converted a trio of first downs — he’s proven to be a seamless replacement for Fumagalli as Hornibrook’s favored third down target. Against Iowa he even showed off some impressive catch-and-run abilities for
Linebackers This group has been a tale of two roles. The outside linebackers, aside from senior Andrew Van Ginkel, have failed to accomplish much of anything. They were consistently sealed off against BYU and have struggled to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks throughout the season. The inside linebackers — the most experienced group on the defensive side of the ball — have struggled like the rest of the team in hitting the correct gaps and over-pursing on the ball carrier. Through three games this looked like it would be a surprisingly poor grade for TJ Edwards and Ryan Connelly, but the senior defensive leaders responded with a dominant performance against the Hawkeyes and the game-clinching interception. Grade: B
Defensive Line Wisconsin began the season with a pieced-together line after a series of injuries forced them into starting walk-on freshman Matt Heningsen and converted offensive guard Kayden Lyles. After being almost a non-entity for three games — senior Olive Sagapolu recorded the line’s sole sack — they showed up against Iowa. The line helped stuff Hawkeyes quarterback Nate Stanley on a crucial fourth-and-one and held Iowa’s running backs big play ability in check throughout the night. As the season moves on and the line gains
more cohesion and experience expect this to be one of the pivotal positional groups towards the end of the year. Grade: C+
Defensive Backs Coming into the season this was the group with the most questions surrounding it, as they lost two starting cornerbacks, and two safeties to graduation and the NFL draft. Redshirt freshman Scott Nelson stepped into a starting safety role and delivered in his first two games, but his inexperience and the secondary’s inexperience as a whole reared its ugly head against BYU. The youngsters bounced back for the most part against Iowa but their inexperience throughout the game appeared on big plays as they were not able throughout the night to contain the tight ends of the Hawkeyes. If the Badgers expect to win the Big Ten West this year, the defensive backs will have to eliminate their early season mistakes and limit the big plays they allow. Grade: B-
Special Teams The special teams, namely senior kicker Rafael Gaglianone, had a bad and public game against BYU. They washed the bad taste out of their mouths the next week against the Hawkeyes. Recovering a pair of fumbles and pinning Iowa deep into their own territory changed the course of the game when the offense couldn’t get it going. Punt returner Jack Dunn and kickoff returner Aron Cruikshank haven’t had much of an impact yet, but they’ve avoided potentially costly mistakes. As the season moves on pay attention to this unit, especially the returners, as they mature into their
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3 Keys to the Game
Wisconsin should give Hornibrook the keys against the Cornhuskers By Jerry Barnett
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Improve Return Defense
Keep the Ball
No, I’m not talking about trying to beat Wisconsin in a mano e mano shoot-out. I’m talking about everybody’s (ok, maybe not) favorite football positions: the gunners. These underrated special teams players are responsible for getting past their blockers and tackling the punt returner before he can break loose. They have been also been a noticeable weakness for Nebraska. In their games against the Troy Trojans and Michigan Wolverines, Nebraska gave up long punt returns for touchdowns. These two returns had three things in common: the gunners allowed the returner to catch the ball in open space, the other defenders were slow to pursue, and they were ugly. Although Wisconsin hasn’t had much success on special teams this year, witht speedy returners like Aron Cruickshank and Jack Dunn, might as well not let them start against you. Containment is key in order to win the battle of field position and prevent any “easy” drives for UW.
1 Just Stomp Them Running up the score is considered by many — rightfully so — as an act that only the Devil himself or Bill Belichick would do. Once certain victory is obtained, surely there’s no need to rub it in. This mindset won’t do. The Huskers, except the 56-10 stomping by the Michigan Wolverines, have led spectacular what-if comebacks in each of their losses. Powered by their scrappy freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez, Nebraska has gone down swinging, itched and clawed and whatever other “gritty” sayings you can think of all the way to the bitter end. When the Wolverines feasted on the Cornhuskers, they continued to make the scorekeeper earn his pay and this in turn knocked any and all spirit out of Nebraska. Wisconsin would do well to follow its Big Ten rival’s formula and think back on its incessant 45-14 clobbering of New Mexico four weeks ago.
2 Capitalize in Red Zone If the Huskers are able to fight tooth and nail past the Badgers’ defense and reach the red zone, they could find it easier to hit pay dirt as Wisconsin may finally break when inside that 20 yard line. A majority of UW’s touchdowns allowed, save for a few big plays, have come in the red zone. This seems to suit well for the Cornhuskers who have shown a knack for scoring in this area thanks to their hard-running running backs, speedy receivers, and agile quarterback. Read-options, quick-throws, and fierce running could prove to be the solution against the hawkish Badgers defense. Nebraska needs to be able to punch their offensive ticket and not settle for field goals if they hope to stand against the elite Wisconsin defense and overcome their 0-4 record.
Nebraska’s inability to win games isn’t due solely to turnovers, but it certainly isn’t helping. The Cornhuskers have a bad case of butter-fingers as drops, fumbles, and interceptions have downed this team’s chances and had Nebraska staff looking to see if stickem was still legal (it’s not, btw. I checked). They must reduce their giveaways to zero and keep their defense off the field or reap the consequences. Indeed, Wisconsin has been opportunistic in the takeaways department, so it would be best if Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez only threw to players on his team and freshman running back Maurice Washington didn’t put the pigskin on the ground any time soon. This team isn’t without its sparks, though. Nebraska has shown its ability to keep up offensively with teams if they’re able to play smart and efficient football. It’s just a lot easier to do that when you actually have the football.
3 Watch the Dual Threat
2 Let Hornibrook Work Although the “is-Alex-Hornibrook-good-debate?” rivals that of “Coke or Pepsi,” the Badgers would do right to put the ball in their quarterback’s hands. The much-maligned junior quarterback showed his cool-asice throwing ability in the late victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes. In their previous game against Purdue, Nebraska was hit fast and hit hard for a whopping 300plus passing yards. Tight end Jake Ferguson and wide receiver AJ Taylor should prove more than capable in this task as they lead Wisconsin in receiving yards and have been Hornibrook’s go-to targets throughout the season. Oftentimes, it comes down to which team has the better quarterback, and Hornibrook’s has shown and will show that he can outduel Nebraska’s freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez.
Few quarterbacks who possess the dual-threat ability of passing and running last very long in the hard-hitting and injury-prone sport of football, but that doesn’t mean they’re not scary now. Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez has shown off his spit-fire engine with over 200 yards of total rushing for his team. The Huskers’ frequent use of the readoption play will pose a difficult test for senior linebackers TJ Edwards and Chris Orr to maintain the edge and not let Martinez break free for big gains. Although, Wisconsin has shown the ability to dial up the pressure despite having just four sacks on the season, a few well-executed blitzes should unsettle the young gun behind center. Indeed, Martinez certainly won’t be able to run his way to victory, but if he gets going it will open up the playbook as the Badgers will be reacting instead of acting on defense.
BRANDON MOE/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Wisconsin’s defense looked surprisingly out of sorts against running quarterbacks in the first two games of the season, and its defensive leaders will need to avoid a repeat performance against Nebraska.
Defense looks to inside linebackers to thwart Martinez’s dual threat By Kalli Anderson THE DAILY CARDINAL
In their fourth home game of the season and second conference game, the Wisconsin Badgers (1-0 Big Ten, 3-1 overall) will play the Nebraska Cornhuskers (0-4) Saturday night. With their last game against Iowa coming down to the last five minutes and giving their fans heart-attacks, the Badgers must focus on coming together as a team and keeping their momentum in order to beat the Cornhuskers and have a chance to win the Big Ten Conference. Nebraska has struggled so far this season, going winless under local hero and head coach Scott Frost, but they have had strong play from true freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez. Martinez has been a dual threat despite the mostly pitiful play for the Huskers, passing for 532 yards and running for 196 yards with three scores. Senior inside linebacker Ryan Connelly will be key to stop a quarterback like Martinez. The Badgers linebacking core are the leaders as the defensive lineman are inexperienced. His play must be strong to help lead by example
as Big Ten play heats up. With 22 total tackles, 14 of which are unassisted, Connelly needs to put pressure on Martinez and cause him to slip up. The Badgers have struggled to rush the passer this year, and Connelly will be looking to change that. Connelly has been able to be a a force in shutting down opposing team’s run game, and has shown some ability to force turnovers as he has two career interceptions. Nebraska hasn’t been that dominant on offense, ranking 105th in total offense out of 130 FBS teams, and they were held to just 10 points by Michigan and 28 points by Purdue in conference play. Still, the Badgers defense needs a strong game again — especially from senior leaders like Connelly — to keep the momentum in conference play. Wisconsin needs to be ready for anything on Saturday night as Nebraska has their backs agianst the wall. While they’ve struggled, Wisconsin must put their pedal to the metal to get back possible hopes of reaching the Big Ten championship game and the College Football Playoff, and Ryan Connelly will be a huge part for the Badgers.
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Wisconsin vs. Nebraska
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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
Nebraska Cornhuskers 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
Game Information Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI TV: BTN Radio: Badger Sports Network
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
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Lindsey, Tyjon Butler, Tony Martinez, Adrian Honas, Will Anderson, Avery McQuitty, Jaeveon Tannor, Caleb Young II, Dedrick Lee Jr., Eric Barry, Mohamed Morgan Jr., Stanley Neal, DaiShon Spielman, JD Allen, Austin Vainuku, Vaha Gifford, Luke Legrone, Katerian Domann, JoJo McGriff, Justin Neal, Tre Clark, Braxton Hunt, Andre Cox, Ethan Vedral, Noah Bunch, Andrew Taylor, Cam Bryant, Tre Masker, Matt Thomas, Guy Dismuke, Marquel Williams, Mike Jackson, Lamar Wilbon, Mikale Davis, Alex Ozigbo, Devine Bootle, Dicaprio Williams, Aaron Bell, Greg Reed, Antonio Jones, Miles Smith, CJ Washington, Maurice Folkers, Bennett Jones, Cam’ron Rose, Austin Alexander, Quayshon Kitrell, Bo Sullivan, Eli Henry, Keaton Miller, Collin Jefferson, Pernell Pickering, Barret Bradley, Jaylin Dixon, Breon Otte, Simon Bryant, Moses Lightbourn, Caleb Banker, Christian Jordan, Spencer Karel, Reid Frederick, Corbin Mazour, Wyatt Belt, Brody Jackson, Damian Bunner, Bradley Frahm, Cole Thurman, Andrew Jordan, Grant Robbins, Brandon Holm, Justin Williams, Deontai
WR DB QB ILB DB WR OLB ILB DB ILB WR DL WR TE DL OLB TE DB WR DB DB WR DB QB QB DB RB QB OLB DB WR DB RB OLD RB DB DB RB DB RB DB RB WR DB RB OLB RB DB TE OLB OLB PK RB OLB OLB DB P WR ILB DB DB RB RB DL DB PK WR ILB WR WR DB
5-9 6-2 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-0 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-1 6-1 6-7 5-9 6-8 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-1 6-6 6-1 6-4 6-0 5-10 6-1 6-1 6-0 5-11 6-1 6-3 6-2 5-10 6-3 5-9 6-5 6-0 5-10 5-11 6-0 6-2 5-8 6-2 6-1 6-2 6-0 6-1 6-3 6-1 6-2 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-0 6-0 5-11 6-1 5-11 6-3 6-1 6-2 6-3 5-11 5-9 5-8 6-2 6-0 6-5 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-6 6-1
200 205 220 235 180 205 210 245 215 230 200 310 185 245 325 245 235 225 230 215 200 190 185 200 210 205 200 220 230 200 185 215 220 255 235 190 190 205 215 175 205 190 195 200 240 250 225 195 234 245 250 195 210 205 205 200 250 190 210 205 205 200 185 270 190 235 205 205 195 185 200
SO SO FR JR JR R FR FR SR JR JR SR JR SO R FR JR SR FR SO FR SR FR FR R FR SO SO FR JR FR R FR SO JR JR SR JR SR SO SR JR SR FR FR FR FR FR SR SO FR SO SO SO SO FR SO SO FR FR JR R FR SO JR FR JR FR R FR R FR R FR R FR SO R FR FR SO
42 42 43 43 44 44 45 45 46 47 47 48 48 49 49 50 50 51 52 53 54 55 55 56 56 57 58 59 61 62 63 65 66 67 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 75 76 81 82 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 90 91 91 92 92 93 94 94 95 95 96 96 97 98 98 99
Alioth Jr., Chad Stovall, Jeramiah Ferguson, Tyrin Ruth, Connor Jurgens, Cameron Stoltenbuerg, Mick Alston, David Chaffin, Ty Ruth, Corbin Hohenstein, Branden Jarzynka, Matt Krull, Bryson McCallum, Lane Hemphill, Austin Stalbird, Isaiah Archer, Jake Raridon, John Banderas, Anthony Forbes, AJ Johnson, Joseph Schommer, Ryan Pauo, Jordan Walker, Chris Shefke, Collin Wilson, Boe Weinmaster, Jacob Cassidy, Chris Perez, Brian Balenger, Mitchell Conrad, Cole Farmer, Tanner Gaylord, Christian Miller, Hunter Foster, Jerald Farniok, Will Sichterman, Matt Farniok, Matt Virka, Nick Bando, Broc Barnett, Jalin Anderson, Fyn Hixson, Trent Jaimes, Brenden Warner, Kade Feist, Colton Rafdal. Kurt Reimers, Bryan Ober, Jordan Liewer, Wyatt Stoll, Jack Young, Conor Woodyard, Jaron Honas, Todd Lingenfelter, Ben Walker, JAckson Akinmouldun, Freedom Pieper, Cameron Urbach, Chase Wildeman, Tate Daniels, Damion Davis, Khalil Mueller, Cade Cromer, Alec Stille, Ben Davis, Carlos McCashland, Noah Thomas, Deontre Armstrong, Isaac Rogers, Casey Newell, Peyton
WR DB OLB RB TE DL OLB WR DB TE DL TE DB RB DB LB OL LB OL OLB DL OLB DL OL OL ILB LB OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR DL TE WR LS WR TE WR WR WR DL P DL LS LS DL DL DL LS P DL DL PK DL P DL DL
6-2 5-11 6-2 5-11 5-3 6-5 6-4 6-5 6-0 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-2 5-11 6-0 6-0 6-4 6-1 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-6 6-3 6-3 6-0 6-1 6-3 6-2 6-5 6-4 6-6 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-4 6-6 6-6 6-5 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-6 6-1 6-2 6-7 6-5 6-1 6-3 6-4 6-2 5-11 5-11 6-4 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-2 6-2 6-0 6-4 6-5 6-2 6-1 6-3 5-11 6-4 6-3
195 195 230 205 270 315 225 210 200 225 260 240 210 225 195 210 320 225 290 235 250 245 290 300 305 225 225 230 305 300 325 310 325 335 290 310 330 234 315 330 285 300 300 210 255 250 220 225 185 260 175 190 200 275 260 295 210 210 275 210 310 212 230 290 325 179 290 205 275 300
R FR JR JR FR FR SR FR SO R FR SO SR FR R FR JR FR FR SO FR FR FR FR R FR R FR FR SO JR FR SO FR SR SR JR R FR SR FR R FR SO JR R FR JR JR R FR SO R FR FR R FR SR SR FR SO JR JR SO R FR JR SR FR JR FR R FR JR FR SO SO JR FR SO JR FR SR
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Wisconsin vs. Nebraska
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By The Numbers
Wisconsin’s offense looks to break through For a defense that is 50th in rushing defense even after that abhorThere is nothing better to do rent game against BYU, the Badgers during a bye week than dive into have to play more like they did in statistics and make rash assump- the earlier weeks. They look to take tions with them. Now with the on a Nebraska rushing attack that Nebraska Cornhuskers com- ran for 259 yards this past Saturday ing to town, let’s take a look at against Purdue and doesn’t have some key numbers related to the much for a passing threat. Wisconsin Badgers. The Wisconsin While I won’t front seven must discuss the differneutralize the ence in winning Husker’s running percentage between game to take care that of the Badgers of business in their Advanced stats on Alex and the Cornhuskers first home game Hornibrook because that’s a little since the upset. obvious, let’s dive From rushing into the statistics to passing, the Hornibrooks passer that won’t offend next number is 67. rating this year Nebraska fans. In a crucial drive Let’s start with with 5:40 left in 6.82. Thats the averthe fourth quarter, Hornibrooks completion age yards per rush junior quarterback percentage (Yds/Rush) that Alex Hornibrook the Brigham Young picked apart the University Cougars Iowa defense. He Passing yards through four games had in their upset finished the drive win over the Badgers completing all five at Camp Randall. of his attempts Wisconsin’s defense for 67 yards and a Percent of passes dropped by Badger was eviscerated by touchdown. Dare I recievers the BYU running say, the Wisconsin backs. The Badgers, quarterback however, bounced looked elite. back against Iowa the next week in This game winning drive a big win, holding the Hawkeyes paired with his performance in to a meager 4.77 yards per carry. last year’s bowl game shows why
By Alex Rados THE DAILY CARDINAL
PFF
102.1
63.2% 800
8.4%
BRANDON MOE/THE DAILY CARDUNAL
Alex Hornibrook’s passer rating this year is almost 10 points higher than his career high 94.9 from 2017. Wisconsin fans are continuously optimistic about Hornibrook. However, inconsistency continues to plague him when it matters most. Alex Hornibrook needs to perform well every week to get the national recognition that Wisconsin football is starving for. The possibility of throwing a Heisman hopeful running back, an exceptional offensive line, and a legitimate passing threat at defenses each week would do
wonders for the Badgers in college football playoff conversations. Our final key number is 22. Over the past two years, the Badgers are 1-2 when scoring fewer than 22 points and 15-0 when going over that mark. Yes, this is more noise than signal, but it does highlight Wisconsin’s deficiencies and strengths. Save for a few exceptions, Wisconsin still shouldn’t put Hornibrook in a position where he needs to create a drive to
A M E R I C A’ S C I N E M A B R E W E R Y
win the game. Rather, the Badgers need to take advantage of Jonathan Taylor and the run game. Taking an early lead will force Nebraska to abandon the running game and play catch up football (Spoiler alert: they aren’t good at that). Getting up early and having the game script feature a Heisman level running back and play action will save many years on the lives of Wisconsin fans everywhere. ®
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