Good, Bad and Ugly From Wisconsin Football Loss to Washington State

Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin football program received a slice of humble pie on Saturday night, losing their week two matchup on the road to the Washington State Cougars 31-22.

Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Badgers loss to Wazzu.

The Good: Wisconsin Football Clawed Its Way Back

It’s hard to come away feeling good anytime you lose, especially to a less talented team on paper. However, I was encouraged by the Wisconsin Badgers making adjustments at halftime and clawing their way back into the game.

Tanner Mordecai was under pressure all night and didn’t have the threat of a run game to help open things up, but in the third quarter, he willed Wisconsin football back into the game. During that quarter, Mordecai completed 10-of-12 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown to Skyler Bell. 

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— Badgers Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) September 11, 2023

Pro Football Focus had Mordecai as Wisconsin’s highest-graded offensive player, with an 83.0, which is even more impressive when you consider he was under pressure 11 different times in the game.

The air raid offense hasn’t taken off yet for several reasons, but Mordecai’s demeanor and ability to lead and deliver quick/accurate strikes to his wideouts is one thing that stood out to me, even if the Badgers didn’t win it in the end. 

The Bad: Wisconsin Football Couldn’t Run the Ball 

Everyone knew Wazzu was a big test for the Wisconsin football team. The Badgers were upset by Washington State last season, and after an offseason full of transformations — this was UW’s first big test to show the country that the culture was changing for the better. 

But Wisconsin fell flat on its face. 

After struggling to move the ball in the first half against Buffalo, the Badgers got back to winning the old-fashioned way — and ran the ball down their opponent’s throats. 

But Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi were both kept in check against Wazzu, and the offensive line didn’t provide them running lanes — something was just off. Allen carried the ball seven times for 20 yards, and Mellusi touched the ball 12 times for 49 yards, a touchdown & a fumble. 

For the Wisconsin football offense to fire on all cylinders, it will need the threat of both the run and the pass to open up big play opportunities, and this past week, they were painfully one-dimensional. 

The Ugly: Jack Nelson

Anyone who knows me understands how talented I think the Badgers left tackle, Jack Nelson, is. He’s arguably Wisconsin’s top-rated NFL talent. But against Washington State, you’d have never guessed that. 

According to PFF, Nelson allowed five pressures, three QB hurries, and two strip sacks (one of which went for a TD) in 50 pass-blocking sets. 

It was apparent that the Cougars’ speed rushers were too much for him to handle, at least on this particular night — and his abysmal performance was detrimental to the success of the Wisconsin football offense.  

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