Good, Bad and Ugly From Wisconsin Football Win Over Illinois

In a thrilling comeback, Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers football team (5-2, 3-1 B1G) secured their signature win of the season, claiming a 25-21 road victory over Illinois.

Here’s a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Badgers win over Illinois in Week 8.

The Good: Wisconsin Football in Good Hands at QB

Braedyn Locke demonstrated remarkable composure in his first start for Wisconsin, particularly during the Badgers game-winning drive. 

Locke exhibited accuracy & command of the offense all day, especially in critical third-down situations, where he completed 7-of-12 passes for 77 yards. Although his stats (240 yards passing and two touchdowns) might not entirely illustrate his strong performance, the Texas native showed poise in the face of pressure and overcame challenges, like penalties and dropped passes, which was quite impressive. 

His connection with receiver Will Pauling showed promise. The speedy slot wideout was targeted 11 times, hauling in seven catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. It’s also worth noting that nine different Wisconsin Badgers caught passes on Saturday — an aspect of the game I found particularly impressive.

Here come the badgers. 😤@Will_Paul6 x @BadgerFootball

📺: FS1/@CFBonFox pic.twitter.com/Q54Y7BoMpN

— Wisconsin On BTN (@WisconsinOnBTN) October 21, 2023

While there’s always room for improvement, Locke’s performance in this comeback win showcased why Wisconsin football should feel good about him as a potential starting option now and in the future. 

The Bad: Wisconsin Football Pass Protection 

I’ll try to keep this one short and sweet: for as poor as the Wisconsin football offensive line looked as run blockers…they were even worse in pass protection against Illinois on Saturday. 

Joe Huber and Michael Furtney got bullied—no way around it. Riley Mahlman didn’t show up either. Braedyn Locke was pressured 11 times on the afternoon, nine of which were credited to those three players. 

That’s unacceptable. 

Wisconsin’s offensive line hasn’t been as bad as you might typically read on the internet, but relative to the bar of expectation at OL-U, it’s not been anything to write home about. Getting more athletic on the offensive line will be a must this offseason. 

The Ugly: Penalty Troubles 

Unforced errors plagued the Wisconsin football team once again, with six penalties (five accepted) in the first quarter alone. 

False starts, holding penalties, and offside infringements disrupted their offensive flow early in the game. I legitimately felt bad for Braedyn Locke early in the game because he never got a fair chance to establish any rhythm. Jack Nelson added two more penalties — and right tackle Riley Mahlman had one of his own. 

These early penalties need to be addressed, especially with a formidable opponent like Ohio State on the horizon. Cleaning up their act in this area will be crucial for the Badgers moving forward. I don’t know what else to say — this is maddening, and Wisconsin isn’t good enough to consistently overcome these miscues. 

The victory over Illinois was an impressive comeback. Still, Wisconsin football must address its penalty issues and continue to give Braedyn Locke the best environment to succeed and develop. 

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