Good, Bad and Ugly From Wisconsin Badgers Win Over Rutgers

Let's break it down.

On Saturday afternoon, the Wisconsin Badgers football team took care of business and remained undefeated in Big Ten play by picking up a 24-13 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Here's a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Badgers win over Rutgers at Camp Randall Stadium in Week 6.

The Good: Wisconsin’s Tackling

One significant issue that's plagued the Wisconsin football team heading into the Rutgers matchup was inconsistent tackling. The Badgers averaged 11.25 missed tackles per game through the first four games. 

But Mike Tressel's defense looked the best it has all season against Rutgers, holding the Scarlet Knights to a season-low 275 total yards, 2-of-12 on third down, and just 64 yards rushing (2.9 YPC). 

The biggest reason why? Tackling didn't suck. 

According to Pro Football Focus, Wisconsin football had just ONE missed tackle in the entire game. Overall, I thought the defense was more gap/assignment sound and showed good physicality. 

This was a significant step in the right direction for a defense that's now held opponents to 17 points or less in all four victories.

The Bad: Badgers Passing Attack Was Uninspiring 

When Wisconsin shifted to an air raid offensive scheme in the offseason, I think most of us knew the Badgers would still run the ball plenty; it's been in their DNA for three decades. 

However, I expected the Wisconsin football offense to sling the ball around the yard much more effectively, given its influx of talent at wide receiver. 

But against Rutgers, the Badgers air raid never took flight.