Studs and Duds: Wisconsin Football Suffers Dramatic Big Ten Loss

Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin Badgers football team traveled to take on the 2-6 Indiana Hoosiers and left with another loss on their record.

Wisconsin came out flat against the Hoosiers and never quite found a rhythm against the struggling team. The Hoosiers finally snapped their six-game conference losing streak after taking down the Badgers. Now, Wisconsin will have to shift their focus towards the Northwestern Wildcats who are set to visit Madison.

Wisconsin Badgers Football Reaches Low Point Following Indiana Loss

The Wisconsin football team entered their game against the Indiana Hoosiers with a chance to potentially solidify their bowl chances. However, the Badgers failed to do so while playing against arguably the worst opponent left on their schedule. What truly seemed to go wrong for the Badgers started and ended with their game-planning and preparation.

The majority of the plays the Wisconsin football ran felt as if they were in slow-motion. The Hoosiers were a step ahead the entire game and took advantage of multiple errors that the Badgers committed. Wisconsin still must face Northwestern, Nebraska, and Minnesota this season with their chances at a bowl game still on the line.

While the Badgers certainly did plenty wrong against Indiana, there were surprisingly some bright spots that made themselves present.

Wisconsin Badgers Studs: Bryson Green, Jackson Acker, Atticus Bertrams

To the surprise of most, Wisconsin still did some positive things against the Indiana Hoosiers despite their loss. The positives started with wide receiver Bryson Green, who emerged as a potential offensive threat for the first time this season. Green hauled in four receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown, adding a big 54-yard play to bring the Badgers closer.

Green cut-up the Hoosiers defense and consistently created space, which could be a sign of what is to come in the future for the receiver. Another offensive player that showcased his all-around ability against Indiana was running back Jackson Acker. Acker carried the ball 11 times for 48 yards, caught four passes, and also held one of the highest blocking ratings on the team.

Acker finished the game with a 78.4 pass block rating and proved just how valuable he is during Braelon Allen’s absence.

Perhaps one of the better performances of the day from the Wisconsin football team came from punter Atticus Bertrams. Bertrams punted five times and did not allow a single return. The punter had a long of 51-yards and kept the Hoosiers inside their own 20-yard line twice.

Duds: Phil Longo, Will Pauling, Ricardo Hallman

The first ‘Dud’ of the game was Offensive Coordinator Phil Longo due to the struggles the offense has continued to endure.

Longo was brought into the Wisconsin football program to make a serious difference offensively. The result has been just the opposite thus far as Wisconsin currently has the 93rd ranked offense according to PFF. One of the biggest issues for Longo has been the speed and timing of the offense this season, as they continue to draw penalties and fail to connect on deep-balls.

Another major issue this season for the Wisconsin football team has been drops. Against the Hoosiers, wide receiver Will Pauling was responsible for two crucial drops that could have extended drives for the Badgers. Drops continue to plague the Badgers and have begun to effect the play of their quarterbacks as well.

On the defensive side of the ball, the biggest issue for the Wisconsin Badgers football team was their soft coverage. The Badgers allowed too much space, and corner back Ricardo Hallman was one of the main culprits. Hallman had his worst game of the season in coverage, which was uncharacteristic for the usual lock-down defender.

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