Football

Wisconsin Football Studs and Duds From Win Over Georgia Southern

Published

5 days ago

September 18, 2023

Wisconsin football players Tanner Mordecai and Chimere Dike celebrate a touchdown.

Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin football team bounced back against Georgia Southern for a 35-14 victory following their loss in Pullman a week ago.

Wisconsin visited the Washington State Cougars last week and lost a tough game against a solid team. The Badgers struggled on both sides of the ball against the Cougars and raised plenty of questions about the future of the team.

Head Coach Luke Fickell has commanded the Badgers for three weeks now and has yet to display the dominant team fans were hoping for. Despite the Badgers failing to find the blowout against the Eagles they wanted, plenty of things went right.

Wisconsin Football Beat Georgia Southern Eagles, 35-14, Behind Five Interception Defensive Performance

Wisconsin football; Badgers TE Tucker Ashcraft

Sep 16, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers tight end Tucker Ashcraft (38) stiff arms Georgia Southern Eagles defensive back TJ Smith (5) during the third quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Wisconsin football aimed to bounce back from their loss against the Eagles by playing an all-around game. Against the Cougars in Pullman, the Badgers struggled to score when they needed to, and likewise could not stop the Cougars when needed. Defensively, the Badgers put on quite the display with six turnovers forced and six sacks as well. Offensively, Wisconsin was able to get the job done, but certainly still looked like a team searching for their identity.

Like every week, below are the Wisconsin Badgers football studs and duds for the win over the Georgia Southern Eagles.

Wisconsin Football Studs: Tucker Ashcraft, Jordan Turner, Hunter Wohler

Generally speaking in the game against the Eagles, Wisconsin had a solid team performance. Due to this, it is rather hard to pick out just three studs following the game, but there are three in particular who deserve it.

Starting with the Freshman tight end Tucker Ashcraft, the game against the Eagles was another chance to prove himself. Wisconsin has struggled to have a consistent offense so far this year, but one thing they have been able to do is run effectively. A key reason as to why the Badgers have been able to do this is due to the blocking from their tight ends. Ashcraft hauled in two receptions for 32 yards and recorded one of the highest offensive grades on the team.

On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Jordan Turner provided consistent pressure and support in the run defense for the Badgers. Turner recorded five tackles and one stop as the Badgers turned into a nightmare for the Georgia Southern offense.

Entering the third game of the season, the Wisconsin Badgers did not have a turnover yet. However, on the second drive, safety Hunter Wohler changed that for the team with a wonderful interception. Wohler did not stop there as he also snagged a second interception later in the game, helping the Badgers climb to five picks on the day. The safety also added 10 tackles and a sack to his fantastic stat line as he commanded the Badgers defense.

Wisconsin Football Duds: Ricardo Hallman, Tanner Mordecai, Jason Maitre

As usual, it is a pain to pick out three players who did perform up to their own expectations. For the third game of the season, two players struggled with the same issue while another still appeared lost on the field.

Both corner backs Ricardo Hallman and Jason Maitre had a difficult time in coverage against the Eagles. The duo combined for 11 receptions and 161 yards, but each defender also had an interception. Despite struggling in coverage and allowing a few big plays, both Maitre and Hallman still played great for the Badgers.

On the offensive side of the ball, Wisconsin football quarterback Tanner Mordecai entered the game with plenty of expectations for himself. The Badgers quarterback has not played well this far into the season. Mordecai currently has a quarterback rating of 39%, along with only two touchdowns. A year ago, Mordecai recorded 33 touchdowns for the Southern Methodist Mustangs. While the Mustangs and Badgers are two different offenses, Mordecai was expected to replicate his play.

Instead, the quarterback has been hit with plenty of adversity as the season progresses. The Senior will need to connect with his receivers downfield in the coming games to help bring the offense alive.

Wisconsin Football Defeats Georgia Southern: Here’s What Stood Out

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Related Topics:Wisconsin Badgers Football Wisconsin Football

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Football

Wisconsin Badgers Football: What Are We DOIN Here?!

Published

28 mins ago

September 23, 2023

Jason Long

Wisconsin Badgers Football head coach Luke Fickell vs. Purdue

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell talks to an official during the NCAA football game against the Purdue Boilermakers, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Wisconsin Badgers won 38-17.

The Wisconsin Badgers football team has been betting favorites in all four games this season, and after suffering a week two loss at Wazzou, the boys have bounced back nicely with back-to-back wins.

Last week on the BadgerNotes After Dark Pod with Coop and Dillon (shameless plug, like, follow, subscribe, comment), I told the fellas that I am just too angry while watching the games when it comes to the Badgers and how they’re playing. I wanted to go into this Purdue game level-headed, as a new man with a positive attitude toward the team.

I’ve found new targets to shift my annoyed, pent-up anger towards.

Wisconsin Football What Are We Doin Here Moment of the Week

As I sat watching the Wisconsin Badgers football team win both games by multiple scores while being incredibly unsettled every time the defense was on the field.

I couldn’t help but notice the announcers damn near cheering for the other team. I get that to some extent when a small dog like Georgia Southern hangs around with a Power Five team. But the entire second half of the Purdue game, we had to listen to Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman be overly excited at every chunk play Purdue had.

Brando was lobbying for a Touchdown at the end of the game for Purdue and was comfortable being completely wrong about it. You would have thought the Pennsylvania School of The Blind was beating up on IMG Academy the way these guys were giddy anytime Purdue moved the sticks.

I’m a sucker for a Cinderella Story, a junkie for a +500 bet, and an absolute slut for an upset.

But, fellas, Wisconsin football & Purdue are BIG Ten opponents in a week-four bout. The spread was less than a touchdown at kickoff. What are we DOIN here?!

The Badgers didn’t play as well in the second half because they played damn near perfect in the first half. So, I’m sure I am overreacting about this. But I’m playing into Wisconsin football vs. The World right now, and nobody is safe from these Twitter fingers.

Brando – Tillman, looking at you boys. Respectfully, What are we DOIN here!?

Wisconsin Football Team Suffers Devastating Blow on Injury Front

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Football

Wisconsin Football Team Suffers Devastating Blow on Injury Front

Published

7 hours ago

September 23, 2023

Dillon Graff

Wisconsin football; Badgers running back Chez Mellusi suffers devastating injury

Sep 22, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Chez Mellusi (1) is taken off the field in a cart after suffering an injury during the second half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

The Wisconsin football program has been hit hard by a gut-wrenching twist of fate, with Badgers sixth-year running back Chez Mellusi suffering what appears to be a season-ending injury.

Our thoughts are with @chez_mellusi and @BadgerFootball. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/NMo3QKaSUX

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 23, 2023

The news has left both the team and fans in shock and has raised questions about the team’s running back depth moving forward.

Mellusi, who returned for a sixth season to make a significant impact on the team, had been a crucial part of the Badgers’ offense. His experience and versatility provided a valuable dimension to the team’s running game, making him a key asset for Head Coach Luke Fickell.

In all likelihood, Mellusi will finish the season with 40 carries for 268 yards (6.7 YPC) and four touchdowns. The 5-foot-11, 212-pound tailback also caught two passes for 14 yards.

Wisconsin Football Faces Uncertain Future Without Chez Mellusi

The injury occurred during the fourth quarter of the game, leaving Chez Mellusi visibly shaken, and he was carted off the field, surrounded by his teammates. It was a stark reminder of the physical toll that football can take on even the most dedicated and talented athletes.

While the full extent of Mellusi’s injury hasn’t been disclosed, the ole eye test suggests it could be a season-ending setback. Wisconsin football now has a significant void to fill in their running back rotation.

One of the critical challenges facing Luke Fickell and his coaching staff is finding a suitable replacement for Mellusi. His unique skill set and experience will not be easily replicated, and the team will be forced to rely on converted fullback Jackson Acker and Cade Yacamelli to fill the No. 2 role behind Braelon Allen.

The loss of Mellusi is not just a blow to the team’s on-field performance but also a heartbreak for a player who had worked tirelessly to contribute to the Badgers’ success.

As the Wisconsin football team navigates this challenging period, the focus now shifts to rallying together and finding a way to continue their season on a positive note. The road ahead is undoubtedly more arduous without Mellusi, but adversity has a way of uniting a team and bringing out their best.

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Football

Wisconsin Football Defeats Purdue: Here’s What Stood Out

Published

9 hours ago

September 22, 2023

Dillon Graff

Wisconsin football; Badgers QB Tanner Mordecai and Bryson Green

Sep 22, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Tanner Mordecai (8) celebrates with Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Bryson Green (9) after running for a touchdown during the first half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

In their Big Ten opener at Ross-Ade Stadium, Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin football program (3-1, 1-0 B1G) secured a 38-17 victory over Purdue (1-3, 0-1 B1G), extending the Badgers winning streak against the Boilermakers to an unprecedented 17 consecutive games.

Here are a few things that stood out from the Wisconsin Badgers week four victory over Ryan Walters and the Purdue Boilermakers.

Wisconsin Football Utilized Tanner Mordecai as a Dual-Threat QB on Friday Night

Wisconsin football needed to get off to a fast start after three consecutive subpar first-half performances, and the Badgers offense answered by jumping out to a 14-0 start behind the legs of quarterback Tanner Mordecai.

He finished the game with 14 carries, amassing 58 yards and scoring twice on the ground while also completing 63% of his passes for 174 yards & one interception.

1st TD in the 📚

pic.twitter.com/x59Kfa253t

— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) September 22, 2023

While Mordecai’s performance wasn’t flawless, his ability to create plays with his legs did help create running opportunities for Braelon Allen. As a result, Allen carried the ball 16 times, racking up 116 yards and scoring two touchdowns.

This new dynamic clearly caught Purdue off guard and played a crucial role in providing the much-needed quick start for the Wisconsin football offense.

Wisconsin Football Just Became Real Thin at Running Back

Chez Mellusi‘s return for a sixth season has had a significant impact on the Badger offense.

Thriving in Phil Longo’s system, Mellusi entered the game as Wisconsin’s leading rusher. Unfortunately, he sustained what appeared to be a significant injury in the fourth quarter, likely marking the end of his collegiate career.

Our thoughts are with @chez_mellusi and @BadgerFootball. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/NMo3QKaSUX

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 23, 2023

With Mellusi out of the picture, Wisconsin football will now turn to converted fullback Jackson Acker and presumably Cade Yacamelli to fill the No. 2 role behind Braelon Allen.

Due to Allen’s injury history, the new coaching staff intended to restrict his number of carries to safeguard his health. Now, Luke Fickell must determine whether they are still willing to adhere to this plan without a 1B tailback at his disposal.

This is a difficult situation for Wisconsin football in general, but it’s especially tough for Mellusi personally. I hope he makes a full recovery because it’s always disheartening to witness a player’s college career conclude in such a manner.

Prayers up.

Other Wisconsin Badgers Musings

Jack Nelson had another brutal game with at least three penalties. I’m not sure what’s going on right now — but I’m shocked at how poor and undisciplined the Stoughton native has been through four games.

***

Wisconsin football found themselves a kicker. Nathaniel Vakos is now 7-for-7 on the season, and it looks like he’s the best placekicking option the Badgers have had since Rafael Gaglianone.

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CJ Williams put together the best game of his Badgers career — which was great to see — finishing with five catches for 56 yards. It was an encouraging sign for the passing attack moving forward.

***

The University of Wisconsin football program might not have a terrific defensive line this year — but James Thompson Jr. is most definitely a dude for the Badgers. He finished with six tackles, 2.0 TFLs, a sack, plus a pass-breakup.