There was never a doubt during the Wisconsin Badgers 42-7 clinic against Rutgers.
Wisconsin Badgers football have put up over 40 points in back-to-back wins, something they haven’t accomplished since 2020.
Performance on the offensive side of the ball has been a glaring weakness of the Wisconsin football program this season, but they are finally starting to show glimpses of what fans expected under head coach Luke Fickell.
The Badgers were in control from the get-go in New Jersey on Saturday, marching 89 yards down the field on their opening possession and punching it into the endzone against Rutgers. They took a commanding 14-0 lead in the first quarter, a lead they held onto for the rest of the game.
Braedyn Locke is doing something that Tyler Van Dyke rarely attempted in his time as starting quarterback — he’s airing it out deep. Sure, he has been inaccurate at times, as shown by a first quarter interception thrown into double-coverage. But more often than not, Locke’s deep ball has been a spark plug to a Wisconsin offense that desperately needed it. It has added another layer to an offensive game plan that appeared largely one-dimensional throughout the first four games of the season.
Running back Tawee Walker deserves a ton of credit. The Badgers needed someone in their backfield to step up after Chez Mellusi announced he was stepping away from football to focus on his health, and Walker has done just that and more. In the last two games, Walker rushed for 292 yards and scored six touchdowns. Walker showcased his speed when he broke free for a 55-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, his longest of the season.
This looks like a different football team than the one we saw just a couple of weeks ago. The offense is now averaging 30.0 points per game, seventh-best in the Big Ten right now. The defense has also given up only one touchdown in their past two contests, allowing 13 points in total. Rutgers and Purdue are not as strong opponents as the University of Southern California and Alabama, but it is very refreshing for fans to see dominant performances on both sides of the ball. The offensive turnaround in particular has been exciting, and has given fans hope for the remainder of the season.
“The offense hasn’t just turned around statistically the last two weeks, it has been a clear shift towards deep throws and a defined air raid offense,” season ticket holder and Badgers superfan Harry Falk told The Daily Cardinal.
Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo have been the subject of criticism by Badgers fans and former players alike. Many expected an “air raid” style offense similar to the one Fickell ran in Cincinnati, but the passing game in Wisconsin has been anything but since the 2023 season.
Longo recently came under fire on Twitter by fans and former Wisconsin athletes for lining up in the shotgun on multiple 4th-and-1 situations. Ironically, they did the same thing against Rutgers — except this time, Walker was able to pick up two yards and a touchdown. Regardless of the play calling in certain situations, there is no question that the offense is starting to turn a corner.
Falk believes Fickell and Longo have been “far from perfect” this season, but he admits that if this offensive play continues, “they each deserve an apology from everyone in Madison.”
Consistency will be the Badgers’ key to success for the remainder of the season, especially considering that Wisconsin football will face some strong defenses down the stretch.
While the past couple of games have been fun, the job’s not done. The Badgers play on the road against Northwestern on Saturday followed by a tough matchup against No. 3 Penn State in Madison. Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m., and Camp Randall will be rocking for what should be an electric Big Ten primetime matchup.
