Wisconsin held on to defeat Western Michigan 28-14 on Friday night, improving to 1-0 on the young 2024 season.
The final score tells the story of a comfortable, multiple-possession victory. The actual game was far from that. Overall, the Badgers’ performance was, in a few words, uninspiring.
Wisconsin led just 10-7 at halftime after scoring a touchdown on only one of its first four trips to the red zone. The problems persisted into the second half, as Western Michigan got out to a 14-13 lead early in the fourth quarter before a fortunate bounce of the football handed Wisconsin the momentum.
WHAT A PLAY!!@BadgerFootball comes up with it on the punt! pic.twitter.com/vZrDTxwBzK
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 31, 2024
The Badgers rode that momentum to a touchdown and two-point conversion, a big-time fourth-down stop on defense, and a game-sealing score.
Running backs Chez Mellusi and Tawee Walker led the way with 34 combined carries for 140 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Tyler Van Dyke added 192 yards through the air and a rushing touchdown on the ground. He showed glimpses of NFL potential and high level play, though also struggled at times to keep the ball out of harms way.
Luke Fickell’s team will enter Week 2 with a 1-0 record, which is technically all that matters. But the team’s overall performance reminded of its struggles to open 2023 against Buffalo, struggles which went on to forecast some of the growing pains to come.
Wisconsin is back in action next Saturday against South Dakota (FCS). It will be a final tune-up before Alabama visits Madison on Sept. 14.
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