Rutgers – Page 2 – Syndication Server

WATCH: Badgers RB Tawee Walker caps dominant first half with touchdown vs. Rutgers

Wisconsin running back Tawee Walker continued his strong play during the first half of the Badgers’ Week 7 game at Rutgers.

The veteran running back took 18 carries for 93 yards and a touchdown during the half of the contest as the Badgers built a strong two-touchdown lead.

Walker was fantastic in most down-and-distance situations. He and the Badgers ran the ball well in short-yardage situations, on first-and-10 and in every scenario in between, excelling behind a Wisconsin offensive line that continues to play like the best unit on the team.

Walker’s strong first half is highlighted by this two-yard touchdown plunge with time winding down in the first quarter. Wisconsin faced a 4th-and-1 from the Rutgers 2-yard-line. QB Braedyn Locke handed the shotgun snap to Walker, who had little trouble crossing the goal line.

4th & 1? No problem for @BadgerFootball's Tawee Walker 😏#B1GFootball on @BigTenNetwork 📺 pic.twitter.com/O9ayy7M5qK

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 12, 2024

Wisconsin failed to add any further points onto its lead over Rutgers. The Badgers currently sit in halftime with a 14-0 advantage on the scoreboard after a dominant half in every facet.

Walker’s continued emergence is great news for a Wisconsin team that is in search of an offensive identity. He should continue to be a focal point once the second half kicks off.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Rutgers without two top defensive starters for game vs. Wisconsin Badgers

Big news for Rutgers entering today’s game against Wisconsin:

Rutgers will be without key defensive starters cornerback Robert Longerbeam and linebacker Tyreem Powell today against Wisconsin.

The Scarlet Knights’ final pregame injury report broke that news. The report also lists starting cornerback Eric Rogers and wide receiver Ian Strong as ‘questionable.’

Longerbeam and Powell have combined for 30 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception and five pass deflections through Rutgers’ first five games. The two are critical members of a defensive unit that has allowed only 15.8 points per game entering Saturday’s contest.

Rutgers’ defensive depth will be tested against a Wisconsin passing attack that appears to have found its rhythm after a dominant showing against Purdue. Rogers’ possible absence would make the defense down three top starters — two in the secondary. His status will be worth monitoring as game time approaches.

Here’s the #Rutgers Football availability report for today’s noon kickoff vs Wisconsin.

Two veteran starters in CB Robert Longerbeam and LB Tyreem Powell are both OUT. Starters WR Ian Strong and CB Eric Rogers are both QUESTIONABLE. pic.twitter.com/OOKbhvCKjB

— Alec Crouthamel (@AlecCr12) October 12, 2024

Wisconsin’s injury report, meanwhile sees starting WR Bryson Green and backups S Kamo’i Latu and WR Tyrell Henry listed as ‘out.’ Outside linebacker Aaron Witt is the only player listed as ‘questionable.’

The Badgers and Scarlet Knights will kick off at noon ET, 11 a.m. CT on the Big Ten Network and streaming on Fox Sports.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin injury report vs. Rutgers: Badgers without starting wide receiver

Wisconsin (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) has released its final status report before Saturday’s game at Rutgers (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten).

The Badgers will be without starting wide receiver Bryson Green, as well as veteran safety Kamo’i Latu and depth receiver Tyrell Henry.

Green left Wisconsin’s 52-6 win over Purdue with a lower-body injury and did not return to the game. C.J. Williams will likely see an increased snap count in Green’s absence.

Latu and Henry, meanwhile, have both been depth options through the first five games of the season. Their absences will see others step into the primary backup roles at safety and wide receiver, respectively.

Other players listed as ‘out’ include QB Tyler Van Dyke (out for the season), DL James Thompson Jr. (out indefinitely), RB Chez Mellusi (no longer with program), OL Leyton Nelson, TE Rob Booker and WR Joseph Griffin Jr. (ineligible for season).

Outside linebacker Aaron Witt is the only player listed as ‘questionable.’

Wisconsin and Rutgers will kick off at noon ET, 11 a.m. CT on the Big Ten Network and streaming on Fox Sports.

Here is our full weekly preview of the game, including the statistical preview, key players and storylines to watch,

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

10 reasons why Wisconsin will win or lose against Rutgers on Saturday

Why Wisconsin will win, or why Wisconsin will lose Saturday at Rutgers:

Wisconsin (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) enters must-win mode for its Week 7 trip to Rutgers (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten).

The Scarlet Knights are a strong team, currently ranked No. 44 in ESPN SP+. All metric systems, point spreads and previews have Saturday’s game as a mostly-even matchup. Wisconsin and Rutgers are neck-and-neck on paper, so a slight edge goes to the Scarlet Knights with home-field advantage.

The game is a must-win for Wisconsin because it could swing the remainder of the season. A loss would make finishing with six wins a significant challenge, as the team still has remaining games against Penn State, Oregon, Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota. A win, on the other hand, would make some of those late-season contests look like victories — it would mean the Badgers have taken real strides since their poor start to the season.

With that context in mind, it’s time for our weekly look at the reasons why Wisconsin will win or lose on Saturday:

There is an either-or argument after Wisconsin’s blowout win over Purdue: did the Badgers dramatically improve, or are the Boilermakers really that bad? Only time will tell — my guess is a bit of both.

If Wisconsin wins at Rutgers on Saturday, a reason why will be their improvement. The team from the first four games of the season will lose a matchup like this one — on the road against a tough team and tough defense. But maybe the Badgers are past those struggles.

RB Kyle Monangai is the Rutgers offense. He enters Saturday with 667 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 116 total carries through five games — good for a 5.8 yards-per-carry average. When he scores, Rutgers wins. When he doesn’t, Rutgers loses. It’s that simple.

Rutgers’ path to victory is a big game from Monangai and QB Athan Kaliakmanis not needing to do much with his arm. The reverse of that would play right into the Badgers’ hands.

Wisconsin could beat Rutgers if Saturday against Purdue was Phil Longo’s offense finding its stride.

‘It,’ in this case, could be touches for Trech Kekahuna and Vinny Anthony, steady play from QB Braedyn Locke, or a rededication to the ground game. Whatever it is, Longo’s offense needs to build an identity. Another strong showing could do just that.

One thing that is clear after watching Purdue through five weeks is that its offense is not good. It felt like Wisconsin holding the unit to six points and 216 total yards was more about the Boilermakers’ struggles than anything the Badgers did particularly well.

Questions still remain about the quality of Wisconsin’s front seven. That group will be tested by Monangai and Rutgers’ play-action-heavy offense. Rutgers’ OC is Kirk Ciarrocca — a coach who gave the Badgers trouble when he was at Minnesota (2017-19, 2022). His attack stresses the middle of the defense, which is part of a Wisconsin front seven that has underwhelmed through five games.

There is a chance that Rutgers’ 4-1 record and perceived quality is inflated after big blowout wins to start the season.

For example, it beat Washington 21-18. But Washington out-gained Rutgers 521-229, didn’t turn the football over and still somehow lost. The Scarlet Knights, generally speaking, haven’t been overly impressive against the solid teams on its schedule.

Wisconsin could find a comfortable victory if Rutgers’ start is more about an easy slate and a few good bounces than the team being any good.

I don’t know why, but this game screams as one where Wisconsin may be forced into back-breaking mistakes.

Those mistakes — failed fourth-down conversions, missed field goals, fumbles, interceptions and muffed punts — have defined each of the Badgers’ losses this season. They also almost cost the team in its wins over South Dakota and Purdue.

Wisconsin has been prone to making big mistakes. Rutgers, so far, has capitalized on them. Saturday could be about the team that plays the cleanest game from start to finish.

Wisconsin sacked Purdue QB Hudson Card three times on Saturday — by far its best output of the season to date. Kaliakmanis, like Card, has the mobility to move around in the pocket. But if Wisconsin somehow found its pass-rushing groove, it shouldn’t have much trouble stopping Purdue. Nebraska sacked Kaliakmanis four times in its 14-7 win last weekend.

Rutgers’ defense appears to be quite good, that part of the matchup isn’t much of a question. The unit is led by a strong secondary with experienced seniors across the board — CB Eric Rogers, CB Robert Longerbeam, CB Desmond Igbinosun, S Shaquan Loyal, S Flip Dixon.

Wisconsin could find some trouble in this contest if QB Braedyn Locke is tasked with winning the game with his arm. He was able to find open receivers against a bad Purdue defense, but that won’t be the case against this Rutgers secondary. The more times Locke is forced to throw, the worse Wisconsin’s chances get.

This is the same story as Locke, just even more severe. Rutgers is 4-0 when Kaliakmanis attempts 25 or fewer passes — or when Monangai excels running the football. It is 0-1 when he is forced to throw the football. The veteran quarterback went 15 of 37 passing in Rutgers’ loss to Nebraska for just 186 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

Wisconsin wants Kaliakmanis to throw against its strong secondary. The more time he does, the better chance the Badgers have of winning the game.

Nothing has defined Wisconsin’s season to date more than its lack of consistency. It had great drives against Alabama, then turned around and allowed a quick-strike touchdown. It led USC 21-10 at halftime, then got blanked 28-0 in the second half. It even struggled for a moment against Purdue before running away with a dominant victory.

If Wisconsin doesn’t beat Rutgers, it’s because the team still hasn’t found a way to consistently put four good quarters together.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin true freshman cornerback continues strong start to 2024 season

Wisconsin true freshman cornerback Xavier Lucas was ProFootballFocus’ highest-graded true freshman cornerback from Week 6 in college football.

His strong afternoon in the Badgers’ 52-6 blowout win over Rutgers only continues what has been an impressive start to his college career.

Lucas joined the Badgers this offseason as a four-star recruit in the class of 2024. He was ranked as only the No. 372 player in the class, No. 35 safety and No. 52 recruit from his home state of Florida.

It is safe to say he is already surpassing those rankings.

Lucas has played a significant role in a Wisconsin secondary that has been a strength of the team through five games. Individually, he has five tackles, a pass deflection and an interception in that time. His performance against Purdue included one tackle and that pass deflection.

https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1843405188369178689

Fewer statistics are often a good sign for a cornerback. That means the ball is thrown their way less frequently, which means the player is doing well in coverage. Wisconsin star cornerback Ricardo Hallman has only seven tackles and two pass deflections this season, for example. Those numbers are low because teams don’t throw him the football.

Lucas’ ascension to a primary role on the Badgers defense is overly impressive given his age and lack of experience. His strong play has backed up that significant role. His play should also only improve as he spends more time in Luke Fickell and Mike Tressel’s defensive system.

I’d bet it’s hard to find a true freshman cornerback who has been more impressive through the first five games of the young season.

Lucas and the Wisconsin secondary will continue to be tested coming up with games against top offenses including Penn State (No. 12 offense in ESPN SP+) and Oregon (No. 5).

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin starting tackle PFF’s highest-graded Big Ten lineman from Week 6

Wisconsin left tackle Jack Nelson was ProFootballFocus’ highest-graded Big Ten offensive lineman from Week 6.

He earned an overall grade of 90.1 in the Badgers’ big 52-6 win over the Purdue Boilermakers.

Nelson is a significant part of an offensive line that has been arguably Wisconsin’s biggest strength through its first five games of the 2024 season. The unit was solid in tough losses to Alabama and USC, then had an all-around dominant showing against Purdue.

Last Saturday saw the line lead the Badgers offense to 589 total yards (361 passing, 228 rushing), 28 first downs and seven touchdowns, all without allowing a sack.

PFF’s grades only confirm Nelson’s strong play leading the group. The redshirt senior is one of several on the line who have improved their performance in the second year under coordinator Phil Longo.

👀👀 https://t.co/srvy5iQ0nA

— Bucky’s 5th Quarter (@B5Q) October 8, 2024

Nelson’s current form is great news for his chances at being selected in the upcoming NFL draft. The four-year starter has had ups and downs — with the rest of the Wisconsin offensive line. His trajectory on the blindside of a line that appears to be improving by the week could see him rise to an early day two selection.

First, he’ll need to continue his strong performance against a challenging remaining schedule. The Badgers first face a good Rutgers defense in Week 7, then have remaining games against top teams including Penn State (No. 6 in ESPN SP+), Iowa (No. 29), Oregon (No. 7) and Nebraska (No. 26).

Key No. 1 to Wisconsin succeeding against that schedule and extending its record bowl streak is continued strong play from Nelson and the offensive line.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell discusses Chez Mellusi’s departure from Badgers program

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell discussed Chez Mellusi’s recent departure from the Badgers program during his media availability on Monday.

The news broke last Thursday that Mellusi was stepping away from the program, reportedly to ‘continue rehabbing injuries that prevented him from playing to his expectation.’

Fickell was not asked about the timeline surrounding Mellusi’s departure after Wisconsin’s 52-6 win over Purdue on Saturday. The focus of his postgame press conference was the team’s strong performance — including the stellar play of the team’s running back room.

Now that the dust settled on the win, Fickell took time to expand on Mellusi’s departure. Here is the full question and answer sequence:

Q: ‘I know this is last week’s news, but Chez stepping away from the program. What kind of conversations, if at all, did you have with him and how did that all play out?

Fickell: “Look, it’s not my spot to sit up here and to speculate on all of the things that are going through him. But I probably had a good hour, two hours, of conversation with him. Spent a lot of time with him. It just is what it is.

For him to be able to get away and try to get healthy, to be honest with you. We all have this expectation, that played the game. Your mind and your body have this expectation of how you are going to play. When you can’t do that it makes it really difficult. Sometimes, that’s because you can’t do it because, you know, maybe the opportunities aren’t there. Then sometimes deep down inside, maybe the health and things aren’t there. Sometimes as we get older, I compared it a little bit, I don’t want to say me, but at some point in time I stopped wrestling because where my mind was and where I wanted to be, I probably wasn’t, in a short amount of time, where I was going to get to.

So it was a little bit. It was a tough thing. But it wasn’t like ‘I’m outta here’ or ‘get out of here.’ We spent a lot of time together. Had a lot of conversations. We’ll continue to communicate. Who knows what it will lead to. That’s just one of those situations that’s not the easiest thing in the world. He’s been through a lot, he’s done a lot. I think his body just, right now, isn’t where his mind is.”

Wisconsin rushed for 228 yards on 5.6 yards per carry on Saturday against Purdue. Tawee Walker led the way with 19 carries, 94 yards and three rushing touchdowns.

The Badgers now move forward with Walker, true freshman Darrion Dupree and Cade Yacamelli as the top three at the position. The trio will be relied upon heavily as tough matchups remain against Rutgers (No. 44 in SP+), Penn State (No. 6), Iowa (No. 29), Oregon (No. 7), Nebraska (No. 26) and Minnesota (No. 41).

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin rises in ESPN FPI after big win over Purdue

The Wisconsin Badgers are trending positively after their dominant 52-6 win over Purdue on Saturday.

The win snapped the team’s two-game losing streak, improved it to 3-2 on the season and 1-1 in Big Ten play and, importantly, gave a glimpse at its ceiling. Wisconsin had not put together a complete, four-quarter performance to date. The win over the Boilermakers did have minor moments of struggle, but it’s the closest the Badgers have come to a complete showing.

Dominant wins lead to ratings improvements. That is seen in ESPN FPI, which lifted the Badgers eight spots to No. 54 in the nation.

Big Ten teams ranked below the Badgers are now Purdue (No. 114), Northwestern (No. 87), UCLA (No. 74) and Michigan State (No. 66). The Badgers narrowly trail Minnesota (No. 51), Illinois (No. 47) and Rutgers (No. 44).

Wisconsin gets to test its progress next Saturday with a road trip to Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are off a narrow 14-7 loss to Nebraska but still sit 4-1 on the season. A decisive victory could see Wisconsin begin to rise back to the mid-30s ranking it held to begin the season.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Expert score prediction: Nebraska vs. Rutgers

What’s your prediction?

The Nebraska Cornhuskers return home following a 28-10 bounce-back win over the Purdue Boilermakers. However, the win wasn’t pretty. Penalties and missed field goals riddled the first half before the Huskers cleaned up in the second. Now, they’re facing a team that thrives on opponent’s mistakes.

Rutgers is 4-0 on the season, but several key moments in their last two wins went in their favor. In the Scarlet Knights’ win over Virginia Tech, the Hokies struggled in the first, which saw a punt return fumble that became a Rutgers touchdown.

Virginia Tech also failed a fourth-down conversion and coughed up a safety, giving Rutgers a 16-7 lead. The Scarlet Knights scored a touchdown out of halftime and almost did it again after the Hokies fumbled on the next drive. Rutgers failed on fourth and goal.

The Scarlet Knights managed to get a go-ahead field goal after Virginia Tech tied the game 23-23. But were it not for some of the Hokies’ mistakes, Rutgers would not have snatched the win.

The same occurred in last week’s bout against Washington. The Huskies only punted twice on their 11 drives but missed three field goals and failed two fourth-down conversions.

The play of the game, however, occurred when Washington allowed a blocked field goal to turn into a Rutgers touchdown due to a 12th player coming onto the field in celebration following the block. Washington also coughed up penalties that halted drives, resulting in points scored.

These scenarios are too similar to Nebraska’s win over Purdue, which the Huskers cannot allow to happen again. Nebraska continues to control its own fate each game, and the same applies here.

The offense needs to be clean and stop letting penalties halt drives. The defense can’t let Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis go off in his third game against the Huskers. The same can be said about Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai, who averages 6.1 rushing yards off 97 total carries. Finally, Nebraska needs to capitalize on field goal opportunities, not allowing any blocks or misses.

If the Huskers can carry their second-half play against Purdue into this game, they’ll be fine.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 24, Rutgers 14

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.

Wisconsin 2024 opponent loses starting linebacker to season-ending injury

Rutgers will be without one of its defensive leaders when the Wisconsin Badgers visit on Oct. 12.

That is star linebacker Mohamed Toure, who Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said this week will miss the entire 2024 season with a torn ACL.

The game at Rutgers is one of the critical games on the Badgers’ 2024 schedule. A Rutgers matchup usually means a look-ahead win for Wisconsin. The 2024 Scarlet Knights, however, project to be much better than the program’s normal form.

The Oct. 12 game in Piscataway, New Jersey is actually one of the seven games on Wisconsin’s schedule where ESPN FPI currently favors the opposing team. Right now, ESPN FPI gives Rutgers a 56% chance to win.

Toure’s injury is a major blow to Schiano’s veteran-heavy team, however. The star linebacker was second on the team in tackles (93), first in TFLs (9.5) and first in sacks (4.5) last season. Those marks helped the Scarlet Knights finish 2023 at No. 16 in the nation in total defense — that against a gauntlet schedule that included Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State.

Greg Schiano just announced that LB and senior captain Mo Toure will be out for the season with a torn ACL. It's a significant blow for a defense that was counting on his dynamic ability. More to come.

— Pat Lanni (@PatLanniNJ) August 20, 2024

Rutgers’ 2024 slate is by far the easiest in the conference. It lines up for the team to make a push for College Football Playoff contention, if all goes right. The loss of Toure will definitely make that quest harder. It may even be a difference when the Badgers come to town.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.