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Photo gallery from Wisconsin football’s narrow loss to No. 1 Oregon

Best photos from Wisconsin’s narrow loss to No. 1 Oregon in Week 12

The Wisconsin Badgers lost to No. 1 Oregon 16-13 on Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium. The loss marked Wisconsin’s third in a row, as the team is now 5-5 on the season and 3-4 in Big Ten play.

The Badgers looked markedly better on the defensive side of the ball versus the Ducks, limiting the No. 1 team in the country to a season-low 16 total points. That output came thanks to big plays in key moments, starting with Nyzier Fourqurean’s interception off Dillon Gabriel in the first quarter.

Wisconsin entered the halftime break up 10-6, in a strong position to pull the upset win.

The Badgers then got a stop to open the second half before embarking on a nearly nine-minute, 16-play drive that ended with a field goal. It expanded Wisconsin’s lead to 13-6, which remained the score to open the fourth quarter.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Gabriel was able to complete a 15-yard pass to tight end Terrance Ferguson to convert a fourth-and-nine. The Ducks finished off the drive with a touchdown on the ground by running back Jordan James, knotting the game up at 13-13.

Oregon later added a field goal with less than three minutes left in the game and the Badgers weren’t able to answer, falling 16-13.

Wisconsin will now travel to face Nebraska at Lincoln Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 23. In the meantime, here some of the best photos from Wisconsin’s almost historic upset against the Ducks:

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes: Series history, all-time record

The Wisconsin Badgers (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) travel to face the Iowa Hawkeyes (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) in Iowa City, Iowa on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT. It will be the 98th all-time meeting between the two programs, who will go to battle for the Heartland Trophy.

The Badgers own a slight all-time advantage, going 49-46-2 against the Hawkeyes. That being said, Wisconsin has dropped back-to-back matchups against Iowa for the first time since 2008-2009.

The Hawkeyes defeated the Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium 15-6 in 2023, a game in which Braedyn Locke had to replace starting quarterback Tanner Mordecai after Mordecai suffered a broken hand.

Iowa was forced to go to their backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan in Week 9 against Northwestern, defeating the Wildcats 40-14. Starter Cade McNamara has been ruled out for Week 10 against the Badgers, so Sullivan will draw another start. Formerly a member of the Wildcats, Sullivan transferred to Iowa prior to this season, but he has faced Wisconsin in the past, completing 11 of 17 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown in a 42-7 loss to the Badgers in 2022.

Wisconsin saw its three-game win streak come to an end in Week 9, falling to No. 3 Penn State at home 28-13. Tawee Walker was limited to just 59 rushing yards on 22 carries, his lowest total since becoming the team’s primary option in the backfield. The Badgers are now 3-2 in the Big Ten so far this season, currently tied for fourth place with five teams in the conference, including Iowa.

Photo gallery from Wisconsin’s loss to No. 3 Penn State

Wisconsin fell to No. 3 Penn State 28-13 on Saturday.

The loss halts the Badgers’ momentum after it entered the contest riding a three-game winning streak. The Nittany Lions were favored in the game and picked by many to win, but the loss still delivers a deflating blow to the Badgers’ rest-of-season outlook.

A big part of that deflating impact was the context surrounding the loss. Wisconsin led 10-7 at halftime before the scales tipped in the opposite direction. Saturday will feel like a significant missed opportunity for a Wisconsin program badly in need of a signature win to kickstart the Luke Fickell era.

The Badgers are now 0-5 against ranked opponents since Fickell took over in 2023. That mark tells the story.

Before the team changes attention to its Week 10 trip to rival Iowa, here is a look at some of the best photos from the tough primetime loss:

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions: Series history, all-time record

The Wisconsin Badgers (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) host No. 3 Penn State (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT. It will be the 21st all-time meeting between the two programs.

The Badgers have gone 9-11 in the team’s 20 previous matchups with the Nittany Lions, dropping five in a row and seven of eight overall. The last time the two teams faced each other was in Week 1 of the 2021 season, with Penn State winning 16-10 in Madison.

In that contest, running back Chez Mellusi churned out 132 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries for Wisconsin, while quarterback Graham Mertz completed 22 of 37 passes for 185 yards, also throwing two interceptions.

On the other side, quarterback Sean Clifford completed 18 of 33 pass attempts for 247 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Jahan Dotson reeled in five catches for 102 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Wisconsin traveled to the Penn State goal line trailing 16-10 with one minute remaining in the game. The Badgers failed to score, and fell by that same margin.

Penn State was idle in Week 8 of the college football season after defeating USC 33-30 in overtime in Week 7. The Nittany Lions trailed by 14 points in the second half before coming back to win. Quarterback Drew Allar finished his day with 391 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

The Badgers were able to extend their win streak to three in a row last Saturday, knocking off Northwestern 23-3 on the road. Running back Tawee Walker compiled 126 rushing yards on 23 carries while quarterback Braedyn Locke produced 160 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception while completing 14 of 24 passes.

Wisconsin is now 3-1 in the Big Ten so far this year and currently sit in fifth place in the conference.

Best photos from Wisconsin’s win over Northwestern Wildcats

Best photos from Wisconsin’s convincing win over Northwestern Wildcats

The Wisconsin Badgers defeated Northwestern 23-3 on the road Saturday afternoon in Evanston, Illinois. The victory was Wisconsin’s third in a row — and was revenge for their 24-10 defeat at the hands of the Wildcats in 2023.

It wasn’t the prettiest of contests, but Wisconsin took advantage of some critical mistakes by Northwestern, most notably recovering a fumble within the five-yard line with less than a minute left in the first half. Cade Yacamelli ultimately punched it in for a score, giving the Badgers a 14-0 halftime advantage. Additionally, the Wisconsin defense blocked a field goal and recorded a safety in the victory.

As a whole, the Badgers compiled 199 rushing yards in the game, with Tawee Walker leading the way with 23 carries for 123 yards. Quarterback Braedyn Locke completed 14 of 24 passes while recording a touchdown and an interception against the Wildcats.

Mike Tressel’s defense held Northwestern to 209 total yards, limiting quarterback Jack Lausch to a miniscule 82 passing yards while completing nine of 24 passes.

The Badgers will have a massive contest with No. 3 Penn State at home in Week 9 as they’ll attempt to pull off the upset and secure their fourth consecutive victory. In the meantime, here are some of the best photos from Wisconsin’s convincing win in Evanston:

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Northwestern Wildcats: Series history, all-time record

The Wisconsin Badgers (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) travel to face the Northwestern Wildcats (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) in Evanston, Illinois on Saturday at noon ET, 11:00 a.m. CT. It will be the 106th all-time meeting between the two storied prodgrams.

The Badgers own the all-time advantage, posting a 61-39-5 record against the Wildcats. Facing Northwestern on the road, however, has been quite the challenge in recent history. Since 2003, Wisconsin has gone 2-6 in games in Evanston — though they did win their most recent road matchup 42-7 in 2022.

The Wildcats pulled off a dominant 24-10 win over the Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium in 2023. Many describe the contest as the low point for Wisconsin in Luke Fickell’s first campaign as head coach.

Northwestern most recently defeated Maryland 37-10 on the road in Week 7, snapping a two-game losing skid. Maryland out-gained the Wildcats 355 yards to 283, but the Terrapins turned the ball over four times, opening the door for Northwestern to take advantage.

Wisconsin, on the other hand, dominated Rutgers on the road last week, defeating the Scarlet Knights 42-7. Tawee Walker compiled 198 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries and he’s now scored eight times over his last three games. The Badgers are 2-1 in the Big Ten so far this season and currently sit in ninth place in the conference.

Wisconsin running back joins elite company in 42-7 victory over Rutgers

Wisconsin running back Tawee Walker joined some elite Badger company following his monster performance against Rutgers on Saturday.

After rushing for three touchdowns vs. the Scarlet Knights in New Jersey, Walker joined Melvin Gordon and Jonathan Taylor as the third UW running back to record three straight multi-touchdown games since 2014.

Alongside his three rushing scores, Walker registered 198 rushing yards and three receiving yards on 25 total touches.

In Week 6 against the Purdue Boilermakers, the senior back accounted for three more scores and 94 rushing yards off 19 carries. A week prior, the former Oklahoma Sooner burst onto the scene for the Badgers with 55 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Walker’s emergence arrives at the perfect time for offensive coordinator Phil Longo. Since news broke that Chez Mellusi would be leaving the program, Walker has become Wisconsin’s most reliable rushing threat.

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The company Walker joins is no joke. Taylor, now a star in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, pocketed a pair of Doak Walker Awards with the Badgers during his collegiate tenure. Gordon, meanwhile, was the 2014 Heisman runner-up and set the FBS record for career rushing average with 7.79 yards per carry when he left Madison.

Through five appearances, Walker has rushed for 439 yards, nine touchdowns and 87.8 yards per game. His next opportunity to reach the end zone will be on Oct. 19 against Northwestern on the road.

Wisconsin Badgers offense reaches yardage significant milestone for first time since 2010

Wisconsin offense reaches yardage significant milestone for first time since 2010

The Wisconsin Badgers have appeared nearly unbeatable in their past two games.

In their dominant 42-7 win over Rutgers on Saturday, UW topped 500 for the second consecutive Big Ten game for the first time since 2010. To put that into context, Bret Bielema served as head coach, Paul Chryst manned the sidelines as offensive coordinator and James White, Montee Ball and J.J. Watt wreaked havoc on the offensive and defensive ends of the gridiron.

UW notched 549 total yards against the Scarlet Knights on Saturday afternoon, a week after its 589-yard performance in the 52-6 win over the Purdue Boilermakers.

For the second straight game, UW’s running back unit dominated from start to finish. The group, headlined by workhorse running back Tawee Walker, accounted for 309 yards of offense against the Scarlet Knights on Saturday.

Against Purdue, the group posted 236 total rush yards against a struggling defensive unit. Nonetheless, the yardage speaks to the emerging talent on Wisconsin’s offensive side of the ball.

Following the recent departure of Badger veteran Chez Mellusi, Walker has become a go-to option for offensive coordinator Phil Longo in his air-raid scheme. The senior transfer from Oklahoma combined to rush for 292 yards and six touchdowns against Purdue and Rutgers on Oct. 5 and Oct. 12, respectively.

#Badgers with 500+ yards in back-to-back Big Ten games for the first time since 2010.

— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) October 12, 2024

Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke has also blended splash plays with efficiency against the two Big Ten foes. He threw for 359 yards against Purdue and 240 vs. Rutgers and completed nearly 68% of his throws in the process.

Following some initial criticism during losses to No. 7 Alabama and USC, Wisconsin’s offense has appeared to discover a rhythm. The crew will return to the field on Oct. 19 against the Northwestern Wildcats.

LISTEN: Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell’s postgame remarks following big win at Rutgers

For the second consecutive week, Wisconsin has dominated its opposition from start to finish.

On Saturday, the Badgers decimated Rutgers 42-7, and head coach Luke Fickell caught up with the Big Ten Network’s Brooke Fletcher after the game. Here’s his assessment of the offense:

“You’re seeing more balance,” Fickell said. “[We’re] relying upon those big guys up front and establishing some things running the football as well as being able to take some shots down the field. This is the complimentary football we’re talking about…we came out in the second half and did what we needed to do.”

Fickell also offered some thoughts about offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s play calling and scheme against the Scarlet Knights on Saturday.

“He’s doing a great job,” Fickell said. “The sign of a good coach, the sign of a good team is guys that continue to get better. This is a team that continues to get better because of the leadership in that locker room, they’re want-to, and then everybody around us, they’re want to as well.”

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For the second straight game, Wisconsin allowed seven or fewer points on defense. They also did so in their 52-6 thumping against the Purdue Boilermakers at Camp Randall Stadium last weekend.

“It’s eliminating the big plays,” Fickell said. “We gave up a couple today, but we were strong in the red zone. We want some of those things back to be a bit greedy, but another group that is really grown and seeing their best ball as we continue to move forward.”

Wisconsin can continue to flex its offensive and defensive muscle against the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Illinois, on Oct. 19.

Wisconsin running back posts career rushing performance in win over Rutgers

Wisconsin veteran running back Tawee Walker stole the show for the Badgers its their 42-7 victory over Rutgers on Saturday.

The North Las Vegas, Nevada, native totaled 24 carries for 198 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the blowout win. He also reeled in one catch for three yards to eclipse 200 yards from scrimmage in Wisconsin’s 35-point win.

With the effort, Walker became the first Wisconsin running back to rush for at least 198 yards in a road game since Jonathan Taylor did so against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Nov. 16, 2019, in Lincoln, Nebraska. The output was also the most by a Badger since Braelon Allen accumulated 228 on the ground on Nov. 20, 2021.

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Walker has scored eight rushing touchdowns in the last three weeks of action. He reached the end zone twice against USC on Sept. 28, finished with 94 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns against Purdue on Oct. 5 and added three more touchdowns against a stout Rutgers defense on Saturday.

In total, Wisconsin racked up 309 yards on the ground between Walker, Cade Yacamelli, Darrion Dupree, Dilin Jones and Braedyn Locke. The Badgers appear to have discovered their identity on offense, and Walker figures to play an integral role in those schematics during a challenging upcoming stretch with games against Northwestern (away) No. 4 Penn State (home), Iowa (away) and No. 3 Oregon (home).