Tag: Wisconsin Badgers

Los Angeles Rams waive former Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman

Los Angeles Rams waive former Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman

The Los Angeles Rams waived former Wisconsin offensive lineman Logan Bruss on Monday. The move was made as the Rams altered their roster before their Week 10 game against the Miami Dolphins.

Bruss was a third-round pick by the team back in the 2022 NFL draft. He appeared in just eight games from 2022-24, all of which were during the first half of the 2024 season.

Related: Every former Wisconsin Badger on an NFL 53-man roster entering 2024 ranked by career earnings

The former Badger’s Rams career hit a significant roadblock when he tore his ACL and MCL during the team’s second preseason game before the 2022 season. He then spent all of last season on the practice squad before making the roster in 2024.

Bruss started three games at left guard for the Rams this season before being benched for rookie Justin Dedich. His roster spot was then eliminated with the Rams activating starting linemen Jonah Jackson and Steve Avila off injured reserve.

Bruss played five years for the Badgers (2017-21). That career included 41 games and 34 starts (25 at right tackle, six at right guard). It was capped off by All-Big Ten second team honors during the 2021 season, blocking for program-great RB Braelon Allen.

The former Badger will now look for a new NFL home as he continues his professional career.

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Nebraska and Wisconsin’s week 13 matchup receives kickoff time

The Huskers will be looking to snap a ten-game losing streak to Wisconsin next weekend.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers’s senior day matchup against the Wisconsin Badgers will be a mid-afternoon kickoff.

On Monday, the Big Ten announced that the Huskers and Badgers will kick off their November 23 matchup at Memorial Stadium with a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff. The game will also be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Before facing the Badgers next weekend, the Huskers will prepare for the USC Trojans this weekend in Los Angeles. The Huskers will look to snap a three-game losing streak while also being under the direction of new interim offensive coordinator Dana Holgorson.

At 5-4 and 2-4 in Big Ten play, the Huskers need one more win this season to snap an eight-season bowl drought.

Wisconsin, on the other hand, will face off against the No. 1 Oregon Ducks this weekend. Wisconsin enters the game losers of their last two games. The Badgers enter week 12 with a 5-4 record, including 3-3 in conference play.

The Cornhuskers and Badgers have met 17 times, with Wisconsin winning the last 10 games dating back to the 2012 season, including a 24-17 win in Madison last season. Each of the previous three games between the two programs has been settled by seven points or less.

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Former Raiders head coach arrested for Driving While Intoxicated

Reports are out that currently Wisconsin assistant and former NFL head coach Jack Del Rio was arrested recently for Driving While Intoxicated

In this episode of ‘where are they now’ we have some news about former Raiders and Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio. And it isn’t good news.

Reports are out Monday that Del Rio was arrested last Friday for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) when he crashed his car into a street sign.

Del Rio last coached in the NFL in 2023 when he was a defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders.

His last head coaching job was with the Raiders from 2015-17 where he had a 25-23 record. Prior to that he was a head coach for nine seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, posting a 68-71 record, this giving him a 93-94 record as a head coach with just one career playoff win.

Del Rio led the Raiders to a 12-4 record in 2016, but was ousted in the wildcard round. He was fired just a year later after the team regressed to finish 6-10, ushering in Jon Gruden’s return to the sideline.

Wisconsin basketball rockets up both KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Appalachian State

Wisconsin basketball rockets up both KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Appalachian State

Wisconsin basketball improved to 3-0 on the 2024-25 season with a blowout win over Appalachian State on Sunday.

The win was powered by transfer wing John Tonje, a common sentence in the season’s early stages. He finished with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting, plus seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Senior center Steven Crowl also had his best outing of the young season, adding 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting.

Related: Big Ten basketball power rankings after first week of 2024-25 season: Wisconsin’s downfall was greatly exaggerated

Wisconsin is off to a strong start. Though the opponents are far from the class of the sport, the Badgers are taking clear steps forward with every contest. That improvement, mixed with decisive winning, should be enough to create optimism surrounding the team’s rest-of-season outlook.

For more on that outlook, here is where Greg Gard’s group stands in KenPom and ESPN’s Basketball Power Index after the win over Appalachian State:

  • KenPom: No. 40 overall (up nine spots) — No. 37 offense, No. 55 defense
  • ESPN BPI: No. 29 overall (up 10 spots) — 13.1 rating, 18.8 – 11.2 projected record, 6.7% chance to win Big Ten Conference

Those trend lines are just from the decisive victory over Appalachian State. The movement has the team now ranked No. 5 in the Big Ten by BPI and No. 10 by KenPom.

The latter may be a bit more reserved on the Badgers’ quality after only three games. Regardless, it’s worthwhile noting that our updated Big Ten basketball power rankings aren’t the only measure that is upgrading Wisconsin after the first week of the season.

The Badgers are back on the Kohl Center court for a premier matchup against No. 10 Arizona on Friday. A win would only continue the team’s current upward trajectory.

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Former Wisconsin transfer quiet in Louisville’s blowout loss to No. 12 Tennessee

Former Wisconsin transfer quiet in Louisville’s blowout loss to No. 12 Tennessee

Former Wisconsin star Chucky Hepburn was mostly quiet during Louisville’s 77-55 loss to No. 12 Tennessee on Saturday.

The longtime Badger finished the contest with eight points on 2-of-7 shooting, in addition to four assists, four rebounds, six steals and four turnovers. Those numbers led a starting lineup that somehow finished the game with a combined 16 points on 5-of-23 shooting.

Related: Where Wisconsin basketball stands in latest odds to win 2024-25 Big Ten regular season title

Hepburn was candid after the blowout loss, saying: “That’s not who I am. … This is my last game turning the ball over that much.”

For contest, those four turnovers are his most in a game since Wisconsin’s loss to North Texas in the NIT semifinal to close the 2022-23 season.

The former Badger has 16 combined points on 3-of-10 shooting, plus five rebounds, eight assists, six steals and five turnovers through his first two games with Louisville. The Cardinals are 1-1, highlighted by Saturday’s sizable loss to Tennessee.

Louisville Cardinals guard Chucky Hepburn (24) pressures the dribble of Tennessee Volunteers guard Jordan Gainey (11) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, on Nov. 9. Tennessee defeated Louisville 77-55. Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Hepburn transferred to Louisville this offseason after three decorated years as Wisconsin’s starting point guard. He played in 103 games in his time with the Badgers, and averaged 32.1 minutes, 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.6 steals on 42% shooting and 36% from 3.

While Wisconsin never achieved much postseason success during Hepburn’s tenure, he was arguably the face of the program during that time. His career was highlighted by guiding the 2021-22 team to a Big Ten regular season title as a freshman.

The performances of both Hepburn and AJ Storr (Kansas) are worth watching as the 2024-25 college basketball season unfolds. Wisconsin transfer addition John Tonje has made a strong first impression through two games. His continued emergence could lessen the impact of the Badgers losing those two stars after last season.

Hepburn and the Cardinals are back on the court on Nov. 19 against Bellarmine.

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Former Wisconsin basketball star among shortest odds for 2024 Wooden Award

Former Wisconsin basketball star in running for 2024 Wooden Award

Former Wisconsin basketball star AJ Storr is among the favorites to win the Wooden Award entering the 2024-25 college basketball season. BetMGM places Storr’s odds at +2000, tied for the eighth-highest in the sport. [gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ] The Wooden Award is annually awarded to the most outstanding college basketball player in men’s and women’s hoops. Previous winners include Zach Edey, Zion Williamson and Anthony Davis. BetMGM lists only Alabama’s Mark Sears, North Carolina’s RJ Davis, Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson, Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, Arizona’s Caleb Love, Auburn’s Johni Broome and Marquette’s Kam Jones ahead of the former Badger. Storr, a 2024 Second Team All-Big Ten team member, elected to transfer from UW to Kansas this spring after one season in Madison. Storr averaged 16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.6 steals in 28.8 minutes per appearance in 2023-24, serving as Wisconin’s go-to option on the offensive side of the floor. During the 2024 Big Ten Tournament, he averaged 22.5 points per game and dropped a season-high 30 points against Northwestern. In one game with the Jayhawks this season, the Rockford, Illinois, native scored five points, grabbed two rebounds and dished out a pair of assists against Howard. Storr and the No. 1-ranked Jayhawks battle No. 9 North Carolina on Friday, Nov. 8. [gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ] Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

Where Wisconsin basketball stands in KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Montana State

Wisconsin basketball place in KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Montana State

Wisconsin basketball improved to 2-0 on the young season with a victory over Montana State on Thursday.

The win was highlighted by the efficiency of Greg Gard’s team, as it shot 45% from the field, 50% from three-point range and 95% from the free-throw line. Those shooting rates helped the team avoid the same slow start it experienced in its opening victory over Holy Cross.

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s win over Montana State

Montana State entered Thursday ranked No. 175 in ESPN BPI and No. 194 in KenPom. While the team is far from the quality of Wisconsin’s upcoming Big Ten opponents, it does boast three consecutive Big Sky tournament titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. The Bobcats have become the class of the conference and a dangerous mid-major foe.

Despite that, Wisconsin’s decisive victory did not do much to improve its place in either ESPN’s Basketball Power Index or KenPom. The Badgers sit at No. 39 nationally in BPI and No. 49 in KenPom after the 2-0 start. Neither of those rankings changed after the latest victory.

BPI specifically ranks the Badgers as the No. 8 team in the Big Ten while KenPom has the group down at No. 12 in the conference.

It is still extremely early in the college basketball season — more than a month remains before the real start of the conference schedule. These ranking updates are a valuable look at were the Badgers project long-term. As is always the case, continued winning in the non-conference schedule will only help that standing.

The Badgers are next on the court on Sunday, Nov. 10 at noon ET, 11 a.m. CT against the Appalachian State Mountaineers. Wisconsin will look for another big step forward en route to a 3-0 start.

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Wisconsin forward flashes offensive potential in Badgers win over Holy Cross

Wisconsin forward flashes offensive potential in Badgers win over Holy Cross

Wisconsin sophomore forward Nolan Winter flashed his offensive brilliance in the Badgers’ 85-61 win over Holy Cross on Monday.

In just over 20 minutes, the second-year Badger registered a career-high 15 points and snared eight rebounds in the 24-point victory at the Kohl Center. Winter shot a perfect 6-6 from the field, including 2-2 from beyond the arc, and dished out a pair of assists as well.

All 15 of Winter’s points arrived in the second half of Monday’s season opener. After transfer John Tonje and sophomore John Blackwell revitalized Wisconsin’s offense to open the second half, Winter attacked for the final six minutes of the game.

The Lakeville, Minnesota native’s improvement from a season ago is obvious. Without veteran forward Tyler Wahl in the mix or volume scorer A.J. Storr taking shots, Winter’s opportunities to create will only increase as the season progresses.

Yes, it was Holy Cross. But the breakout potential is there. On several occasions, Winter displayed his ability to operate in the low post and from outside. Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard now has the luxury of two seven-footers who aren’t scared to shoot from deep in the starting lineup.

In 2023-24, Winter registered 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in roughly nine minutes per game. Those totals are all set to skyrocket in 2024-25.

Where Wisconsin lands in Action Network bowl projections after Week 10

Where Wisconsin lands in Action Network bowl projections after Week 10

The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy released his bowl predictions ahead of Week 11 of the 2024 college football season on Monday.

For the third consecutive week, McMurphy predicts Wisconsin to return to the Pinstripe Bowl. Unlike what he predicted following Week 9, UW is now forecasted to play Pittsburgh instead of NC State.

The Panthers, another member of the American Athletic Conference, boast an impressive resume through eight games of the 2024 season. At 7-1, Pittsburgh holds the No. 23 ranking in the AP’s latest top 25 poll. The Panthers have vanquished Kent State, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Youngstown State, North Carolina, California and Syracuse.

Only No.4 Miami, No. 13 SMU and No. 19 Clemson out of the ACC land ahead of Pittsburgh in the most recent AP poll.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, is 5-4 after Week 10 after losing its most recent game against Iowa by 32 points. Luke Fickell’s program sits No. 9 in the Big Ten with a 3-3 conference record.

Still, Action Network currently considers Wisconsin a three-point favorite over Pittsburgh. If McMurphy’s prediction rings true, this will be the first time UW will participate in the Pinstripe Bowl since 2018 when it defeated Miami 35-3.

Four Big Ten teams are currently projected to land in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff this winter. No. 1 Oregon, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 8 Indiana and No. 10 Penn State are featured in the AP’s top 10 ahead of Week 11.

Wisconsin in search of its 23rd consecutive bowl game appearance.

Holy Cross head coach praises Wisconsin wing John Tonje after big performance

Holy Cross head coach praises Wisconsin wing John Tonje after big performance

Holy Cross basketball head coach Dave Paulsen praised John Tonje’s 23-point night after Wisconsin’s 85-61 win over the Crusaders on Monday night.

Tonje’s 23 points were the most by a Badger in their debut since at least 2000, surpassing Josh Gasser’s 21-point debut in 2010. He also chipped in with five rebounds and shot a perfect 8-8 mark from the foul line.

Holy Cross’ staff certainly appeared to have scouted the first-year Wisconsin playmakers ahead of the season opener on Monday. Here’s what Paulsen had to say about Tonje’s impact on UW’s unit:

“I think he was super aggressive in their two preseason contests,” Paulsen said after the game. “It seems like he’s got a pretty unshakable level of confidence, which you need to have to be a really good player. Without knowing the ins and outs of their team, he gives them that dynamic scoring presence that I think they need.”

Tonje arrived in Madison following a redshirt season at Missouri in 2023-24. After commanding a bulk of Wisconsin’s workload in just under 27 minutes vs. the Crusaders, it’s safe to assume the North Omaha, Nebraska, native will morph into a staple for head coach Greg Gard for the remainder of this season.

UW’s next game is slated for Nov. 9 against Montana State.