Wisconsin’s 1-3 start to the 2021 football season has been a disappointment for a variety of reasons.
First, the team hasn’t been able to capitalize on masterful defensive performances against ranked opponents. Second, the team was in a position to win all three contests yet could not make necessary plays down the stretch.
Week 1 was lost thanks to the offense scoring only one touchdown on four trips inside the Penn State 10 yardline, Week 4 against Notre Dame saw the team lose 41-13 after leading 13-10 early in the fourth quarter and last week against Michigan saw an injury to Graham Mertz put away any chance the Badgers had to close a late deficit.
Related: Illinois team preview
There have been a lot of positives on the field thus far. Those positives have been outweighed by backbreaking negatives, though, and the team sits at 1-3 for the first time since 1990 as a result.
For confidence to grow surrounding this team and what it can accomplish this weekend, here are three things we need to see on Saturday against Illinois: