(WR Will Pauling – 247 Sports)
Key Players Returning:
WR Skyler Bell, WR Bryson Green, WR Will Pauling, OG Joe Huber, OT Riley Mahlman, OT Jack Nelson, DT James Thompson Jr., LB Jake Chaney, LB Darryl Peterson, CB Ricardo Hallman, CB Nyzier Fourqurean, FS Kamo’I Latu, SS Hunter Wohler, KR/PR Vinny Anthony II, PK Nathaniel Vakos, and PT Atticus Bertams.
Key Players Departing:
QB Tanner Mordecai, RB Braelon Allen (Jets R4), WR Skyler Bell (UCONN transfer), WR Chimere Dike (Florida transfer), OC Tanor Bortolini (Colts R4), OG Michael Furtney, NT Gio Paez (LSU transfer), LB CJ Goetz, LB Maema Njongmeta, LB Jordan Turner (Michigan State transfer), CB Jason Maitre, CB Alexander Smith, and FS Austin Brown.
(OT Kevin Heywood – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OT Kevin Heywood (Royersford, Pennsylvania), DL Ernest Willor Jr. (Towson, Maryland), RB Dilin Jones (Olney, Maryland), DT Dillan Johnson (Joliet, Illinois), LB Tackett Curtis (USC transfer), OT Emerson Mandell (St. Paul, Minnesota), QB Tanner Van Dyke (Miami, FL transfer), EDGE John Pius (Williams & Mary transfer), TE Grant Stec (Algonquin, Illinois), and LB Thomas Helberger (Sioux Falls, South Dakota).
2023 Results:
G01 BUFFALO W 38-17
G02 @ Washington State L 22-31
G03 GEORGIA SOUTHERN W 35-14
G04 @ Purdue W 38-17
G05 RUTGERS W 24-13
G06 IOWA L 6-15
G07 @ Illinois W 25-21
G08 #3 OHIO STATE L 10-24
G09 @ Indiana L 14-28
G10 NORTHWESTERN L 10-24
G11 NEBRASKA W (OT) 24-17
G12 @ Minnesota W 28-14
BOWL vs. #13 LSU L 31-35
Team Info:
2023 Record: 7-6 (3rd in Big Ten West)
Home: 4-3
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 0-1
B10: 5-4
Non-B10: 2-2
Head Coach: Luke Fickell
Wisconsin: 7-6
Career: 69-31
Bowls: 3-4
(LB Darryl Peterson – 247Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Braedyn Locke (76-152, 777 yards, 50.0%, 5.1 avg., 5 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: Jackson Acker (72 car., 322 yards, 4.5 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: Will Pauling (74 rec., 837 yards, 11.3 avg., 6 TD)
TDs Scored: Will Pauling (6)
Sacks: Darryl Peterson (4.5)
Tackles: Hunter Wohler (120)
Tackles For Loss: Daryl Peterson (10)
Interceptions: Ricardo Hallman (7)
Pass Deflections: Ricardo Hallman (6)
Forced Fumbles: None
Kick Returns: Vinny Anthony II (11 ret., 217 yards, 19.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Vnny Anthony II (9 ret., 85 yards, 9.4 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Nathaniel Vakos (15-19 fg/fga., 79%, 34-34 xp/xpa., 79 pts.)
Punting: Atticus Bertrams (53 ret., 2602 yards, 41.3 avg., 27 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 10 Tyler Van Dyke (SR)
RB: 1 Chez Mellusi (GR/TR)
WR: 9 Bryson Green (RS SR/TR)
WR: 4 CJ Williams (JR/TR)
WR: 6 Will Pauling (RS JR/TR)
TE: 38 Tucker Ashcraft (SO)
LT: 79 Jack Nelson (RS SR)
LG: 56 Joe Brunner (RS SO)
OC: 57 Jake Renfro (RS SR/TR)
RG: 60 Joe Huber (RS SR/TR)
RT: 71 Riley Mahlman (RS JR)
KR: 14 Tyrell Henry (JR/TR)
PK: 90 Nathaniel Vakos (JR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DT: 92 Curt Neal (RS SO)
DT: 90 James Thompson Jr. (RS SR)
LB: 17 Darryl Peterson (RS JR)
LB: 36 Jake Chaney (SR)
LB: 28 Christian Allegro (SO)
LB: 0 John Pius (RS SR/TR)
NB: 9 Austin Brown (JR)
CB: 2 Ricardo Hallman (RS JR)
CB: 10 Nyzier Fourqurean (RS SR/TR)
FS: 13 Kamo’I Latu (GR/TR)
SS: 24 Hunter Wohler (SR)
PR: 86 Vinny Anthony II (JR)
PT: 49 Atticus Bertrams (SO/TR)
(CB Ricardo Hallman – 247Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: A
Punters: B`
Schedule:
08/30 WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS | Wisconsin leads the series 4-1. The Badgers won (54-16) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
09/07 SOUTH DAKOTA COYOTES | Wisconsin leads the series 2-0. Wisconsin won (59-10) the last meeting between schools in 2011.
09/14 ALABAMA CRMSON TIDE | The series is tied 1-1. The Badgers lost (17-35) the last meeting between schools in 2015, and they won (15-0) the inaugural meeting in 1928.
09/28 @ USC Trojans | Wisconsin trails the series 1-6. The Badgers won (23-21) the last meeting between schools in 2015.
10/05 PURDUE BOILERMAKERS | Wisconsin leads the series 53-29-8. The Badgers are 9-0 since 2014, and their last series loss (23-26) dates back to 2003.
10/12 @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Wisconsin leads the series 5-0. The Badgers won (24-13) last season’s meeting between schools, and they won (52-3) the prior meeting in 2021.
10/19 @ Northwestern Wildcats | Wisconsin leads the series 62-38-5. The Badgers are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series win (42-7) was in 2022.
10/26 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS | Wisconsin trails the series 9-11. The Badgers lost (10-16) the last meeting between schools in 2021, and their last series win (45-7) dates back to 2011.
11/02 @ Iowa Hawkeyes | Wisconsin leads the series 49-46-2. The Badgers are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series win (27-7) was in 2021.
11/16 OREGON DUCKS | The series is tied 3-3. The Badgers lost (27-28) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
11/23 @ Nebraska Cornhuskers | Wisconsin leads the series 13-4. The Badgers are 9-0 since restarting the series in 2014, and their last series loss (27-30) dates back to 2012.
11/29 MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS | Wisconsin leads the series 63-62-8. The Badgers are 7-3 since 2014, and their last series loss (16-23) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 6-1
Road: 4-1
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 7-2
Non-B10: 3-0
Overall: 10-2 (4th in Big Ten)
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