Premium content
PREMIUM CONTENT
Published Nov 7, 2023
3-2-1: Recapping Wisconsin’s Week 10 loss to Indiana
Donnie Slusher  •  BadgerBlitz
Staff Writer
Twitter
@DonnieSlusher_

Wisconsin played its sixth conference game of the season against the Indiana Hoosiers, losing 20-14 in Bloomington on Saturday afternoon. Luke Fickell and the Badgers will now look to a home game against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday afternoon.

BadgerBlitz.com brings you our weekly "3-2-1" series, honing in on the Week 10 loss to Indiana, and what it will mean going forward.

THREE THINGS WE LEARNED DURING WISCONSIN'S LOSS

1. Luke Fickell has been a disappointment

We’ve reached the point where Wisconsin’s mistakes and inconsistencies have become expected.

The Badgers consistently start slow, commit penalties at the absolute worst times and shrivel up under pressure.

These issues can no longer be blamed on individual coincidences or mistakes. It’s coaching.

Regardless of how many wins the fans expected, Fickell’s coaching efforts have been undeniably disappointing. The Indiana game was the biggest indictment yet.

Once again, it took the Badgers multiple drives to gain any sort of momentum, while their opponent hit the ground running. Since the bye, the Badgers have been outscored 38-17 in first halves.

On Saturday, the Hoosiers scored 17 points in the first half, which was more than Wisconsin scored all game.

A slow start on offense was expected given the absences of Braelon Allen and Chimere Dike, but allowing Indiana’s mediocre offense to establish such a lead is inexcusable.

On the first drive of the game, Brendan Sorsby converted two separate 3rd-and-9 plays and found open running space with ease, to give the Hoosiers an early lead. The Badgers let Sorsby lead another drive down the field on their next possession, but were blessed with a missed 43-yard field goal.

They couldn’t even refrain from making mistakes when it mattered.

On Indiana’s final drive of the game, Sorsby ran for a first down on the first play. Four plays later, on 3rd-and-13, Ricardo Hallman was called for pass interference, pushing the Hoosiers into field goal range. They burned a minute off the clock, then kicked a field goal to extend the lead to 20-14.

This is a team that’s suffered through injuries for most of the season, but their issues extend far beyond talent disparity.

Regardless of who’s playing for or against the Badgers, they’ve almost always looked like a team led by a rookie coach, not a former National Coach of the Year.

2. Bryson Green is becoming a dependable second option

Subscribe to read more.
Unlock Premium news from the largest network of experts.
Say your piece in exclusive fan communities.
Dominate with stats, athlete data, Rivals250 rankings, and more.
Go Big. Get Premium.Log In