Wisconsin Badgers 2024 Football Preview

I have an opinion that’s contrarian to many, if not most Husker fans, I suspect:

Wisconsin, not Iowa, is Nebraska’s Big Ten rival.

Now, I have to qualify it: Nebraska isn’t Wisconsin’s rival. Specifically, Nebraska hasn’t made a case on the field for being Wisconsin’s rival. The Huskers are 1-11 against Wisconsin since joining the Big Ten. There have been competitive games, to be sure…but Nebraska hasn’t beaten the Badgers since 2012. Nebraska’s hasn’t earned the right to be Wisconsin’s rival.

That doesn’t change the fact that Wisconsin is the ultimate measuring stick for measuring the progress of the Husker football program. Now, the fact that Nebraska struggles to even occasionally beat Iowa is just further proof of how far off Nebraska is from where it’s fans want the program to be. The last two Nebraska head coaches who beat Iowa were dismissed shortly thereafter.

And now that the expanded Big Ten has eliminated divisions and limited the number of opponents that each team will play every season, the Nebraska/Wisconsin game will now be an occasional event, much like Nebraska/Oklahoma games when both were in the Big XII. After this season, Nebraska won’t face Wisconsin again until 2027 — so this is going to be the Huskers’ last chance for a while.

Offensively, Wisconsin is on Year Two of the great transition from the Barry Alvarez-era power offense to offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s Air Raid offense. (Wisconsin? The Air Raid? Yup.) This offensive change requires a different quarterback than the traditional Wisconsin signal-caller. Last year, Wisconsin brought in Tanner Mordecai from SMU for his senior season. For 2024, it’s Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke (6’4” 230 lbs.). Last season for the ‘Canes, Van Dyke completed 66% of his passes for 2,703 yards and 19 touchdowns. Interceptions were a huge issue for Van Dyke last season, throwing 12. If Van Dyke struggles or gets injured, sophomore Braedyn Locke (6’0” 208 lbs.) completed 50% of his passes last season in three starts, throwing for 777 yards and five touchdowns with just one interception.

With Braelon Allen off to the NFL, there’s a vacancy at the top of the running back depth chart…but since it’s Wisconsin, there’s probably somebody pretty good ready to go. Senior Chez Mellusi (5’11” 216 lbs.) has rushed for 1,595 yards in his injury-plaged Badger career. Mellusi has started 11 games in his career, so when he’s healthy, he’s capable of being the #1 back. As insurance, Wisconsin brought in Oklahoma transfer Tawee Walker (5’9” 213 lbs.) who rushed for 513 yards and seven touchdowns as Oklahoma’s top backup. Junior Jackson Acker (6’1” 245 lbs.) rushed for 307 yards and two touchdowns; he also caught 19 passes for 108 yards, which included a 19 yard touchdown catch against the Huskers.

Wisconsin’s top two receivers return, starting with junior Will Pauling (5’10” 190 lbs.), a third team All-Big Ten honoree whocaught 74 passes for 837 yards and six touchdowns. Senior Bryson Green (6’0” 205 lbs.) caught 32 passes for 480 yards and two touchdowns. After those two, there’s an awful lot of inexperience outside of junior CJ Williams (6’1” 198 lbs.), who caught 15 passes for 148 yards last season.

Wisconsin’s offensive line tradition has survived multiple coaching changes over the years, and the Badgers have three returning starters, starting with senior left tackle Jack Nelson (6’7” 311 lbs.), a three-year starter. Senior right guard Joe Huber (6’5” 310 lbs.) won honors at Cincinnati as a sophomore before transferring to Wisconsin last season. Junior right tackle Riley Mahlman (6’8” 318 lbs.) started as a freshman part time in 2022 before taking over full-time last season.

Defensively, Wisconsin has been noted for great defense ever since Kevin Cosgrove left Madison to follow Bill Callahan to Nebraska. Whether it was Bert Bielema, Dave Aranda or Jim Leonard, Wisconsin has played strong defense. Mike Tressel, who followed Luke Fickell from Cincinnati to Wisconsin as defensive coordinator is now joined by former Oklahoma and Southern Cal DC Alex Grinch. On the defensive line, only senior defensive tackle James Thompson (6’5” 290 lbs.) returns after a 29 tackle junior season. Sophomore Curt Neal (6’0” 297 lbs.) made a big jump this summer and is a player to keep an eye on this season.

At linebacker, two starters return in addition to Arkansas transfer Jaheim Thomas (6’4” 250 lbs.), expected to start on the inside along with senior Jake Chaney (5’11’ 233 lbs.) Thomas had 90 tackles to lead the Razorbacks last season while Chaney was second on the Badgers with 80. At the outside linebacker positions, junior Darryl Peterson (6’1” 250 lbs.) had 47 tackles and led the Badgers with 4.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. Syracuse transfer Leon Lowery (6’3” 251 lbs.) had 48 tackles and should take the other outside linebacker role.

Wisconsin’s star power on defense is in the secondary, where junior free safety Hunter Wohler (6’2” 215 lbs.) returns after a 120 tackle season where he earned third-team All-Big Ten honors. Junior cornerback Ricardo Hallman (5’10” 180 lbs.) led the Badgers with seven interceptions and five pass breakups, earning him third-team All-Big Ten honors. At the other safety position, junior Preson Zachman (6’1” 211 lbs.) had 49 tackles and two interceptions. Former Nebraska recruit RJ Delancy (5’11” 188 lbs.) should see some playing time as a backup cornerback after transferring from Toledo.

The Badgers might have a fairly manageable schedule – outside of a September 14th home game against Alabama. They do have a tough second-half of the season with a home game versus Penn State before traveling to Iowa. They get a bye week before playing the Oregon Ducks at home followed by a trip to Lincoln. Is this the year Nebraska gets a win against the Badgers? Nebraska has been close the last few years…now would seem to be the year to make it happen.