The Wisconsin Badgers beat the Miami (OH) RedHawks in a 17-0 shutout to start the season, getting through some adversity with a strong defensive performance.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Football: 4 winners and 2 losers after Week 1
While it wasn’t the prettiest game, there was much to take away from the game, as several players made their mark, while others disappointed in the season opener.
Whose stock is up and whose stock is down after the season opener?
Stock Up: Sebastian Cheeks
Outside linebacker Mason Reiger’s stock was already high after a strong showing during fall camp. And he proved that with a great complementary performance on Thursday, stopping the run at a high level, while constantly generating pressure as a pass-rusher.
But, nobody improved their stock more in the outside linebacker room than Sebastian Cheeks, who was dominant in the opener.
Cheeks was a constant presence up front, showing good effort, edge-setting ability, and even getting pressure on the quarterback. After moving to outside linebacker last offseason, Cheeks was seen as a pass-rushing specialist.
But, he’s bulked up and now is a three-down player, having good pursuit and good edge setting for quarterback contains, while also teeing up off the edge alongside Reiger. That duo should be a big positive for Wisconsin this season.
Stock Down: Davis Heinzen at LT
One of the biggest question marks heading into the season was who would play at left tackle after Kevin Heywood’s torn ACL in the spring. Former Vanderbilt transfer Leyton Nelson struggled when stepping up with the first-team offense back in the spring, which led to guard Joe Brunner getting some reps at tackle.
That led Wisconsin to nab Central Michigan transfer Davis Heinzen in the spring transfer portal, hoping to get some experience at the position.
Then, in the fall, the Badgers tested out a few options, with Brunner, Heinzen, and guard-turned-tackle J.P. Benzschawel getting reps before Wisconsin settled on Heinzen.
Well, the left tackle really struggled in Week 1, both in pass protection and in the run game, albeit much more in the former. He gave up five pressures and two sacks, according to PFF, but there just didn’t seem to be any stability on the left side for quarterback Danny O’Neil.
Wisconsin did pull Heinzen late for Leyton Nelson, who got the final seven snaps of the game. They face Middle Tennessee State this week, and there may need to be some conversations about moving around the offensive line, given the daunting schedule ahead of the Badgers this season.
Wisconsin could move Brunner out to left tackle, but they don’t have much depth either at tackle or on the interior, raising questions as to who their five best linemen could be.
Stock Up: Christian Alliegro
Wisconsin has had experience, but not really much consistency, over the past few years at linebacker, where the standard of play has certainly dropped from the program’s historical record.
Well, Christian Alliegro had a strong start to the year as the team’s lead linebacker, making plays and showing off his athleticism and versatility. Now, everything wasn’t clean: Alliegro had a bad edge set on the defense’s third drive that allowed a run to kick out to the edge, which was an issue for the defense last year. He also missed a tackle that would’ve led to a sack on a well-timed linebacker blitz.
But, the linebacker wrapped up well on open field tackles, making some major momentum plays there, including a big sack as quarterback Daequan Finn escaped the pocket, and finished with four tackles.
It’s Week 1 against an opponent Wisconsin needed to beat convincingly, but I like what I saw from the linebacker play on Thursday.
Stock Down: Atticus Bertrams’s shank
The Badgers have dealt with special teams woes over the past few years. So, it wasn’t pretty to see Atticus Bertrams shank his first punt, which went for only 20 yards and gave the RedHawks prime field position early in the game.
Now, the defense settled in, and Bertrams punted well enough afterwards, averaging 42.5 yards per punt outside of the miss, but consistency needs to be there for the Badgers punter.
Stock Up: Jeff Grimes’s creativity
We didn’t get to see the full look after Billy Edwards’s injury, but Jeff Grimes’s offense is trending up after Week 1.
There were quite a few players who got a touch, with Grimes mixing up the run game to involve receivers and running backs, and he had the right adjustments early after a quick punt.
Understanding Miami’s initial aggressiveness against the run, Grimes began to dial up the quick passing game, which Billy Edwards executed well, moving the ball down the field. That opened up the run game, with the creativity showing from Grimes.
It may be a while before Edwards gets back under center, but you can see the potential of this offense when things are going well and if those deep shots start to hit.
After transferring in last offseason, Brandon Lane didn’t have as big a role as initially expected. Then, Wisconsin brought in a boatload of transfers this offseason, raising questions about where Lane fits in this year.
Well, that’s with the starters, as Lane was a force on Thursday, especially as a pass-rusher, where he was able to drive interior linemen back into the pocket and make things uncomfortable for quarterback Daequan Finn.
Wisconsin rotated a ton, but Lane was second amongst defensive linemen in snaps and seems to be a regular in the rotation going forward.
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Wisconsin
Wisconsin authorities put total arrests from clashes at beagle breeding facility at about 25
MADISON (AP) — Around 25 protesters were arrested as around 1,000 animal welfare activists tried to gain entry to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin and were met by officers firing pepper spray and rubber bullets, authorities said Sunday.
Saturday’s protest was the second attempt in as many months by demonstrators to take beagles from Ridglan Farms in Blue Mounds, about 25 miles (about 40 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Madison. They were turned back by officers who arrested the group’s leader.
Owen Ziliak/Wisconsin State Journal via AP
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office said the situation was “significantly calmer and more peaceful” on Sunday, when around 200 people assembled outside the farm. They dispersed after around two hours, it said.
“We’re pleased with the group’s cooperation today, and their willingness to remain peaceful, while still sending their message of concern for the dogs at Ridglan Farms,” Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a statement. “We are happy to support anyone who wants to exercise the right to protest, as long as they do so lawfully.”
Owen Ziliak/The Wisconsin State Journal via AP
The sheriff had said in a video statement Saturday that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property.” They tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence.
Owen Ziliak/Wisconsin State Journal via AP
Some got through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
Amber Arnold/Wisconsin State Journal via AP
Those arrested included the leader of the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, Wayne Hsiung, 44, of New York, who was being held on a tentative felony charge of conspiracy to commit burglary. But most arrestees were just booked and released, the sheriff’s office said Sunday.
“No one should be assaulted for giving aid to a dog, even if damage to property is part of that rescue effort,” Hsuing said in a statement from jail Sunday that also accused authorities of using excessive force. “The animals of this Earth are not “things.” They’re sentient beings. And we have the right to rescue them from abuse,” he concluded.
Protesters took 30 dogs when they broke into the facility in March, when authorities arrested 27 people.
Ridglan denies mistreating animals but agreed in October to give up its state breeding license as of July 1 in a deal to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges.
On its website, the company says “no credible evidence of animal abuse, cruelty, mistreatment or neglect at Ridglan Farms has ever been presented or substantiated.”
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About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry on Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader.
It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles (about 40 kilometres) southwest of Wisconsin’s capital, Madison.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property” and assault officers. He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency vehicles from entering.
“This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said.
The sheriff’s department said a “significant” number of people were arrested out of about 1,000 protesters at the site but did not give an exact total as they were still being processed as of the afternoon.
Protesters tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence. Some protesters did get through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde reflects on early March Madness exit
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde said the Badgers ‘thought we could do so many things’ in the NCAA Tournament before it ended abrupty with an upset loss.
Wisconsin men’s basketball has added a sharpshooting wing via the transfer portal.
Miami (Ohio) transfer Eian Elmer has signed with the Badgers, the team announced April 18. The 6-foot-7 wing will join UW with one year of eligibility remaining.
Elmer averaged a career-high 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 49.8% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range in 2025-26. His production helped the RedHawks go 32-2 and earn an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.
“We are really excited to add another excellent addition to our spring signees,” UW coach Greg Gard said in a release. “Eian brings a wealth of experience and scoring punch as a 6-7 wing. … A terrific shooter, his skillset and production fit excellently into our plan as we build out next year’s team. Throughout our evaluation process, our staff loved his size, power and skill and truly believe he will thrive in our system.”
Elmer is Wisconsin’s third transfer portal addition since the end of the 2025-26 season, joining former George Washington guard Trey Autry and former Hofstra forward Victory Onuetu. UW also added Australian guard Owen Foxwell.
The additions of Autry, Onuetu and now Elmer leave Gard’s staff with three more roster spots to fill ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Badgers are looking to replace much of their production from a 2025-26 team that went 24-11. Nolan Winter is expected to be the team’s only returning starter after John Blackwell and Aleksas Bieliauskas entered the transfer portal and Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde exhausted their eligibility.
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