Wisconsin

Wisconsin football’s glimpses of progress don’t last against loaded Indiana Hoosiers squad

Published

4 months ago

November 16, 2025

Wisconsin football’s glimpses of progress don’t last against loaded Indiana Hoosiers squad

BLOOMINGTON, IND. – Given the Wisconsin football team’s résumé, a win would have been a lot to expect.

Indiana is the No. 2-ranked team in the country for a reason. The Hoosiers are getting outstanding quarterback play, have potential NFL talent on the offenisve line and at receiver and have studs at each level of the defense.

Indiana is headed to the College Football Playoff. The Badgers are still finding their way.

So one week after getting its first Big Ten win of the season, did UW show progress in its 31-7 loss to Indiana on Saturday, Nov. 15?

In answering that question, consider:

Indiana’s 10-7 halftime lead equaled its second-closest first half of the season. It was tied with Iowa and led Oregon by 3 points.
The Badgers’ five sacks Saturday were the most allowed by Indiana this season. Wisconsin’s seven tackles for a loss was the second-highest total for a Hoosiers’ opponent.

Of course the Badgers need much more to become a consistent winner, but what they showed Saturday was more in line with what we saw from the team in its two previous games against Oregon and Washington than what it delivered against Iowa, Ohio State and Maryland.

The challenge Saturday was maintaining that standard of play for 60 minutes against a team that ranks top six nationally in total offense and defense.

“I think the first half you saw us execute a majority of the half, and I think that wasn’t the case in the second half,” said graduate outside linebacker Darryl Peterson, who had a career-high 2½ sacks. “Obviously, the last two games, we’ve got to try to put together four quarters of execution, all three phases.”

Famililar struggles haunt Badgers

Despite the spirited start, Wisconsin’s Achilles heel came back to trip it.

It gained just 23 yards in the second half, and its 168 total yards for the game was its second-lowest total of the season behind the 144 it gained against No. 1 Ohio State.

Injuries played a role in those struggles. Running back Gideon Ituka, a spark for the run game the previous two games, was carted off the field and taken to the hospital after a hard hit in the third quarter and center Davis Heinzen, who made his third straight start, didn’t finish the game due to an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, the defense didn’t force a turnover for the sixth game this season and was carved up by IU quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who connected on 22 of 24 throws for 299 yards. Big plays were huge as he gained 166 of those yards on just five completions.

His opposite number, Wisconsin freshman Carter Smith, completed nine of 15 passes for 98 yards and one touchdown.

“It’s a tale of two halves,” Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said. “In the first half, to be honest with you, that’s kind of the way you’d draw it up for us, methodically doing some things, moving the football, taking care of the football, eliminating big plays other than one defensively.

“I think that was the idea of the way we want to be able to play right now and the complementary idea of what football’s got to look like for us.”

The ups and downs of Carter Smith’s first start

Smith was given a looser rein in his second game and was given the opportunity to make more plays downfield.

The coaches showed him great trust in calling what proved to be Wisconsin’s biggest play of the day, a 45-yard touchdown pass to tight end Lance Mason on a fourth-and-1 play.

That score tied the game, 7-7, with 3 minutes 42 seconds to go in the first half, but in the second half Smith turned it over twice. The crucial one was his fumble at the UW 21 that almost instantly led to a Hoosiers touchdown that pushed their lead to 24-7. Two of Indiana’s three second-half touchdowns came off Smith turnovers.

The Badgers tried to take some chances in the second half. They just didn’t work out.

“To think that you’re going to methodically drive 12, 13 plays down the field on a really, really good football team, it’s not (realistic) …” Fickell said. “We’ve got to be able to take some more shots. We’ve got to give him some more opportunities. We’ve got to turn him loose a little bit more, and unfortunately, you know, it didn’t work well for us.”

Smith entered the game during the second series against Washington but didn’t get starter snaps in practice that week. Heading into the Indiana game, he received more of those reps in practice.

He also had more put on his plate.

“That’s something that comes with playing quarterback,” Smith said about the added workload. “So it’s something I need to get better with is having a lot on my plate and being able to handle it all.”

Two games to go, much to accomplish

The loss guarantees Wisconsin (3-7, 1-6) its second straight losing season, but the team has two games remaining.

Next Illinois (7-3, 4-3) comes to Camp Randall on Nov. 22; then UW plays at Minnesota (6-4, 4-3) on Nov. 29.

“We got to keep pushing, and we’re going to find out a hell of a lot about everybody that’s in this program, whether they’re seniors that have two guaranteed opportunities to play the game of football left, or young guys,” Fickell said. “Everything has got to be evaluated, and we’ve got to grow.”

Source link

Click to comment

Wisconsin

Wisconsin man accused of setting fire to congressman’s office over TikTok ban gets 7 years in prison

Published

2 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin man accused of setting fire to congressman’s office over TikTok ban gets 7 years in prison

MADISON, Wis. — A Wisconsin man who allegedly told police he tried to set fire to a Republican congressman’s office last year because he was angry that the lawmaker backed a bill requiring TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell off its U.S. operations was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison.

In addition to the prison time, Fond du Lac County Circuit Judge Tricia Walker sentenced 20-year-old Caiden Stachowicz to seven years of extended supervision, court records show.

Stachowicz, of Menasha, pleaded no contest to an arson charge in November. Prosecutors dropped burglary and property damage counts in exchange for Stachowicz’s no contest plea, which isn’t an admission of guilt but is treated as such for the purposes of sentencing.

Stachowicz’s attorney, Timothy Hogan, didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

According to a criminal complaint, a police officer responded to a fire outside Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman’s office in Fond du Lac, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) northwest of Milwaukee, at around 1 a.m. on Jan. 19, 2025, and saw Stachowicz standing nearby.

He told the officer that he started the fire because he doesn’t like Grothman, according to the complaint. He initially planned to break into the office and start the fire inside but he couldn’t break the window, so he poured gas on an electrical box behind the building and around the front of the building, lit a match and watched it burn, according to the complaint.

He said he wanted to burn down the office because the federal government was shutting down TikTok in violation of his constitutional rights and peace was not longer an option, the complaint states. He added that Grothman voted for the shutdown, but he didn’t want to hurt Grothman or anyone else.

This undated photo provided by the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department and the Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s Office on Nov. 10, 2025, shows Caiden Stachowicz. Credit: AP/Uncredited

Grothman voted for a bill in April 2024 that required TikTok’s China-based company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operation. The deadline was Jan. 19, 2025, but President Donald Trump has issued multiple executive orders prolonging it. TikTok finalized a deal two months ago to create an American version of of the social video platform. Trump praised the deal.

A spokesperson for Grothman’s congressional office didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Source link

Wisconsin

Carrington scores 18 points to lead Wisconsin’s 78-45 throttling of Maryland

Published

14 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

MADISON (AP) — Reserve Braeden Carrington scored 18 points, John Blackwell scored 14 points and Wisconsin poured it on in the second half to dismantle Maryland 78-45 on Wednesday night.

Nick Boyd scored 13 points and reserve Austin Rapp scored 11 points for Wisconsin (21-9, 13-6 Big Ten), which had 11 players enter the scoring column.

The Badgers’ Andrew Rohde passed out six of Wisconsin’s 15 assists and didn’t commit a turnover. Wisconsin turned it over only three times.

Andre Mills scored 14 points and Elijah Saunders scored 11 points for Maryland.

Wisconsin turned an already commanding 34-21 first-half stranglehold into a 21-point lead 5 1/2 minutes into the second half. The Badgers shot 48% (27 of 56) and made 42% (13 of 31) from 3-point range. The Badgers scored 44 second-half points.

It was the fewest point Maryland (11-19, 4-15) has ever posted against Wisconsin in the shot-clock era. It was also Maryland’s lowest point total of the season.

Wisconsin has won five of its last seven. Maryland has lost five of its last six.

Up next

Maryland wraps up the regular season hosting 11th-ranked Illinois on Saturday.

Wisconsin ends the regular season at No. 15 Purdue on Saturday.

Source link

Wisconsin

Flood Safety Week runs March 9-13 as Wisconsin braces for a spring swell

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Flood Safety Week runs March 9-13 as Wisconsin braces for a spring swell

(WLUK) — As winter thaws, Wisconsinites are encouraged to think about preparing for potential flooding.

Gov. Evers has declared March 9 -13 as Flood Safety Week in Wisconsin.

During Flood Safety Awareness Week, ReadyWisconsin is asking everyone to review their flooding risk and take proactive steps to protect their families, homes, and businesses before waters rise.

Know your flood risk. Assess the potential for flooding on your property if you live in a flood plain, near a body of water, or have a basement. Plan with your family for what you will do if the floodwaters begin to rise.
Consider flood insurance. Most homeowner, rental, and business insurance policies generally do not cover flooding. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Most flood coverage requires 30 days to take effect. Find more information about flood insurance options here.
Move valuables or mementos out of the basement and store them in waterproof containers.
Elevate or flood-proof your washer, dryer, water heater, and HVAC systems. Relocate electrical outlets to three feet above the floor.
Have copies of important documents (personal identification like passports and birth certificates, medical records, insurance policies, and financial documents) in a waterproof container.
Build a “Go Kit.” Include items such as food, water, cash, and medications.
Make an emergency plan. If you can’t make it home or need to leave quickly, identify a meeting place for your family. Make a list of emergency numbers and important contacts.
Keep water out of and away from your house. Clean gutters regularly, direct downspouts away from your foundation, repair cracks in your foundation, improve grading so water flows away from your house, and cover window wells.

When flooding occurs, keep the following steps in mind:

Stay up to date on the forecast. Identify multiple ways to receive alerts about dangerous weather conditions and potential flooding, such as a NOAA Weather Radio, trusted local news outlets, and mobile weather apps. Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on your smartphones.
Never drive or walk through flooded areas. Just six inches of fast-moving water can sweep adults off their feet, while just 12 inches can carry away a small car or 24 inches for larger vehicles. Moving water is not the only danger, your vehicle could potentially stall when driving through floodwater.

BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT

Flooding could potentially impact your health as well. Avoid entering floodwaters, which can contain bacteria from human and animal waste, sharp objects, hazardous chemicals, downed power lines, and other dangerous items. If your home floods, follow cleaning and disinfection guidelines to avoid mold growth.

Source link