Wisconsin
Wisconsin Twitter reacts to Graham Mertz’s big block as the Badgers take the lead
It wasn’t the game-changing play you’d anticipate out of your beginning quarterback, however it labored all the identical. Wisconsin dialed up some trickery late within the third quarter, with Graham Mertz offering the important thing block on a Chimere Dike landing run.
All afternoon lengthy, Wisconsin had struggled to complete drives as they’d settled for a trio of area objectives earlier than Dike lastly broke by way of. The 9-yard landing scamper gave Wisconsin a 16-13 lead late within the third quarter simply earlier than Camp Randall started to Soar Round.
Here’s a have a look at the play and the way Wisconsin Twitter reacted to Mertz placing his physique on the road for the lead:
The play:
Mertz offered a key block:
Lastly some creativity:
Mertz the blocker:
It seemed like a holding name ready to occur…
Bobby Engram’s greatest drive of the sport:
Not Mertz’s first rodeo…
Mertz the blocker:
Sure it does:
Trickery for Wisconsin
Story initially appeared on Badgers Wire
Minnesota Opponent First Look: Wisconsin Badgers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers, losers of two straight will look to finish the 2024 regular season on a high note on Friday afternoon when they travel to Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers enter Friday with a 5-6 record and are in danger of missing a bowl game for the first time in 22 years.
Wisconsin 2024 Schedule & Betting Trends
COV = covered, DNC = Did not cover
WISCONSIN OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE RANKINGS
The second year of Luke Fickell era not going to plan
The Badgers had hoped the second year of the Luke Fickell era would be more fruitful. After a 7-6 season last year, the Badgers went into the transfer portal this offseason and upgraded their quarterback position by nabbing former Miami (FL) starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke.
Van Dyke would play in just two full games before suffering a season-ending injury against Alabama in the third week of the season. Since then, the Huskers have looked towards redshirt freshman Braedyn Locke to lead the offense. As with most young quarterbacks, the results have been mixed. This season, Locke has completed 56.4% of his passes for 1,806 yards and 12 touchdowns while throwing 10 interceptions.
Overall, the Badgers started the season off 2-0 with wins over Western Michigan and South Dakota before falling to Alabama and USC. In October, it appeared that Fickell’s program was finding its stride with four straight wins over Purdue, Rutgers, and Northwestern but have since lost four straight games.
The Badgers made a change at OC midseason
The Badgers fired their offensive coordinator, Phil Longo, earlier this month following a 16-13 loss to the Oregon Ducks. Longo came to Madison with the hopes of bringing the Air Raid offense to the Big Ten, but the transition to the offense has been largely unsuccessful for the Badgers.
This season, the Badgers are averaging just 24.7 points per game, their lowest mark since 2004. Additionally, their passing attack has only garnered 202.7 yards per game ranking 93rd nationally, their rushing attack is slightly better when it comes to nationally ranked with 164.4 yards per game, ranking 65th.
In their first game without Longo last weekend against Nebraska, the Huskers totaled 25 points and 407 yards from scrimmage including 292 passing yards.
SERIES HISTORY
Friday will be the 134th meeting between the two programs since their first meeting in 1890. Through the first 133 matchups, the series is as tight as possible with Wisconsin holding a 63-8-62 advantage over the Gophers. The Gophers for a long time held the series advantage but a 14-game winning streak from 2004 through 2017, shifted the series in favor of Wisconsin. The Gophers over the P.J. Fleck era have been working to even it back up, doing so in 2022 with a a 23-16 win in Madison before the Badgers reclaimed the lead with a 28-14 win last season.
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Saturday was a day Nebraska fans will not forget for a long time. The Huskers secured one of their biggest victories of the last decade, and their freshman star quarterback was a huge reason why.
Dylan Raiola delivered a masterful performance as Nebraska powered past Wisconsin 44-25, securing the Cornhuskers’ first bowl berth since 2016. Playing in front of a raucous Memorial Stadium crowd, Raiola showcased his accuracy and leadership, getting the most important victory of his young career, courtesy of one of his most efficient outings.
Raiola completed 28 of 38 passes for 293 yards and a touchdown, orchestrating an offense that controlled the game with 29 first downs and over 33 minutes of possession. He displayed excellent accuracy, particularly in the intermediate passing game, finding Jacory Barney Jr. and Emmett Johnson for pivotal completions. The two players combined for 170 receiving yards.
While the stat sheet shows only one touchdown pass, Raiola’s impact went beyond the box score. His ability to spread the ball among eight different receivers kept Wisconsin’s defense off balance, while his quick decision-making prevented sacks and extended drives. His lone touchdown throw, a perfectly placed ball to Jahmal Banks late in the second quarter, helped Nebraska pull away before halftime.
Raiola’s poise in critical moments stood out. Facing third-and-long situations, he converted twice with pinpoint throws to sustain scoring drives. Additionally, his pre-snap adjustments demonstrated his growing football IQ, as he consistently identified mismatches and exploited them. Nebraska converted four of nine third downs, largely thanks to Raiola’s composure.
Overall, Raiola’s performance was instrumental in Nebraska’s milestone victory. His leadership and efficiency set the tone for an offense that dominated Wisconsin from start to finish. It was a true showcase of what the offense can be under Dana Holgorsen’s leadership. With the win, the Cornhuskers are back in postseason play, and their freshman quarterback has firmly cemented himself as the face of the program’s resurgence.
Grade: A
MORE: Dana Holgorsen Dives Into Changes He’s Made With Nebraska Football’s Offense
MORE: Nick Handley Show: Bowl Eligibility & Iowa Preview with Jay Moore
MORE: Carriker Chronicles: Nebraska Football Can Finish 2024 With an Exclamation Point
MORE: Stukenholtz: Yes, It Has Really Been That Long
MORE: How to Watch Nebraska Men’s Basketball vs. South Dakota: Preview, Breakdown, TV Channel
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
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