Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s tale of 2 halves against USC proved the Badgers are stuck in old ways

Published

2 years ago

September 29, 2024

Wisconsin’s tale of 2 halves against USC proved the Badgers are stuck in old ways

LOS ANGELES — Members of Wisconsin’s football team walked off the LA Memorial Coliseum field at halftime with a brief sense of satisfaction. For two quarters, they had played as well as could be hoped to establish an 11-point lead that surprised a heavily favored USC crew and offered a glimmer of needed optimism for the program.

It was the team Wisconsin aspires to be under Luke Fickell — one that was aggressive, opportunistic and executing at a high level. Until it wasn’t.

The Badgers went from looking like they were ready to turn a corner to one that couldn’t fight their way out when backed into one. No. 13 USC hammered Wisconsin with four unanswered second-half touchdowns to secure a 38-21 victory on Saturday.

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In the process, the Badgers looked like the team they have too often been — erratic and mediocre. And for as much potential positivity as the first half offered, it was hard not to come away feeling like this was a lot of the same old, same old.

“We play every game like we played that first half, we’ll be really good,” Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler said. “And we have it in us. We showed it today. We have it in us. We just have to find a way to play four quarters.”

Achieving that ambition has proven problematic for an offense and defense that haven’t answered key questions about how to consistently raise the bar. Wisconsin trailed Western Michigan by a point in the fourth quarter of its season opener before escaping with a victory, led FCS South Dakota by just four points late in the third quarter and lost by 32 points at home to Alabama two weeks ago. Now this.

In his first start of the season, Wisconsin QB Braedyn Locke completed 50 percent of his passes for 180 yards, one touchdown and one interception. (Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)

Wisconsin is 9-8 since the start of last season and 5-5 in Big Ten games under Fickell. The Badgers are 2-2 this season and 0-1 in league play. And with a schedule that still includes ranked foes Penn State and Oregon, as well as undefeated Rutgers, a one-loss Iowa on the road and a pesky Nebraska team, there’s no telling where they might end up. Fickell continues to stress the importance of ensuring everybody is motivated and on the same page.

“I told them in the locker room, they chose to come here,” Fickell said. “We all chose to put ourselves in this situation, knowing that the Big Ten is something that’s completely different now. So this is what we wanted. This is what we asked for and now we got it. Sometimes you’ve got to be a man and you’ve got to stand up. We’re all going to find out how we can handle adversity and how we can handle ourselves and what we can do to grow.”

Wisconsin deserves credit for its first-half performance against USC. Quarterback Braedyn Locke, who took over against Alabama after Tyler Van Dyke suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his right knee, delivered a pair of impressive deep balls to set an early tone. He threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to receiver Vinny Anthony II and a 35-yard pass to receiver Bryson Green to set up another score. But the explosive plays stopped there.

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Locke has an uncanny ability to complete 50 percent of his passes, which he has done for the entirety of his Wisconsin career. He completed 13 of 26 passes for a second consecutive game. And a quarterback who completes only half his passes figures to struggle to consistently win games in this league — particularly in an offense under coordinator Phil Longo that strives for run-pass balance. Wisconsin closed the game with four punts, a turnover on downs and a Locke pass that was intercepted by USC linebacker Mason Cobb and returned 55 yards for a touchdown.

The run game didn’t give Locke much relief. The biggest backbreaker occurred during the third quarter with Wisconsin leading 21-17 and facing a fourth-and-half-a-yard at the USC 33-yard line. The Badgers lined up in a shotgun and didn’t block the back side of the play, which allowed safety Kamari Ramsey to stuff Walker for no gain and a turnover on downs. USC scored on the next possession to take a 24-21 lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

It marked the second straight game in which Wisconsin failed to convert a fourth-and-1 running play from the shotgun. Fickell has taken heat from former players about the decision to use a shotgun in short-yardage situations, as Wisconsin’s entire offense has moved away from the under-center system established under previous staffs. He said it didn’t matter whether the play was called from the shotgun or under center because Wisconsin’s inability to block was more important.

“I’ve got to get it,” Walker said. “It’s fourth-and-1. It doesn’t matter how many people are in that box. I’ve got to get it.”

Wisconsin’s defense was equally uneven. Safety Preston Zachman made a diving interception of USC quarterback Miller Moss across midfield during the first half. And safety Austin Brown came off the edge to sack Moss and force a fumble that defensive lineman Ben Barten recovered. Then, the defense played in a manner that Zachman said was “the complete opposite in the second half.” It simply could not earn stops at critical junctures, as USC’s playmaking receivers devastated Wisconsin. The Badgers finished with three second-half first downs to the Trojans’ 13.

Moss converted passes on third-and-7 and third-and-15 before throwing a 6-yard touchdown to receiver Ja’Kobi Lane on third-and-goal to take the lead. USC finished 11-of-17 on third downs. It didn’t help that Wisconsin punt returner Tyrell Henry muffed a punt that led to a USC touchdown, returning the favor from a Trojans first-half muff that the Badgers converted into a score.

“We’ve got to find a way to be able to get the momentum back when things are going against us,” Fickell said. “That’s probably as big of an issue right now as there is. When it comes down to it, it’s not some magical thing you can say. It’s not like call timeout and call them all together and give them some speech. It’s like, ‘OK, men. Somebody’s got to step up. Somebody’s got to make a play. They’re not going to hand it to us.’”

How much is one half of good football worth when it comes on the road against a top-15 opponent? Wisconsin’s players attempted to find a silver lining in addressing that question afterward. Wohler said that while back-to-back losses look bad, he believed the Badgers were “trending upwards.” Anthony said, “We have plenty of film to show that we can hang with anybody,” while Zachman insisted “We’re right there.”

Sure, Wisconsin showed flashes of its potential Saturday. But it will take a heck of a lot more than that for the Badgers to become the team they want to be. Whether they can actually get over that hump is anybody’s guess.

(Top photo: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)

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Wisconsin

How many homes could be built in Northeast Wisconsin in 2026?

Published

10 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Press Room

How many homes could be built in Northeast Wisconsin in 2026?

(Stacker) – Homebuilding plays a critical role in maintaining a steady housing supply and keeping prices at sustainable levels. As the U.S. population grows, more housing is needed to meet demand. Since the Great Recession, construction has lagged well behind what is needed, which is one of the main reasons home prices are so high today.

Supply has slowly increased over the past few years but is still below what is needed for the market to balance out. Until that gap closes, prices are likely to remain elevated, and many buyers will likely struggle to afford a home.

So, how many homes are getting built in Northeast Wisconsin in 2026? Is construction increasing or decreasing?

Redfin Real Estate analyzed the rate of housing permits issued in the cities of Appleton, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Oshkosh and Sheboygan over the past 13 months to find out.

Appleton

Appleton housing permits January 2025-January 2026(WBAY)

2026

January – Building permits: 29 (1.2 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 57 (2.3 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 52 (2.1 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 46 (1.9 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 74 (3.0 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 74 (3.0 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 60 (2.5 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 183 (7.5 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 53 (2.2 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 128 (5.3 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 139 (5.7 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 86 (3.5 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 246 (10.1 per 10k)

Fond du Lac

2026

January – Building permits: 10 (1.0 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 12 (1.2 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 12 (1.2 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 11 (1.1 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 20 (1.9 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 21 (2.0 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 15 (1.4 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 17 (1.6 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 16 (1.5 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 21 (2.0 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 19 (1.8 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 11 (1.1 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 20 (1.9 per 10k)

Green Bay

2026

January – Building permits: 304 (9.3 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 84 (2.6 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 67 (2.0 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 97 (3.0 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 166 (5.1 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 141 (4.3 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 93 (2.8 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 185 (5.6 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 120 (3.7 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 88 (2.7 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 155 (4.7 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 156 (4.8 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 62 (1.9 per 10k)

Oshkosh

2026

January – Building permits: 16 (0.9 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 15 (0.9 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 23 (1.3 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 22 (1.3 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 46 (2.7 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 61 (3.6 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 54 (3.1 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 77 (4.5 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 26 (1.5 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 87 (5.1 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 125 (7.3 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 16 (0.9 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 79 (4.6 per 10k)

Sheboygan

2026

January – Building permits: 3 (0.3 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 13 (1.1 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 31 (2.6 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 27 (2.3 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 9 (0.8 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 19 (1.6 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 22 (1.9 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 11 (0.9 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 11 (0.9 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 15 (1.3 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 174 (14.7 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 13 (1.1 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 38 (3.2 per 10k)

Nationally

2026

January – Building permits: 1,386,000 (44.2 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 1,460,000 (46.6 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 1,454,000 (44.2 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 1,481,000 (47.2 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 1,422,000 (45.4 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 1,394,000 (44.5 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 1,393,000 (44.4 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 1,362,000 (43.5 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 1,330,000 (42.4 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 1,425,000 (45.1 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 1,411,000 (45.0 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 1,388,000 (44.3 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 1,455,000 (46.4 per 10k)

National permit data is a seasonally adjusted annual rate; metro-level permit data is the non-seasonally adjusted total number of permits issued per month.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for May 9, 2026

Published

22 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for May 9, 2026

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 9, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from May 9 drawing

15-41-46-47-56, Powerball: 22, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 9 drawing

Midday: 2-4-4

Evening: 8-4-5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 9 drawing

Midday: 7-3-4-7

Evening: 3-3-5-1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning All or Nothing numbers from May 9 drawing

Midday: 03-04-05-06-07-09-12-13-14-16-19

Evening: 03-08-09-12-13-14-15-17-20-21-22

Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Badger 5 numbers from May 9 drawing

05-14-18-25-27

Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning SuperCash numbers from May 9 drawing

02-09-16-28-32-35, Doubler: Y

Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Megabucks numbers from May 9 drawing

02-20-36-39-40-41

Check Megabucks payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.

Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?

No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.

When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.

That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **

WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin multi-county police chase, 2 people from Illinois arrested

Published

1 day ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin multi-county police chase, 2 people from Illinois arrested

article

Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office

FOND DU LAC COUNTY, Wis. – Two people from Illinois were arrested following a police chase that started in Fond du Lac County and ended in Winnebago County on Friday, May 8.

Initial traffic stop

What we know:

According to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, just after 1 p.m. the sheriff’s office got an alert for a stolen vehicle out of Illinois heading northbound on I-41 from County Road Y.

It was learned that the vehicle was involved in two different police chases in the past week in Illinois, but had eluded officers each time.

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A short time later, a deputy spotted the vehicle on I-41 near Winnebago Street. The deputy continued to follow the suspect vehicle northbound, waiting for more deputies to get into position to attempt a high-risk traffic stop. Once those deputies were in position, a high-risk traffic stop was conducted. The vehicle initially pulled over and stopped, but right after deputies got out of their squad cars and started telling the people to get out of the vehicle, it instead fled northbound on I-41.

Chase into Winnebago County

What we know:

The chase went into Winnebago County, with the vehicle failing to pullover and instead speeding up. As the chase continued, the vehicle continued driving recklessly, passing by other vehicles on the interstate, including passing on the shoulder and weaving between vehicles, all at a high rate of speed.

The vehicle exited I-41 and ran three red lights. The chase continued southbound on State Highway 26, with the vehicle continuing to pass vehicles at a high rate of speed on the two-lane highway.

The vehicle then went off the road and drove through the yard of a home before circling around in the yard, traveling through the ditch, and reentering the highway going northbound. It then went into a field near County Road Z and Clay Road.

As a sergeant with the sheriff’s office was moving in to perform a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT Maneuver), the suspect vehicle went into reverse and rammed the front of the squad. The vehicle then attempted to leave the field by traveling through a ditch and back up onto the road, where another sheriff’s squad ended the chase by intentionally striking the vehicle and pushing it off the road and back into the ditch.

The vehicle rolled over in the ditch, came to rest upright, but was then disabled and could not move. Two people got out of the vehicle and were taken into custody. The vehicle started on fire and a fire department had to respond to extinguish the fire. Both people from the vehicle were evaluated by medical personnel on scene.

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Facing charges

What we know:

The driver of the vehicle was identified as a 23-year-old man from Des Plaines, Illinois. He was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail on the following charges:

Fleeing/Eluding an Officer
1st-Degree Reckless Endangering Safety (2 Counts)
Resisting/Obstructing Officer
Delivering Illegal Articles by Inmate (Ecstasy Pills).

The driver’s criminal history in Illinois was flagged as armed and dangerous with previous weapons offenses, dangerous drug offenses, and criminal damage to property.

The passenger of the vehicle was identified as a 23-year-old woman from Franklin Park, Illinois. She was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail on the following charges: