When was the last time Wisconsin lost to Purdue? Who should be on the field for Wisconsin?
Bench Seniors, Start Freshman and Transfers:
We are far enough into the season where I can use my eyes and tell that the coaches aren’t starting the best players. Maybe they are better in practice, but they haven’t been on Saturdays.
Ben Barten and Curt Neal are the DL starters. Elijah Hills (transfer) is better than both. He was by far the most disruptive against USC.
Jake Chaney stole the starting MLB spot from Meama Njongmeta last season. Njongmeta made an NFL roster in 2024 (Bengals); Chaney has been aggressively mediocre. Underclassmen Tackett Curtis played much better than Chaney when he filled in after Chaney’s ejection for targeting. Chaney should not have got his job back.
The other ILB spot currently belongs to transfer senior Jaheim Thomas. You don’t recognize that name because he hasn’t done anything. Sophomore Christian Alliegro has flashed in limited 3rd down action, and I’d give him a chance to take Thomas’s playing time.
And now for the offense. At QB, it is what it is. Locke is a 50% completion guy. At WR, we have some decent slot guys, but on the outside, it’s a mess. TE… is a joke. The OL can pass block, but the run blocking has not been up to Wisco’s standard.
Despite the many complaints I have, I wouldn’t replace any of the starters at any of the positions above on offense.
That said, I demand changes at running back.
Chez Mellusi is dead to me. He was the champion of all those 3-and-out drives in the 2nd half at USC. Tawee Walker is good. I don’t know if he’s great, but he’s good. Yacamelli was Wisconsin’s best RB through the first 3 weeks. Why the hell did he only get 1 carry last week!? Finally, there are the freshmen: Dupree and Jones. If Yacamelli and Walker aren’t getting it done in the 1st half of any game, I want the freshman to get more shots to prove themselves in the 2nd half. They were raved about in the offseason. Supposedly they are Wisco’s next set of NFL running backs. Well, let’s see it. Dupree got two 2nd quarter carries against USC, and then never saw the field again. I don’t understand.
Game Preview: Purdue
Purdue at Wisconsin
Where: Camp Randall
When: Saturday, 10/5 – 11:00 AM (CST)
How to Watch: BTN
Spread: Wisconsin -13.5
O/U: 46.5
Purdue Boilermakers Current Record: 1-3
Only win is over FCS Indiana State
Wisconsin Doesn’t Lose to Purdue, EVER:
The last time Wisconsin lost to Purdue was in 2003. That was 21 years ago. A majority of the Badgers roster was not born the last time Purdue football beat Wisconsin. Wisconsin has won 17 straight in the series. That’s the 4th longest win streak over an opponent in P4 football (Ohio State has 28 in a row over Indiana).
If the Badgers’ dominance over Purdue were to end this week, there would need to be extreme changes made only 18 games into the Luke Fickell regime.
Prediction:
Wisconsin 31
Purdue 21
Wisconsin gets the much needed win, but this makes 5 consecutive weeks of failing to cover.
#BuckyByAMillion
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This article was written by Cole Tollison and edited by Hayden Breene