It's been two weeks since a University of Wisconsin football team was noncompetitive in its worst loss to rival Iowa since 1968, and one fans said players quit during.
Awaiting the Badgers (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) is No. 1 Oregon, which can clinch a Big Ten championship game berth with a win, and a fan base which may have already turned the page to basketball season. The weekend tipped off with a men's basketball upset of No. 9 Arizona, sending a fan base longing for something positive into hysteria.
People are also reading…
Perhaps that magic will spill into Saturday night as the Badgers football team seeks an upset of the Ducks (10-0, 7-0), which would be a rude welcome to a league the newcomer looks primed to win.
Here's game day information, what to know about each team, how to tune in and more. Check back during the game for live updates, scores, highlights and more.
Oregon outweighs Wisconsin in NIL
Phil Knight and his Nike empire funds have helped the Ducks compete and made them a coveted school to join the Big Ten. Reports this summer were that Knight was willing to provide funds to field a championship caliber team. Meanwhile Wisconsin booster Ted Kellner has his own frustrations.
“We have a lot of alumni, but I don’t think we have nearly as many high net worth people that are tethered and love athletics like I do and others like myself,” Kellner said. “So that’s what I mean by the competitive landscape.”
Melvin Gordon's milestone game
Melvin Gordon III had a lengthy NFL career and this weekend marks the 10-year milestone of his 408-yard rushing game against Nebraska. It was a NCAA single game rushing record for all of a week, but still memorable.
Gordon told BadgerExtra he thought he could hit 500 yards rushing had he not offered playing time to roommate Dare Ogunbowale. The record was broken a week later by Oklahoma's Semaje Perine.
Heisman Trophy contender leads Oregon
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel may play his way to New York as a Heisman Trophy contender. He has the second best odds at +310 to win the award behind Colorado's two-way star Travis Hunter, according to the Action Network. Gabriel leads the country in completion percentage at 74.1%, is eighth nationally with 2,848 yards passing and tied for sixth with 22 touchdowns.
He orchestrates an offense that is 19th in scoring with an average of 35.7 points per game. The Ducks haven't scored fewer than 31 points in league play, either, and standout receiver Tez Johnson and running back Jordan James have had their hand in helping Oregon move the ball.
Test for Wisconsin's defense
The Badgers have tried to use the transfer portal to fit their scheme, which has changed in Year 2 of Luke Fickell's tenure. Last season brought the 3-3-5 scheme used at Cincinnati, but defensive coordinator Mike Tressel and Fickell, who has a defensive background, have shifted to a 2-4-5 defense this season.
The back line of the defense has had its bright spots, whether reigning All-American Ricardo Hallman, safety Hunter Wohler or cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean. The real issues have been at defensive line and a linebacker group that has had inconsistencies. A defensive front that hasn't generated enough pressure this season needs to find its best performance to pull off an upset.
First down key for Wisconsin's offense
The Badgers could do very little wrong offensively in early October. But that was the soft part of the schedule. A trend throughout the season is the inability to consistently gain yardage on first down, thus making it more difficult to move the ball and sustain drives.
The average distance to gain on third down the past two games, losses to Iowa and Penn State, has exceeded 8 yards. In those games, 23 of 54 first-down plays went for 1 yard or fewer.
Wisconsin vs. Oregon prediction
No one in the Big Ten thus far has been able to keep the Ducks under 31 points, and it’s tough to expect the Badgers to break that trend given the questionable play of Wisconsin’s defensive front. Wisconsin hasn’t generated a consistent pass rush this season and that’s been one of the only ways to get Dillon Gabriel off his game.
This is a question of how bad it’ll get and the Badgers can quickly turn focus to Nebraska and Minnesota to close the season.
Oregon 38, Wisconsin 17
—Colten Bartholomew
What does Luke Fickell's TEAM vest mean?
Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell wears the acronym T.E.A.M. on the back of his black vest as "a reminder to myself" that it takes a group, or team effort to get better. It stands for "together everyone achieves more." Here was his insight on it last season:
University of Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell discusses the "T.E.A.M." ("Together Everyone Achieves More") acronym that is seen on his game day attire.
Importance of "Jump Around" to Wisconsin fans today
Here's how it looked inside the Fox Sports production truck as the crew prepared to return from the third-quarter break on Saturday, Oct. 14.
Camp Randall Stadium is consistently votes as one of the top college football stadiums to attend a game at. A big reason for that is the long-standing tradition of House of Pain's "Jump Around," which started in 1998 and has become synonymous with Wisconsin.
Washington State famously played it at Martin Stadium after the Cougars beat the Badgers last season. The song also played at the Democratic National Convention last month to announce the Wisconsin delegates.
And it still plays in Madison, too, for fans old and young.
“It's still the best tradition, I think, in college football,” said 61-year-old Tim Stadelman, who’s held season tickets since 1992. “It's the one time of the game I think everybody gets up and celebrates Wisconsin football.”
How to watch Wisconsin football vs. Oregon
The Badgers play on NBC with Noah Eagle on play-by-play, Todd Blackledge as analyst and Kathryn Tappen as sideline reporter.
How to stream Wisconsin football vs. Oregon
The match will be available for streaming on the Peacock app.
How to listen to Wisconsin football vs. Oregon
The game also will be broadcast on the radio on the Badger Sports Network with Matt Lepay on the play-by-play call alongside former Badgers and Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Mark Tauscher and Patrick Herb reporting from the sidelines.
Inside the Wisconsin chain gang's job
Working the sidelines sometimes provides the best seat in the house. It's also "a very dangerous seat." Just ask the six members of Wisconsin's chain gang who are on the visitor's sideline at Camp Randall.
BadgerExtra enterprise reporter Todd Milewski spent a game with the chain gang last season. Read his story here.
What do fans enjoy and dislike about Wisconsin football games?
Everybody is welcome to their opinion on what a Wisconsin football game is like. From season ticket holders throughout decades to younger visitors to the Badgers' home, read how some fans felt about the gameday experience at Camp Randall.
What time do the Camp Randall Stadium gates open?
The gates at Camp Randall Stadium open to the public 1½ hours before kickoff. Fans can enter the stadium beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with the game scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Printed tickets no longer are available; tickets must be scanned from the Badgers app at entry. Fans without a smartphone will have to go to the stadium ticket office on game day.
What is the security protocol at Camp Randall Stadium?
Under a security protocol that was implemented for the 2023 season, fans attending games at Camp Randall will be screened using walk-through metal detectors.
What items can I bring into Camp Randall Stadium?
There have been no changes to the carry-in policy this season at Camp Randall, with fans still allowed to bring in a clear bag no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches, a small clutch (4.5 inches by 6.5 inches), a one-gallon clear plastic bag or diaper bags with children. Prohibited items include: food, beverages, containers, strollers, laser pointers, umbrellas, banners, flags, signs, noisemakers, weapons, inflatables, laptops, video recorders, monopods, tripods or any items deemed dangerous or inappropriate.
Where can I park for Wisconsin football games?
There are several parking lots available on a first-come, first-served basis on game days. Prices range from $5 to $50, with all lots accepting credit/debit cards only. Wisconsin is in the process of converting to a mobile system for parking passes. Parking lots will open at 4:30 p.m. for Saturday's showdown. Explore a map of available lots here.
Which parking lots does the Bucky Shuttle serve?
Routes on the Bucky Shuttle are only from Lots 60, 64 and 76 on campus and not from city parking ramps downtown. A round-trip fare is $10 per person and must be purchased in advance on Wisconsin's website. The cost to park in Lots 60 and 76 on game days is $5, while lot 64, which is RV and bus accessible, costs $50.
Big recruiting weekend expected with Wisconsin football hosting No. 1 Oregon
