Just as Wisconsin football’s offense finally appeared to be turning a corner, deploying a dangerous ground game that attacks defenses from all angles with real explosiveness through the air, the Badgers came crashing back down to earth against a stout UCLA defense in Pasadena.
It was a frustrating game in many ways, chief among them being that this was a very winnable game. Penalties and mistakes doomed the Badgers, but this was a game Wisconsin absolutely had the capacity to win.
The Badgers’ defense shut down UCLA’s highly touted rushing attack, and while the secondary was surprisingly permeable against Bruins backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, even a slightly better offensive performance could’ve turned into a huge road win.
So where do the Badgers need to improve offensively, and how can they bounce back in another big matchup against a ranked, Los Angeles-based school? Below, BadgerNotes.com dives into the All-22 film to investigate:
Again, part of what made Saturday night at the Rose Bowl so frustrating was just how close Wisconsin was to breaking through offensively. The Badgers certainly had chances; they just couldn’t capitalize. And while that’ll sting after a great opportunity to pull off another road upset of a top-15 team slipped away, it’s encouraging that the plays were there to be made; UCLA didn’t completely stifle Wisconsin.
Quarterback Colton Joseph and wideout Malachi Coleman narrowly missed a touchdown here. A pulling PJ Wilkins (No. 71) allows pressure in Joseph’s face, which may have forced him to change his arm angle a bit. Regardless, he actually delivers about as good a ball as he could’ve. Still, it’s an exceedingly tough catch for Coleman in the back of the end zone, who can’t come down with it despite having a step on the cornerback in coverage.
That wasn’t the only potential touchdown Wisconsin receivers had Saturday. While the above throw may have been impacted by pressure, the play below absolutely was:
UCLA had a tremendous game plan defensively, part of which involved moving star linebacker Sammy Omosigho (No. 10) all over the front seven. On this play, the Bruins scheme him into an excellent mismatch, with Badgers tight end Ryan Schwendeman tasked with blocking him. He had no shot.
Omosigho gets past him like he’s going through a turnstile and forces the fumble. But do you see what Joseph saw? Receiver Eugene Hilton Jr. was streaking wide open down the field. If the quarterback hits him in stride, that’s a walk-in touchdown.
Wisconsin’s receivers struggled to create consistent separation and get open early in the down. But they also had chances for big plays; the Badgers just couldn’t capitalize.
It’s no secret that the Badgers need to get their ground game going. The No. 78-ranked rushing offense in the country by yards per game with 152.2 has become extremely reliant on the legs of its quarterback, Joseph. And while running backs Abu Sama and Darrion Dupree certainly need to combine for more than 13 touches as they did at UCLA, Joseph’s legs are arguably this offense’s most potent weapon at the moment:
