Good, Bad and Ugly From Wisconsin Badgers Win Over Illinois

Wisconsin football rallied behind Braedyn Locke in Champaign on Saturday.

In a thrilling comeback, Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers football team (5-2, 3-1 B1G) secured their signature win of the season, claiming a 25-21 road victory over Illinois.

Here’s a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Badgers win over Illinois in Week 8.

The Good: Wisconsin Is in Good Hands at QB

Braedyn Locke demonstrated remarkable composure in his first start for Wisconsin, particularly during the Badgers game-winning drive. 

Locke exhibited accuracy & command of the offense all day, especially in critical third-down situations, where he completed 7-of-12 passes for 77 yards. Although his stats (240 yards passing and two touchdowns) might not entirely illustrate his strong performance, the Texas native showed poise in the face of pressure and overcame challenges, like penalties and dropped passes, which was quite impressive. 

His connection with receiver Will Pauling showed promise. The speedy slot wideout was targeted 11 times, hauling in seven catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. It’s also worth noting that nine different Wisconsin Badgers caught passes on Saturday — an aspect of the game I found particularly impressive.

While there’s always room for improvement, Locke’s performance in this comeback win showcased why Wisconsin football should feel good about him as a potential starting option now and in the future. 

The Bad: Badgers Pass Protection 

I’ll try to keep this one short and sweet: for as poor as the Wisconsin football offensive line looked as run blockers…they were even worse in pass protection against Illinois on Saturday.