The Wisconsin Badgers are rolling into Week 7 after their bye, looking to make a serious statement against the undefeated, No. 12 UCLA Bruins. UCLA is coming off an upset road win over Oregon, but here’s the kicker: their quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, is out indefinitely with a knee injury. That’s a huge shift for this cross-country matchup, and the Badgers, who already knocked off then-No. 13 Penn State on the road earlier this season, are eyeing their fourth win in six games against ranked opponents.
Skill Positions Getting Spicy With Returns
The Badgers’ skill positions are looking a lot healthier after the bye week, and that could be massive. At running back, get ready for Abu Sama to factor back in. He’s been out since Week 4 at Penn State with a shoulder injury, only getting five carries for 34 yards before sitting. In his absence, Darrion Dupree got a workhorse load in Week 5 against Michigan State, playing 43 of 62 snaps with 20 touches for 63 yards. Bryan Jackson also saw 16 snaps for seven carries and 22 yards, while Nate Palmer had three. The big question now is, does Wisconsin ride Dupree again or does Sama jump right back into that workhorse role?
Then there’s the receiving corps. This game could be the first time we see senior transfer Jaylon Domingeaux suit up! He’s been out with a hand injury since fall camp but practiced last week and is ready to get in the mix. If he plays, the Badgers suddenly have a deep rotation of Chris Brooks (41 snaps in Week 5), Eugene Hilton (37 snaps), Tyrell Henry (28 snaps), Malachi Coleman (28 snaps in Week 5 after getting healthy), Shamar Rigby, and now Domingeaux. That’s a lot of talent to spread around. The tight end room was also interesting in Week 5. Ryan Schwendeman led the group with 27 snaps as the Badgers leaned into the ground game more, with Grant Stec at 25, Jacob Harris at 23, and Emmett Bork at 18. We’ll see how much heavy personnel they use against UCLA.
The O-Line Shuffle and Defensive Stability
Alright, if you want to talk about “interesting,” let’s talk offensive line. Wisconsin made some major moves. Kevin Heywood got shifted to left tackle, Stylz Blackmon started at right guard, and Emerson Mandell took over at right tackle. This put PJ Wilkins on the bench, though he did rotate in with Mandell, playing 26 snaps to Mandell’s 33. Wilkins is still the backup right tackle on the depth chart, and with Mandell two weeks healthier post-bye, we’ll see if that rotation continues. Plus, Austin Kawecki left Week 5 with an injury, and Ryan Cory stepped in and played really well. Kawecki is listed as the starter, so his return status is key. At quarterback, Ryan Hopkins remains the co-backup with Deuce Adams after getting snaps for the second time this season in Week 5.
On defense, the line group has been pretty consistent all year, rotating Hammond Russell, Charles Perkins, Junior Poyser, and Nolan Vils. Expect that to continue as they look to shut down the Bruins.
This Week 7 matchup against undefeated UCLA isn’t just another game; it’s a chance for the Badgers to prove they’re legitimate contenders. With key players returning and a reshuffled offensive line, can they go cross-country and take down another ranked opponent? This is going to be a wild one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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