MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz’s production thus far hasn’t lived up to the standards set by his lofty recruiting ranking and sparkling debut as a starter.
He’s ready to stabilize what has been an erratic career by helping the Badgers earn the Big Ten championship game appearance that has eluded them each of his first two seasons as a starter.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Playing in the Rose Bowl was the pinnacle of a college football career for those who coached and played in the Big Ten for decades.
The Rose Bowl's importance has been waning for years as college football's postseason evolved.
A look at football players in the Big Ten this spring who are poised to have standout seasons this fall:
Coordinator changes and heavy player personnel losses made it a spring of uncertainty for the top Big Ten defenses.
Start with Wisconsin, which has been in the national top five in total defense three straight years and lower than that just twice since 2014.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin has boasted one of the nation's stingiest defenses virtually every season since Jim Leonhard took over as coordinator in 2017.
Leonhard faces perhaps his biggest test in maintaining that standard this year.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — During an offseason in which more than one out of every five Football Bowl Subdivision programs changed head coaches, the Big Ten was the lone conference that didn’t see a single move.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz says his confidence hasn’t wavered even during an offseason in which Oklahoma transfer Caleb Williams’ name got mentioned as his potential replacement.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin running back Chez Mellusi says he has reached out to former Clemson teammate and current Green Bay Packers wide receiver Amari Rodgers for advice on recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst says he never personally spoke with Caleb Williams when the former Oklahoma quarterback was considering potential transfer destinations before choosing Southern California.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis drives to the basket with the same ferocity he used to show while running over defenders as a high school quarterback.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst has reached into the pro ranks to hire Bobby Engram from the Ravens as his offensive coordinator.
Engram, 49, has spent the last eight seasons as an assistant coach with Baltimore, starting as a wide receivers coach for five seasons and spending the last three seasons as a tight ends coach, working with All-Pro selection Mark Andrews.
Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis spent his freshman year coming off the bench and playing a supporting role for a senior-laden team.
Davis now is the Badgers’ featured performer and is making the most of his opportunity while catching the attention of NBA scouts.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin linebacker Leo Chenal is entering the NFL draft rather than returning to the Badgers next season.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Braelon Allen thought his week in Las Vegas was rather uneventful.
After all, it's hard to really soak in Sin City when you're only 17 years old. He'll have to settle for his MVP award.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mitchell Fineran kicked a 39-yard field goal in overtime and Purdue finished off its best season since 2003 by overcoming a 14-point deficit and beating Tennessee 48-45 on Thursday in a record-setting Music City Bowl.
Las Vegas Bowl: Arizona State (8-4) vs. Wisconsin (8-4), Dec. 30, 10:30 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Wisconsin by 6, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Running the ball against the vaunted Wisconsin defense has been nearly impossible all season — even for opponents who weren’t missing their top two tailbacks, like Arizona State is in the Las Vegas Bowl.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin won’t have safety Collin Wilder for its Las Vegas Bowl matchup with Arizona State.
Wilder said in a video posted by the Wisconsin football team’s Twitter account that he’d suffered a “very serious injury” that would prevent him from playing in the bowl game.
NEW YORK (AP) — Alabama's Bryce Young and Ohio State's C.J. Stroud have been friends since middle school, competing in basketball and football while growing up in Southern California.
Young can already claim one victory against Stroud, winning the Heisman on Saturday night over his fellow finalist.
Wisconsin (8-4, Big Ten) vs. Arizona State (8-4, Pac-12), Dec. 30, 10:30 p.m. ET
LOCATION: Las Vegas
TOP PLAYERS Wisconsin: RB Braelon Allen. The freshman has rushed for 1,125 yards and 12 touchdowns.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota's fans gleefully converged on the field as Paul Bunyan's Axe was slowly paraded through the crowd, eager for a peek at this long-sought trophy that has gone so often to Wisconsin.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Tanner Morgan got the game ball for Minnesota last week, a tribute to his 25th career victory that gave him the record for Gophers quarterbacks.
“I’ve been around a lot of good teammates and a lot of good coaches.
No. 18 Wisconsin (8-3, 6-2 Big Ten, No. 14 CFP) at Minnesota (7-4, 5-3), Saturday at 4 p.m. EST (Fox).
Line: Wisconsin by 6 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin is on the verge of completing a rare turnaround.
After opening 1-3, the 18th-ranked Badgers have won seven straight and need only a victory Saturday at Minnesota (7-4, 5-3 Big Ten) to earn a trip to the Big Ten championship game next week in Indianapolis.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Braelon Allen continued a tradition of Wisconsin running backs steamrolling Nebraska defenses.
Allen rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns – including a tiebreaking 53-yarder with 3:50 remaining – to help No.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — On a day when No. 6 Notre Dame did little wrong in a 55-0 shutout of beleaguered Georgia Tech on Saturday, coach Brian Kelly made a pitch for his team's postseason aspirations in the College Football Playoff.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Charlie Jones ran the length of the field, and then kept running.
Jones had a 100-yard kickoff return for No. 18 Iowa’s first touchdown and the Hawkeyes went on to beat Illinois 33-23 on Saturday.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s top-ranked defense faces the challenge of preparing for the unknown as it gets ready to face a Nebraska team that just overhauled its offensive coaching staff.
Saturday’s matchup at Camp Randall Stadium will be Nebraska’s first game since Cornhuskers coach Scott Frost fired four offensive assistants, including coordinator Matt Lubick.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s remarkable turnaround seems like a personally rewarding development for quarterback Graham Mertz, who absorbed plenty of criticism during the Badgers’ poor start.
Yet he resists the temptation to speak in those terms, even as Wisconsin’s passing attack finally is starting to deliver on its potential during this six-game winning streak.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — With two weeks left in the regular season, the Big Ten has positioned itself to get a third straight berth in the College Football Playoff, and possibly two if an avalanche of things go the right way.
WACO, Texas (AP) — Gerry Bohanon threw a touchdown pass and ran for two scores, Baylor’s defense constantly pressured Caleb Williams and Spencer Rattler and the No. 18 Bears beat No. 4 Oklahoma 27-14 on Saturday to end the Sooners’ nation’s-best 17-game winning streak.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Braelon Allen understood the importance of his role following Chez Mellusi's injury, sidelining Wisconsin's leading rusher for the rest of the season.
Allen handled that burden as effectively as he has accepted every other task assigned to him during his exceptional freshman season.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa quarterback Alex Padilla is described by coach Kirk Ferentz as “even-keeled.”
That was the approach Ferentz and his staff took with Padilla this week as he prepared to make his first career start Saturday against Minnesota.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Across the country, teams once again are discovering that establishing a rushing attack is even tougher than it was the year before.
The average yards per carry for Bowl Subdivision teams is on pace to dip for a third consecutive season.
Northwestern (3-6, 1-4 Big Ten) at No. 20 Wisconsin (6-3, 4-2, No. 18 CFP), Saturday at noon EST (ESPN2).
Line: Wisconsin by 24 ½, according to FanDuel Sportsbook
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin vows it won’t overlook Northwestern as the 20th-ranked Badgers attempt to earn their sixth straight win and move a step closer to a Big Ten championship game berth.
The wounds from their 17-7 loss at Northwestern last season are still too fresh.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin running back Chez Mellusi will miss the rest of the season with an injured left knee, leaving the 20th-ranked Badgers without their leading rusher.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Not only has Wisconsin put its horrid 1-3 start behind it, everything is suddenly within reach for the Badgers.
Graham Mertz threw a season-high three touchdown passes and Wisconsin won its fifth straight game and become bowl eligible for the 20th straight year with a 52-3 victory over Rutgers on Saturday.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Chase Brown rushed 33 times for 150 yards, and the Illinois defense delivered six sacks and two interceptions of Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan on the way to a 14-6 victory on Saturday.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — A month into the season, there was a lot of discussion about bowl games happening in Madison, Wisconsin and Piscataway, New Jersey, and it wasn't the same.
Wisconsin had lost three of its first four games and there was concern the Badgers' run of 19 straight bowl berths might be coming to an end.