3 things that stood out in Wisconsin football's nailbiter against Western Michigan (2024)

Stunned silence rang through Camp Randall Stadium late into Friday night’s season opener.

Western Michigan executed a fake field goal to end the third quarter and the Badgers fell behind early in the fourth after a half-hearted “Jump Around." Wisconsin took advantage of a big break on special teams a few plays later to pull out a 28-14 victory and avoid their first Week 1 home loss to a nonconference opponent since 1995.

Some audible boos came from the stands when the Badgers went three-and-out after falling behind, but a long punt from Atticus Bertrams bounced and hit a Broncos player, and safety Austin Brown pounced on the live ball. Wisconsin took over at the Broncos 20-yard line and took back the lead for good.

The stat book looked like a Badgers game under previous coaching staffs for a while in the first half, with Wisconsin going on back-to-back 16-play drives that netted seven points after a missed field goal on the first and a Chez Mellusi score on the second. Western Michigan running back Jalen Buckley capped a 16-play drive with a fourth-and-goal plunge from the 1 to tie the game before Nathanial Vakos made up for his earlier miss with a field goal as time expired in the first half.

Senior quarterback Tyler Van Dyke was shaky in his debut, going 21 of 36 for 192 yards. The Badgers rushed for three touchdowns.

Here’s a game ball and three things that stood out:

Game ball

Chez Mellusi, Wisconsin RB

In his first game back after a nasty broken leg and ankle a year ago, Mellusi paced the offense (74 yards on 19 carries), scored a touchdown and showed the hard-nosed rushing style that makes him such a good fit for this offense.

Honorable mention: Jalen Buckley, Western Michigan RB

1. Defensive line not getting penetration

One of the major question marks for the Badgers this season was the defensive line making the necessary improvements to improve the team’s middle-of-the-road run defense. Losing senior James Thompson Jr. to a pectoral injury in training camp made that task harder for the D-line, but the belief in the program was that depth along the front would help.

That didn’t happen early against the Broncos. Wisconsin’s defensive line didn’t consistently control the line of scrimmage and defensive coordinator Mike Tressel had to run-blitz his inside linebackers to get penetration and minimize big-play runs. That adjustment worked as the Broncos’ longest run play in the first half was 9 yards and 26 yards in the second, which came on a fake field goal. However, that blitzing created some difficulties in coverage and allowed for long pass plays like the wheel route to Buckley for 24 yards that got the Broncos into Wisconsin territory and jump-started a touchdown drive.

Western Michigan’s offensive line is solid and running back Jalen Buckley is the team’s best player, but the defensive front seven must control their gaps better and avoid the wash-downs that happened frequently and allowed cutback lanes. The Broncos offense was missing it best receiving threat with Kenneth Womack injured and will be near the bottom of a ranking of the offenses Wisconsin plays this season. The early performances from the defensive line are cause for concern.

2. Badgers still struggle to finish

Missed scoring chances in the first three quarters led to Wisconsin needing a comeback to survive a Group of Five opponent. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell emphasized finishing all of last season, and that message didn’t convert to the field as the Badgers again struggled in close games. But that issue appears to have carried into a third consecutive season.

Offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s system oftenis criticized for its struggles in the red zone, with the thought being that the scheme falters once the space the defense must defend condenses. Wisconsin punched in touchdowns on 3 of 6 red-zone chances but started the game 1 of 4. Those points left on the field when Wisconsin has the advantage on the offensive line and in the backfield nearly proved calamitous.

3. Tyler Van Dyke inconsistent in debut

Van Dyke’s first start for the Badgers was a microcosm of his career thus far: some glimpses of greatness but enough miscues that leave one wondering what could’ve been.

The senior from Glastonbury, Connecticut, was patient early and took short passes that were available to him. He was efficient on third down (5 of 8, four first downs) and attacked the middle of the field well when the Broncos vacated those areas by blitzing linebackers and safeties. But Van Dyke had a couple of throws on those chances that were off by enough that they stopped a receiver’s momentum or had him fail to make the catch. He looked most comfortable late in the first half when he led the team on a field-goal drive that started with him going 3 of 3 for 32 yards, but he went 1 of 5 the rest of the drive.

Van Dyke also wasn’t careful with the ball. Wisconsin was held to a field goal on its opening drive of the second half, and he tried to force a ball into Will Pauling’s hands that was tipped and nearly picked in the end zone. Van Dyke had trouble navigating pressure late in the third quarter and lost a fumble on a third-and-long. Western Michigan scored six plays later to take a one-point lead early in the fourth. Van Dyke recovered and went 3 of 5 for 32 yards in the fourth quarter after the costly fumble and scored a touchdown on a QB draw from the 6.

Wisconsin’s offensive line faded after starting fairly well in pass protection, which affected Van Dyke’s poise in the pocket, but he didn’t consistently carry his end of protecting the ball. That has to change in coming weeks.