Upon Further Review: Offensive nightmare stretch continues for Badgers

Wisconsin can’t say it didn’t have opportunities against Iowa.

Unfortunately, as has been the case in recent weeks, the Badgers couldn’t take advantage.

Playing without starting running back Jalen Berger, who Wisconsin found out only Friday morning would be unavailable, and top wideouts Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor, the Badgers once again struggled to move the ball on offense.

The defense got worn down late in the game and the end result was another frustrating loss, this time 28-7 to rival Iowa.

The Badgers had six drives begin at their own 39-yard line or better, with three starting in Iowa territory. The fact Wisconsin emerged with just one score illustrates the ongoing problems.

Iowa, however, took advantage of its opportunities. The Hawkeyes converted an early fumble into a field goal. Six straight drives with punts followed — five of those being three-and-out — but after a turnover on downs, Iowa went down and got another field goal right before the end of the first half.

A missed field-goal attempt — a 47-yarder fell short — turned into an eventual touchdown and a late, back-breaking interception was followed by an 80-yard touchdown run.

After playing strong defense most of the game, Wisconsin crumbled late, allowing three drives of 70+ yards in the second half and in two of the Hawkeyes’ final three (not counting the final drive in which they took a knee).

In their last three games, the Badgers have score 7, 6 and 7 points. It’s the first three-game stretch of scoring fewer than 10 points since Oct. 27-Nov. 10, 1990. The last time it happened in four straight was a six-game skid in 1977.

Wisconsin started the season 2-0 with big dreams. A couple of COVID-19 cancellations and a three-game losing streak later, and it’s turned into a nightmare with no inclination of waking up until the final whistle has blown.

Game story

Here’s a recap of Saturday’s game:

PLAYER OF THE GAME

What went right for Wisconsin? Well, how about punter Andy Vujnovich (yes, it’s come to this, but stick with us). Vujnovich averaged 43.7 yards on nine boots, had two of 50+ and three land inside the 20. Vujnovich was actually a key reason Wisconsin was in the game in the first half, setting up Iowa with poor field position. His punts pinned the Hawkeyes at their 19, 14, 20, 30, 15 and 2. Each ensuing drive resulted in a punt – five three-and-outs and one drive lasting five plays and 15 yards. Punters are people, too!

DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME

Jack Dunn led Wisconsin with 10 targets, corralling five receptions for a team-high 55 yards. His 21-yard catch was the longest play of the game for the Badgers. Dunn also worked his way open for what should have been a touchdown (see below).

THAT MOMENT

As mentioned, Wisconsin had some opportunities but two stood out in the fourth quarter. On one, on fourth down from the Iowa 19, Mertz had Dunn open but threw behind him. On the next possession, which the Badgers took over at the Hawkeyes 5 after an illegal kick, on another fourth down Mertz had fullback Mason Stokke open in the end zone, but he wasn’t his first read and by the time he threw it to him it was too late and picked off. Either one of those would have made it a one-score game and perhaps given Wisconsin some juice.

THIS NUMBER

Wisconsin has been over the years been known as a program which likes to run the ball (and for good reason with the stable of running backs it has had). Against Iowa, the Badgers had but 56 yards rushing, its lowest total since minus-26 vs. Northwestern on Nov. 21, 2015. With a lack of run game and trailing, it means more passing. Graham Mertz had 38 pass attempts. He’s the first Badgers QB with two games of 35+ attempts since Joel Stave in 2015 (Jack Coan and Alex Hornibrook each had one since). Since 2000, Wisconsin is 2-17 when its QB has 35+ pass attempts in a game – with the wins coming in back-to-back weeks in 2015. Stave had 89 combined attempts in those two games … and one touchdown.

THEY SAID IT

“We had some chances … and you have to be opportunistic when you have those chances, and certainly we didn’t.” — head coach Paul Chryst

“Ferg was the first read and kind of got held up, so worked back to the over to Mase and just had a little bit of miscommunication. He wanted to stop and I thought he was going to keep running. A little miscue and had a couple of those tonight.” — Mertz

“Obviously we’re not playing the way we want to play and that’s frustrating. It comes down to execution and I put that on my plate.” — Mertz

“It was one of those plays like we’ve had the past couple of weeks where we’re just a little off. If we get the execution down we have a big opportunity.” — Dunn on the incompletion near the end of the game

“I don’t think it was exhaustion or anything. … Those plays late in the game, just detail plays where we have to be in the right position.” — defensive lineman Isiaahh Loudermilk on defense faltering late in the game

WHAT’S NEXT

The Big Ten set up Dec. 19 as “championship week,” where each team from the East would play a team from the West with the corresponding standing position. For Wisconsin, that would mean a game against either Penn State or Rutgers, both of which finished 3-5. However, with the game against Minnesota having been canceled, there’s a swelling of support for those teams to play. Details will be known later Sunday.