Wisconsin Badgers Stumble: Breaking Down the Nebraska Defeat

The Wisconsin Badgers faced a rough defeat against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, losing 44-25 and ending a 10-game winning streak in the rivalry. This loss dropped the Badgers to 5-6 on the season, making their chance to become bowl-eligible slim. Let's dive into what went wrong. First off, the energy was all over the place. Coming off tough losses to top teams like Oregon, the Badgers were struggling to bounce back. Last week's game was especially hard, as they fought till the end but still lost. After the game, defensive players like Jake Chaney were feeling the weight of these losses. In his four years with the program, they hadn't won a major game. Quarterback Braedyn Locke had a mixed day. He tossed for 292 yards and three touchdowns, but he also had an interception late in the game when it was already out of hand. While he's been inconsistent all season, Locke wasn't the main problem on Saturday. Special teams, however, continued to be a headache. Kicker Nathanial Vakos missed two crucial field goals, and kickoff coverage let a 45-yard return happen that led to a quick Nebraska touchdown. The Badgers have one more chance to become bowl-eligible, but they'll need to beat the Minnesota Gophers, who have looked stronger than Nebraska recently. This loss raises questions about the team's identity under coach Luke Fickell, especially since the defense, which showed progress last week, gave up 44 points to a team that had been averaging only 15. 6 points.