WISCONSIN BADGERS NEWS

Minnesota hosts Crowl and No. 15 Wisconsin

JANUARY 2, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Alex Ovechkin has hat trick, Capitals rout Canadiens 9-2

Alex Ovechkin had a hat trick to lead the Washington Capitals to a 9-2 rout of the Montreal Canadiens

DECEMBER 31, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Big Ten football: Ranking the 2023 recruiting classes Who led the way in 2023?

DECEMBER 31, 2022 • USATODAY.COM

Reasons to be optimistic about Wisconsin football heading into 2023 Fickell has provided plenty of reasons for optimism in his first month. Here are three.

DECEMBER 31, 2022 • 247SPORTS.COM

Crowl leads No. 15 Wisconsin past Western Michigan 76-66

Steven Crowl scored 20 of his career-high 25 points after halftime as No. 15 Wisconsin ended a layoff of over two weeks and won its fifth straight by beating Western Michigan 76-66

DECEMBER 31, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

SMU QB Tanner Mordecai says he's transferring to Wisconsin

Quarterback Tanner Mordecai has announced on social media that he’s transferring from SMU to Wisconsin

DECEMBER 30, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tanner Mordecai - Will be a Badger in 2023 Mordecai announced via his personal twitter on Friday that he will transfer to Wisconsin.

Impact Mordecai completed 288-of-443 passes for 3,524 yards, 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 12 games for SMU in 2022. He will have a strong chance to become the Badgers' starting signal-caller next season ahead of Nick Evers, Chase Wolf and Myles Burkett.

DECEMBER 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Western Michigan faces No. 15 Wisconsin, looks to end road losing streak

DECEMBER 30, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tanner Mordecai - Heading into transfer portal Mordecai announced Thursday that he is entering the Transfer portal, Matt Zenitz of On3.com reports.

Impact Mordecai should be one of the more sought-after quarterbacks in the transfer portal after combining for 76 touchdowns over the last two seasons after reviving his career at SMU. The senior had made mention of jumping to the NFL but seems to have changed his mind on that statement. Preston Stone (collarbone) and rising freshman Kevin Henry-Jennings should be the frontrunners for the Mustangs' quarterback job in 2023.

DECEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Temple: Chase Wolf returning to Wisconsin is a positive for 2023 QB competition Wolf's return to Wisconsin for a sixth season gives the Badgers a veteran QB presence alongside Myles Burkett and Nick Evers.

DECEMBER 29, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM

No. 15 Wisconsin Badgers play the Western Michigan Broncos on 4-game win streak

DECEMBER 29, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

'I thought it was important for him to be recognized': Jim Leonhard sent off on a high note with bowl win The win may have gone on his record, but new University of Wisconsin head football coach Luke Fickell made it abundantly clear that it...

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • 247SPORTS.COM

Hayden Rucci - Hauls in first TD of 2022 Rucci hauled in both of his targets for 28 yards and a touchdown during Tuesday's 24-17 win over Oklahoma State.

Impact Rucci logged his first catches since the Week 3 win over New Mexico State. This included the Badgers' lone passing touchdown of the game, as he slipped into the end zone on a blown defensive coverage for an easy 15-yard reception. Rucci also logged as many catches and just one less target than senior Jack Eschenbach, who finished the year as Wisconsin's No. 1 tight end with 14 receptions on 24 targets. It's possible the junior tight end could be in line for a bigger receiving role when the program shifts to a new air-raid-inspired scheme next season under offensive coordinator Phil Longo.

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Chimere Dike - Leading receiver in bowl win Dike caught three of five targets for 36 yards during Tuesday's 24-17 victory over Oklahoma State.

Impact Dike once again finished as the Badgers' leading receiver with redshirt senior Chase Wolf (16-for-26 passing, 116 yards, 1:1 TD:INT) starting at quarterback in place of Graham Mertz, the latter of whom entered the transfer portal following the regular season. While the junior wideout with sophomore Keontez Lewis for the team high in targets, he still utilized in the most critical spots for Wisconsin. This included a pass intended for Dike on third down with the team leading under four minutes remaining, though the ball was knocked down behind the line of scrimmage. Dike's reliability over the past two seasons should provide him a prominent role when the Badgers presumably change to a more pass-friendly scheme under new offensive coordinator Phil Longo in 2023.

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Chez Mellusi - Breaks 51-yarder in bowl game Mellusi had 16 carries for 77 yards and one touchdown during Tuesday's 24-17 win versus Oklahoma State.

Impact Mellusi almost broke away into the end zone with a game-long 51-yard rush in the first quarter, though he was caught from behind at the Oklahoma State 14-yard line. This also marked his longest carry of the season. The senior running back also reverted to his typical No. 2 role with sophomore Braelon Allen (22 rushes, 116 yards, one touchdown) back after missing the regular-season finale with an injury. However, Mellusi was used on numerous third-and-short situations and was still the only other Badgers running back to log more than two carries. The 5-foot-11 rusher has already decided he will return for his final season of collegiate eligibility in 2023, according to Zach, though it's unclear how his usage could change under incoming offensive coordinator Phil Longo.

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Braelon Allen - Returns for bowl win Allen recorded 22 rushes for 116 yards and one touchdown to go along with two receptions (two targets) for zero yards during Tuesday's 24-17 victory over Oklahoma State.

Impact Allen reprised his role as the Badgers' leading rusher after sitting out the regular-season finale against Minnesota with a leg injury. The month off seemed to greatly help him, as the 235-pound rusher was able to rush with his typical physical and bruising style against a Cowboys defense that had lost numerous starters to graduation and the transfer portal. The sophomore also found his way into the end zone for the first time since Week 10, running 20 yards untouched into the end zone for the Badgers' final touchdown of the game. This marked Allen's second 1,000-plus-yard rushing season in a row, though he fell 22 yards and one touchdown shy of his freshman campaign while logging 44 more carries in 2022. It will be interesting to see how his usage changes when incoming offensive coordinator Phil Longo ushers in his air-raid-inspired scheme in 2023.

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Chase Wolf - Manages bowl victory Wolf was 16-for-26 passing for 116 yards, one touchdown and one interception during Tuesday's 24-17 win over Oklahoma State.

Impact Wolf took over under center in place of starter Graham Mertz, who entered the transfer portal following the regular season. The senior signal-caller went 4-for-7 for 24 yards over his first three series, including an interception thrown into double coverage in the end zone. However, he did bounce back with his first passing touchdown of the year late in the second quarter, hitting wide-open tight end Hayden Rucci for a 14-yard completion in the end zone. Wolf also exhibited some elusiveness in the pocket along with an ability to improvise throws from different arm angles. The redshirt senior, who went 2-for-6 for 21 yards in relief of Mertz during the regular-season finale, was given the start ahead of freshman Myles Burkett. Wolf also announced he plans to return for his final year of collegiate eligibility in 2023, according to Zach Heilprin of 1670AM The Zone Madison. However, it's still unclear how much of an opportunity he'll have to win the starting job against Burkett, incoming Oklahoma transfer Nick Evers and any additional quarterbacks that new head coach Luke Fickell manages to bring in this offseason.

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Wisconsin holds on to beat Oklahoma State 24-17 in Guaranteed Rate Bowl With a 17-point lead nearly erased, the Badgers dug down for one last defensive play to beat the Cowboys.

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • SUNTIMES.COM

Journal Sentinel Punter Andy Vujnovich helped the Badgers pin Oklahoma State deep in its own territory on several occasions during UW's win in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • JSONLINE.COM

'Unfinished Business:' Chase Wolf will return to the Badgers for a sixth season The fifth-year senior helped lead the Badgers to a win in his first career start.

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • 247SPORTS.COM

What We Learned: Wisconsin 24 Oklahoma State 17 Wisconsin gets a win to open the Luke Fickell era.

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • 247SPORTS.COM

Wisconsin wins bowl in Luke Fickell's debut, Jim Leonhard's sendoff

Badgers' new coach, as well as their outgoing interim head coach, were both on the sidelines for win over Oklahoma State.

DECEMBER 28, 2022

Wisconsin holds off Oklahoma State in Guaranteed Rate Bowl PHOENIX (AP) — Braelon Allen ran for 116 yards and a touchdown and Wisconsin withstood Oklahoma State’s second-half push in the Guaranteed R...

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • THESTAR.COM

Wisconsin beats Oklahoma State 24-17 in Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Braelon Allen ran for 116 yards and a touchdown and Wisconsin withstood Oklahoma State’s second-half push in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl for a 24-17 victory Tuesday night

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Wisconsin vs. Oklahoma State, Guaranteed Rate Bowl photos The Badgers play against a Big 12 opponent at Chase Field in Phoenix

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • JSONLINE.COM