The Badgers had a tumultuous start to the Luke Fickell era, but pulled out a comfortable win.
The Wisconsin Badgers kicked off the Luke Fickell era with a 38-17 victory over the Buffalo Bulls in an up-and-down game that ultimately resulted in a comfortable win to open the 2023 season.
Most eyes were on quarterback Tanner Mordecai and offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s “Air Raid” attack, but it was more the running game that stood out Saturday while the defense held the Bulls to 17 points.
Here are three quick takeaways from the No. 38-17 win. 19 Badgers vs. Buffalo.
Short-distance situations
The Wisconsin Badgers defense had a strong second half, allowing just seven points after an interception by Tanner Mordecai.
What really stood out was their ability to contain the Bulls’ offense in short-range situations, as the Badgers had multiple fourth-and-short stops.
Overall, the Badgers held Buffalo to 2/15 on third downs and 1/5 on fourth downs with a strong defensive performance.
While the Badgers’ passing speed left a lot to be desired, the team played well at forcing stops, and that’s a key attribute we’ll focus on later in the season.
Strong running game
Despite all the excitement about an “Air Raid” system in Wisconsin, there was no doubt that the Badgers would continue to offer the running game, just as they did on Saturday.
Chez Mellusi led the way with a strong performance of 13 carries, 157 yards and two touchdowns, showing great patience, more burst and good vision in a solid day for the backup running back.
Starter Braelon Allen was no slouch either, carrying the rock 17 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns as well.
But in addition to the outstanding performances from the running backs, the running game thrived due to strong run blocking all around, resulting in nine runs of 10 yards.
Given the inconsistency in the passing game, the Badgers may put more emphasis on the run early on, and Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi picked up right where they left off on Saturday.
Screen-heavy passing attack
It was an uninspiring start to his Badgers career for Tanner Mordecai, who completed 24/31 passes for 177 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
But what was truly fascinating about Mordecai’s performance was the variety of passes he threw.
Eleven of Mordecai’s passes were at or behind the attack line, with another ten being within five meters.
In my opinion, it was a combination of two factors: Mordecai’s desire to get the ball quickly to his checkdowns and a variety of scripts designed for shorter finishes.
There needs to be better balance in the passing game or the Badgers’ offensive attack will remain one-sided, whether due to offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s play-calling or Mordecai’s decision-making.
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