2026 WASHINGTON HUSKIES PREVIEW
Ohio State snapped Washington’s 22-game home win streak in Husky Stadium, and then Maryland jumped out to a 20-0 lead the next week. In danger of an 0-2 league start in Jedd Fisch’s second season, Washington flipped the switch.
Over their final four drives, Washington gained 300 yards and scored 24 points, and held Maryland scoreless, to lead the massive fourth-quarter comeback win. The offense exploded by scoring 38+ points in their other four Big Ten wins, and former Purdue head coach Ryan Walters led an improved defense.
It was a strong, balanced season with Washington placing in the Top 20 of both my opponent-adjusted offense and defense rankings – plus a #15 finish in Game Grader. Only five other programs pulled that off in 2025. The best part? They pulled off the nine-win season with an extremely youngtwo-deep.
Fisch jump-started the transition in 2024 with a heavy transfer class that
featured several of his top Arizona players. But in 2025 and 2026 the focus has shifted to the
high school ranks and Washington has now landed back-to-back Top 25 recruiting classes.
This 2026 class surged all the way up to #13 nationally – a UW record.
The next step in the program build is unlocking another gear against Playoff-tier opponents.
Washington got within a score in the fourth quarter each time but failed to finish in crunch
time.
OFFENSE
Demond Williams’ stat line shows the contrast. In the nine wins, Williams threw 22
touchdowns and just two picks, but in the four losses he threw three touchdowns to six picks –
including the 3-INT meltdown against Michigan. Of course, the stats in wins would be
expected to look better. But when comparing the Big Ten quarterbacks, Williams ranked #2 in
QB Rating in the “wins only” category, and all the way down at #12 in “losses only.”
Still, it was undoubtedly a successful season for his first full year as a starter. In addition to
placing fourth in QB Rating, Williams also led Big Ten quarterbacks in rushing with 611 yards.
In the Rutgers win, he became just the 16th FBS quarterback to post a 400-yard passing, 100-yard
rushing dual-threat game.
After the 2024 bowl game, Fisch called Williams the “face of the program,” and after the 2025 bowl
win he signed a contract to remain at UW. Two days later, Williams attempted to enter the transfer
portal and it appeared headed to a precedent-setting court case, but then ultimately he returned to
UW.
With so much talent and production back for 2026, the surprising loss of their star quarterback
would have derailed a promising season.
Instead, Williams gets a second-year starter bonus, and assuming he takes some steps forward
against ranked teams, he could enter the Heisman discussion.
The offensive line improved by 50 spots in my OL Run Push from 2024 to 2025, and now four
starters return up front. Left tackle Carver Willis is the lone loss. John Mills earned the starting
left guard spot as a true freshman and fittingly earned Freshman All-America honors. The Hatchett
brothers are back at center and guard, and right tackle Drew Azzopardi improved in his second
season. The staff signed two top linemen to battle for the open left tackle spot in five-star Kodi
Greene (Mater Dei, CA) and four-star transfer Kolt Dieterich (Sam Houston).
Denzel Boston was a pure #1 receiver and was selected in the second round. He will be missed, but this room is packed with young talent. As a freshman, Dezmen Roebuck finished #2 with 42 catches for 560 yards and 7 scores, and there are six four-stars competing for spots in the rotation. Chris Lawson and Justice Williams were 2025 signees, and three more Top200s are on their way with
Mason James, Jordan Clay, and Trez Davis. The staff signed Bodpegn Miller (Ohio State), who was
a Top200 signee in the 2025 class, along with Kennesaw State’s #2 target Christian Moss. And
don’t forget Rashid Williams, who was originally a starter lost to injury in September.
Jonah Coleman went for 1,100 total yards and 17 touchdowns in his final season. When he was
injured in November, Adam Mohammed shined with consecutive 100-yard games, but he
transferred out to California. Former four-star Jordan Washington has top-notch explosiveness
but suffered a severe injury in spring and is doubtful. The staff signed another four-star Jayden
Limar (Oregon) and Power 4 vet Trey Cooley.
Fisch called Quentin Moore the best blocking tight end he’s ever coached. That’s a big loss, but top receiving threat Decker DeGraaf returns after placing third on the team with 32 catches and 360 yards. Kade Eldridge missed half the season but returns and should help with the blocking role.
DEFENSE
When Steve Belichick left to coach with his dad at UNC, Fisch hired Ryan Walters and the move
paid off. Washington improved from 88th to 15th in rushing yards/carry, remained a strong pass
defense, and finished 16th of 68 Power 4 in my overall opponent-adjusted ranking.
There shouldn’t be a drop off in 2026 as the back seven remains elite.
The uncertainty lies in the trenches where two starters graduated and another five rotational
linemen transferred out to Power 4 programs. Elinneus Davis was the most consistent and he
returns as the anchor at nose tackle. The tackle and end spots will be fall camp battles between
transfers and incoming blue-chip recruits. Kai McClendon (Mississippi State) played in 12 games
as a true freshman but then missed the 2025 season with a knee injury, and Darin Conley was a
starter for Ball State. They will compete with a pair of incoming Top200 recruits in Derek Colman-
Brusa (Kennedy Catholic, WA) and JD Hill (Mission Viejo, CA).
Zach Durfee graduated but co-sack leader Jacob Lane returns at edge. Two former starters are back from injuries in Isaiah Ward and Russell Davis.
The linebacker room is overflowing with star power and is the strength of the defense. Jacob Manu
should push for All-Big Ten, Xe’Ree Alexander surged at the end of the year to finish second with 70 tackles, and Taariq Al-Uqdah was an original starter back from injury. Former Top100 super-recruit Zaydrius Rainey-Sale is a wildcard the staff can use at backer and off the edge on passing downs.
Washington had the tallest corner duo in the nation last year, and even though both Tacario Davis and Ephesians Prysock are out of eligibility, they will remain tall again here with another top duo. Dylan Robinson is a former Top200 who started five games last year as a true freshman, and Emmanuel Karnley (Virginia) was an ACC starter – both are 6’3. Defensive MVP Alex McLaughlin is back at safety after he led the team in tackles and scored on a Pick Six and a fumble return. Rahshawn Clark is back at nickel, and four-star Rylon Dillard-Allen takes over at free safety.
OUTLOOK
Washington ranked in the Top 20 on both sides of the ball last year — #15 overall in Game Grader – and did so with a young lineup. Now they return as a veteran two-deep and join a crowded field of contenders for a Big Ten title spot.
Demond Williams is the X-Factor. He is my third-team All-Big Ten selection, and if he can start to shine against ranked teams, Washington can unlock a higher tier.
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2026 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS PREVIEW
James Franklin was fired despite a 104-45 (.698) overall record at Penn State. By
my count, only nine other coaches in college football history were fired with .700+
win percentages at their school.
From the Penn State mindset, 2025 was the year. This was “National Title or Bust.” The school-record 2022 signing class were experienced seniors, they were fresh off
a Playoff semifinal appearance; the vast majority of the starting lineup returned, and
they added in two of the top coordinators in the sport. Franklin helped rebuild the program post-sanctions, won a Big Ten title, earned three New Year’s Six bowl invites, and made it one throw away from a national title appearance. Still, two hurdles blocked his program from reaching the “elite” tier: Top 10 opponents (4-21) and Ohio State (1-10). So this was it; 2025 was the year to break through. It had to be. After a 3-0 start, Penn State lost an overtime battle against #6 Oregon in front of a 111,000+ White Out. While it was a gut punch, all team goals were still intact
heading into October. But then Penn State lost to a winless, coach-less UCLA team,
and then got out-muscled by Northwestern. Per Chris Fallica, they became the first
team ever to lose consecutive games as 20+ point favorites.
The 0-3 start to Big Ten play – in this, the Title or Bust season – was enough for athletic director Pat Kraft to pull the plug and fire Franklin there in October.
His legacy remains positive, after helping return the program to the national stage, bring in an
elevated level of recruits, and help secure the $700 million facilities upgrade. But it was clear that
his program plateaued, albeit at an “almost elite” level that most other schools would be ecstatic
About. After a 50+ day coaching search, Penn State surprised with one of the most sought-after coaches in college football: Iowa State’s Matt Campbell. He inherited a broken program in Ames but built it into winners. The 2024 team was Iowa State’s first-ever double-digit win season; he won Big 12 Coach of the Year three times and walks away as the school’s winningest coach.
Campbell became a popular target in the annual coaching carousel, but he declined the offers one by one over the years. Penn State must have been on his short list. He calls Penn State “one of the blue bloods of college football, and the program’s history and tradition are unmatched.”
OFFENSE
With a budget that Campbell said was “a fourth” of the top Big 12 spenders, he made up ground with top- notch player development and innovative schemes. Over his whole tenure at Iowa State, they signed just eight four-star commits, but he and his staff were able to develop 16, twice as many, into NFL draft picks.
Campbell brought his offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser with him, along with 13 starters off his 2025 Iowa State team that went 8-4. Mouser gets to run it back with his starting quarterback, workhorse running back, top two receivers, and top two tight ends from last year.
With Drew Allar off to the pros and Ethan Grunkemeyer following Franklin to Virginia Tech, it’s a new quarterback room. Rocco Becht transferred in from Iowa State, where he started for three years, showed off elusiveness in the pocket, and had a penchant for late fourth-quarter winning drives. His playing style will remind Penn State fans of Trace McSorley.
Becht enters 2026 as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in Power 4 – second in career yardage and third in passing touchdowns – and brings those years of scheme knowledge. His deep ball is excellent, but he’ll need to hit the shorter lay-ups with more consistency. The skillset is a perfect fit for Mouser’s offense, which establishes a power run game but then takes vertical passing shots more frequently than most.
The record-breaking duo at running back graduated, but they left their mark. Kaytron Allen broke the all- time rushing yardage record (4,180) and earned All-American honors while Nicholas Singleton set the all-time touchdown mark (45). The staff brought their two-year starter Carson Hansen, who averaged 100+ yards per game last year and earned All-Big 12 second-team. Hansen is a between-the-tackles workhorse, while bowl game star Quinton Martin and Top100 James Peoples (Ohio State) have home- run explosiveness.
Iowa State’s top two receivers also joined. Four-star transfer Chase Sowell has stacked three straight 500- yard seasons and was named Big 12 Newcomer last year, and Brett Eskildsen got league honors after leading Iowa State with 526 yards and five scores. Koby Howard is a former four-star in the third receiver role. This position has held back the Penn State offense for several years and it’s another restart after last year’s top four all departed.
Another position, another pair of Cyclones. Ben Brahmer was rated a four-star transfer as the #2 tight end this cycle after placing as a Mackey semifinalist; Gabe Burkle is a two-year starter, and together they are both 6’6-plus receiving threats up the seam. Penn State also returns former Top100 Andrew Rappleyea. The offensive line was a disappointment after returning the starting five off a 2024 Top 10 line. Now four starters are gone – including first-round pick Vega Ioane – with Anthony Donkoh as the only returner. Donkoh is moving from guard to tackle, Cooper Cousins started the bowl game at guard, and a trio of former Top100 recruits is battling at tackle: Malachi Goodman, Garrett Sexton, and Owen Aliciene. The staff signed Brock Riker (Texas State) at center, and then four of their Iowa State linemen. All four had three-star transfer grades, but Trevor Buhr is a lock at guard after an All-Big 12 campaign last year.
DEFENSE
The Jim Knowles experiment backfired last year. The top-rated defensive coordinator actually led a steep decline in his transition season, as Penn State fell from #1 in my opponent-adjusted defense rankings all the way to #31. They declined in all 17 of my stat categories and are restarting again for 2026. Campbell’s Iowa State program was known for its unique defensive scheme, Jon Heacock’s 3-3-3 “Dime Stack” that confused Big 12 offenses for years. Heacock chose to retire, so Campbell pivoted to USC coordinator and Penn State alum D’Anton Lynn and his 4-3 base scheme.
Six defenders earned All-Big Ten honors and all six are gone. Instead, the staff signed seven starters off the Iowa State defense. The top five defensive tackles are gone, but the staff brought in plenty of 300- pound run-stuffers like the UCLA pair of Siale Taupaki and Keanu Williams. At end, Dani Dennis-Sutton went pro, two more transferred out with high grades, but four-star Max Granville returns, and the staff moved Lavar Arrington to the edge.
Tony Rojas is back after his season-ending injury in the Oregon loss, and the captain is joined by the three Iowa State starting backers. Kooper Ebel was a two-year starter at middle backer for ISU, Caleb Bacon was rated a four-star transfer at outside backer, and Cael Brezina packs the two-deep. Penn State retained their interim head coach Terry Smith, and the move allowed them to keep cornerback Audavion Collins, nickel Zion Tracy, and Daryus Dixson who surged up the depth chart as a true freshman, causing two veterans to transfer out. Their top three safeties left, and again, the staff brought three safeties from Ames: Marcus Neal, Jeremiah Cooper and Jamison Patton. Neal is the headliner as a four-star transfer with Big 12 honorable mention, but
they are all in new roles due to the scheme change.
OUTLOOK
Campbell finally left Iowa State and brought 13 starters with him to Happy Valley. It’s a roster transfusion, as most of the 2025 Penn State star power went pro or transferred out.
They get a schedule boost by avoiding the Playoff trio and instead draw five of the bottom seven. The talent level is behind the league’s super-recruiters, but this favorable schedule keeps Penn State in the race for Indianapolis.
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2026 IOWA HAWKEYES PREVIEW
Not counting the shortened 2020 pandemic season, Iowa notched its tenth straight eight-win season to join very elite company: Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State. That’s it.
“Eight wins doesn’t make headlines… it’s hard to win, it’s hard to win in college… I’m proud of the consistency,” said head coach Kirk Ferentz who in September became the Big Ten’s all-time winningest coach with 206 career wins. Two things stood out about this 2025 eight-win regular season. Iowa thoroughly destroyed their old Big Ten West rivals, but came up just short
against their ranked opponents. Wisconsin dominated the division during the 2010s, but it is clear that Iowa has now taken the throne. They swept their border state rivals Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin by a combined score of 118-19 and extended their recent series dominance: 10 of the last 11 over Nebraska, 10 of the last 11 over Minnesota, and now four straight over Wisconsin.
They were also painfully close to knocking off their ranked opponents.
Iowa was tied or held leads in the final two minutes in three losses, blew a 14-point lead in the
fourth one, gave eventual national champion Indiana its closest battle, and had semifinalist
Oregon on the ropes. Four ranked opponents, four losses by a combined 15 points. Though there are no moral victories, from a metrics perspective my Game Grader formula was impressed and ranked Iowa #16 – a five-year high for the program. In the bowl game, Iowa was given one last ranked shot and beat #14 Vanderbilt, along with Heisman finalist Diego Pavia, to finally snap the 13-game losing streak against ranked teams.
OFFENSE
They did it the Iowa way: defense, special teams and a power run game. Mark Gronowski was an upgrade at quarterback. The FCS national champion missed the preseason due to injuries, which slowed his passing progression early on, but he ended up breaking the school records for quarterback rushing yards (545) and touchdowns (16).
Gronowski tied Michigan’s Denard Robinson for the most rushing scores by a Big Ten quarterback
in the past 30 years. Gronowski’s mobility helped on third downs and in the red zone, and his 67-yard run made the difference in the Penn State win. Two fourth-down conversions on the final drive gave Iowa a late lead over Oregon.
They lose his veteran presence as coordinator Tim Lester decided to stay in-house for the 2026
quarterback battle. Hank Brown was the original backup but struggled in September spots and
Jeremy Hecklinski passed him on the depth chart midseason. Hecklinski showed off a variety of
throws and arm angles, has pocket mobility, and Lester called him a “gunslinger.”
After finishing 2024 as semifinalists, the 2025 offensive line won the Joe Moore Award. All five
starters, plus the blocking tight end, earned Big Ten honors with center Logan Jones winning the
Rimington Award as a unanimous All-American. The line was packed with veterans, and three
multi-year starters depart for the pros: Jones, guard Beau Stephens, and tackle Gennings Dunker.
That trio alone accounted for 110 career starts.
Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper are returning starters and both should be All-America candidates
for 2026. Leighton Jones is a lock at guard, while the other three candidates for starting jobs are
former three-star prospects.
Kamari Moulton returns after a workhorse season. He got the bulk of carries with 170 for 878 yards
(5.2 average) to earn All-Big Ten honorable mention. Xavier Williams (5.8 per carry) returns, and
the staff signed an explosive FCS back in LJ Phillips (South Dakota) who rushed for 1,921 yards
with 55 10+ yard carries.
Iowa loses their blocking tight end Hayden Large, but they return a talented trio. DJ Vonnahme led
the entire team in receiving yards and touchdowns as a freshman, had a breakout performance in
the bowl game, and looks to continue Iowa’s “Tight End U” lineage. Addison Ostrenga and Zach
Ortwerth round out a top-notch room.
Three of the top four receivers are gone, including consistent two-year starter Jacob Gill, do-it-all
Kaden Wetjen, and Sam Phillips. Wetjen leaves as one of the best return specialists in college
football history and was the first to win consecutive Jet Awards. He was a weapon on special teams but also got carries on reverses and end-arounds.
Reece Vander Zee returns and has the size and athleticism to be the #1 target. Iowa signed a pair
of FCS Freshman All-Americans in Evan James (Furman) and Tony Diaz (UTRGV). They combined
for 1,677 yards and 18 touchdowns last year and both add a vertical, explosive element to the pass
game.
DEFENSE
Legendary coordinator Phil Parker delivered yet another Top 10 defense. Iowa finished #7 of 68
Power 4 in my opponent-adjusted ranking – Top 10 for the sixth time in eight years.
The pass defense was elite again and ranked #1 in my opponent-adjusted number, holding top
passing attacks like Indiana, Oregon, and USC all well below their season averages.
There is a significant rebuilding project on this side of the ball heading into 2026. Iowa had eight
defenders earn All-Big Ten honors, but seven are gone. 11 of the top 14 tacklers depart, two
transferred out to Power 4 programs, but the staff went FCS-heavy with as many as three new
starters coming from the lower level.
Six of the top eight defensive linemen are gone, including all-league stars Aaron Graves, Jonah Pace, and Max Llewellyn. Bryce Hawthorne and end Kenneth Merrieweather return from the rotation, and two FCS transfers will compete for starting jobs. Brice Stevenson (Holy Cross) was a three-year starter as an interior space-eater, while Kahmari Brown (Elon) had 12 sacks last year off the edge. Five-star Iose Epenesa may be poised for a breakthrough in his second season.
The starting linebacker trio Karson Sharar, Jaden Harrell, and Jaxon Rexroth departs, though Jayden Montgomery actually took over Harrell’s job late in the season. A pair of former four-stars – Cam Buffington and Derek Weisskopf — are drawing huge praise and could jump up into starting jobs.
The top-rated secondary lost three All-Big Ten starters as corner TJ Hall and safety Xavier Nwankpa went pro and Koen Entringer transferred out to Louisville. Zach Lutmer is the star of the defense at the “CASH” position as a nickel/slot corner. Deshaun Lee returns at corner, but the staff went transfer-heavy to fill out the safety
room. Tyler Brown (James Madison) was All-Sun Belt on JMU’s playoff defense and the hard-hitter should start at strong safety. Anthony Hawkins (Villanova) was an FCS Freshman All-American and has the cover skills to start at free safety.
OUTLOOK
Few programs have built up a track record like Ferentz and Parker at Iowa. Even with another round of draft picks departing, you know what to expect: a powerful offensive line, elite tight end room, workhorse running back, a swarming defense, and nation-best special teams.
While this is a younger two-deep than usual, and low on transfer additions, Iowa will remain in the Big Ten upper half until proven otherwise.
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2026 WISCONSIN BADGERS PREVIEW
Not even the biggest doubters could have envisioned a 5-7 year in Luke Fickell’s second season here. Even fewer would have seen a 4-8 third year. The losing season in 2024 snapped their FBS-best 22-year bowl streak, and last year’s collapse marked Wisconsin’s first consecutive losing seasons since 1991-92. That was before Barry Alvarez built Wisconsin into
Offensive Line U and the eventual Big Ten West bullies. Considered by most as the top hire of the post-2022 coaching carousel, Fickell now ranks dead last of the 10 Power 4 hires, when comparing the three-year output to the four-year sample size before the hire for program context.
Sitting at 2-6 in mid-November, and despite fans in Camp Randall Stadium chanting “Fire Fickell,” athletic director Chris McIntosh issued a vote of confidence in his head coach and confirmed they would retain him for 2026.
Two days later, Wisconsin upset #23 Washington, snapping Fickell’s 0-10 record against ranked opponents, and fans stormed onto the field to celebrate. Same thing two weeks later, with another field storming after Wisconsin knocked off #21 Illinois. The ranked wins could help spark some momentum into Fickell’s fourth year, but the returns from his first three are hard to ignore. It’s the second straight year in which their rivalry trophy case is empty. He’s 17-21 overall – 10-17 vs. the Big Ten – with a drop in the win column each year. Any momentum from the ranked wins did not translate into the Talent Acquisition game. Wisconsin signed 33 transfers – zero four-stars – to rank 49th nationally and 13th in the Big Ten. Worse, they were unable to retain several veteran multi-year starters. Wisconsin’s best decades were built on continuity and player development. So far without their old formula, they have not been able to adapt to the NIL/Portal era.
OFFENSE
On the third play of the season, starting quarterback Billy Edwards was injured and essentially
knocked out for the year. Backup Danny O’Neil threw as many picks as touchdowns and was injured in the fourth game. The collapse of the quarterback room was the catalyst for a broken offense that averaged just 12 points/game — the worst in Power 4.
It was déjà vu for Wisconsin. 2025 made it three straight years of transfer starting quarterbacks getting injured early in the season. Without a passing threat, this time around they couldn’t even muster up their reliable rushing attack that defined the program for 20+ years. Wisconsin averaged just 3.3 yards/carry (#128), got no run push from the line (#129), and it took until the 11th game to finally get a 100-yard rusher. Fickell hopes the fourth time is the charm, and they signed Colton Joseph (Old Dominion) who earned second-team All-Sun Belt honors last year. Joseph is a true dual-threat, and adds a mobile element that the program has been missing. He rushed for over 1,000 yards last year, including a pair of 75-yard touchdown runs against Indiana, and is a threat in read option and quarterback-designed runs.
In two years, Joseph amassed 4,200 passing yards, 1,600 rushing yards, 56 total touchdowns and was ranked the #21 transfer quarterback this cycle. O’Neil should be back in time for fall camp, and Carter Smith also returns after stepping up as a true freshman last November.
The top two running backs missed seven games due to injury and combined for just 663 yards. Dilin Jones transferred out to LSU, but lead rusher Darrion Dupree returns. The staff signed veteran Abu Sama (Iowa State) who has accumulated 1,933 rushing yards in his three seasons. He went for 270 yards in the infamous 2024 “Snowmageddon” game.
Receivers and tight ends actually got 48 carries for 260 yards last year but the staff mentioned they want a running back rotation for 2026. With Dupree and Sama, plus USC transfer Bryan Jackson, there are plenty of options.
Vinny Anthony and Trech Kekahuna got the vast majority of snaps and catches last year but both are gone. Backup Chris Brooks moves up the depth chart, the staff kept four-star Eugene Hilton away from the portal, and Tyrell Henry drew high praise in spring. They signed Oklahoma State starter Shamar Rigby as a playmaker in the slot, and then took lottery tickets on a pair of former Top100 recruits Malachi Coleman (Minnesota) and Zion Kearney (Oklahoma).
Tight end Lance Mason led the team with 398 receiving yards, but he and two other tight ends are gone. Grant Stec flashed as a freshman before his injury, and Jacob Harris (Bowling Green) caught five touchdowns last year. Wisconsin hired Eric Mateos to take over the offensive line. Mateos and coordinator Jeff Grimes were together at Baylor with his “RVO” Reliably Violent Offense. Last year at Arkansas, Mateos’ line helped them land the #1 rushing offense in my opponent-adjusted ranking. Two starters return in Colin Cubberly and Emerson Mandell, but they lost two others to the portal with Joe Brunner going to Indiana with a high four-star grade and Jake Renfro going to Illinois. Kevin Heywood was originally a projected 2025 starter but tore his ACL last preseason. He is back at left tackle, and the staff added three Power 4 transfers: Blake Cherry (Arkansas), PJ Wilkins (Ole Miss) and Oklahoma State starting center Austin Kawecki.
DEFENSE
The defense held the explosive offenses of Washington and Illinois to just 10 points apiece, and finished ranked #26 in my opponent-adjusted ranking — #10 against the run. They just didn’t have any help at all from the offense.
“You start to feel like a touchdown is the end-all, be-all” said outside backer Mason Reiger. One
touchdown is an insane bar that they were forced to hit. Just three starters return and it starts in the middle with last year’s freshmen phenoms Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano. The inside backers finished first and second in tackles (117 and 6 sacks combined) with Posa earning All-Big Ten honors. Both return, along with incoming Jon Jon Kamara (Kansas) but two
veterans transferred out to Power 4 programs: Christian Alliegro (Ohio State) and Tackett Curtis (UCF).
Their top four defensive linemen, top four outside backers, and five of the top six defensive backs are all gone. In the interior, All-MAC Junior Poyser (Buffalo) and Charles Perkins are the projected starters. There is more proven experience on the ends with Tyreese Fearbry and Sebastian Cheeks who was second on the team in QB pressures last year. The staff signed a roulette chip with Liam Danitz, a DIII transfer with All-America track speed.
The secondary should be transfer-heavy with as many as four starting spots going to newcomers. Javan Robinson (Arizona State) is a certainty, having started the past two years in the Big 12. Eric Fletcher (Oklahoma State) and a pair of former four-stars Cai Bates (Florida State) and Bryce West (Ohio State) will battle at corner and nickel. Marvin Burks (Missouri) brings SEC game experience at safety, and Matthew Jung returns after filling in well last season.
OUTLOOK
Quarterback injuries have handcuffed the offense the past three seasons. Fickell signed a proven, all-league dual-threat in Joseph whose skillset will elevate the other position groups. The quarterback fix – from meltdown to proven asset – plus a schedule boost will have Wisconsin returning to bowl season. After facing one of the hardest schedules, Wisconsin wins the schedule lottery by drawing six of the bottom seven and avoiding the Playoff trio.
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