WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot
    Wisconsin Badgers football offers 2025 tight end scholarship

    Wisconsin Badgers First To Extend Offer To 2025 Tight End Out Of Green Bay

    January 28, 2023
    Packers mock draft roundup for the 2023 NFL draft

    Packers Mock Draft: Who Should Be The Top Targets?

    January 28, 2023
    Packers Jerry Gray

    BREAKING: Packers Defensive Coach Close to Deal with New Team

    January 28, 2023
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Wisconsin Badgers First To Extend Offer To 2025 Tight End Out Of Green Bay
    • Packers Mock Draft: Who Should Be The Top Targets?
    • BREAKING: Packers Defensive Coach Close to Deal with New Team
    • Aaron Rodgers Quote Has NFL Fans Buzzing About Jets Trade (+Video)
    • Milwaukee Bucks Offer for Knicks Cam Reddish Revealed
    • Badgers Fans Have Harsh Reaction to Wisconsin’s Home Loss to Illinois
    • Three Takeaways: Wisconsin Fall Apart Late Again, Drops To Illinois
    • Former Packers Players React to Romeo Doubs’ Saying He Never Really Hung Out with Aaron Rodgers
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Mark Mayfield
    • Our Writers
    • Store
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics
    SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE
    • Packers
      • Aaron Rodgers News
      • Packers News
      • Packers Rumors
    • Bucks
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo News
      • Bucks News
      • Bucks Rumors
    • Brewers
      • Brewers News
      • Brewers Rumors
    • Badgers
      • Wisconsin Badgers Football
      • Wisconsin Badgers Basketball
      • Wisconsin Badgers Women’s Basketball
      • Wisconsin Badgers Volleyball
      • Wisconsin Badgers Hockey
      • Wisconsin Badgers Wrestling
    • Marquette
      • Marquette Basketball
    • Draft
      • 2023 NFL Draft Big Board & Scouting Reports
      • 2023 NFL Mock Drafts
    • Milkmen
      • Milwaukee Milkmen News
      • Milwaukee Milkmen Rumors
    • Podcasts
      • CheeseDads Sports
      • Packers Podcast
      • Wickett On Wisconsin
    • Fantasy
    • NFL
    WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics
    Home»Sports»Wisconsin Badgers»Wisconsin Badgers Football»Wisconsin Football: Badgers Fall in Iowa City
    Wisconsin Badgers Football

    Wisconsin Football: Badgers Fall in Iowa City

    mattmitty26By mattmitty26December 13, 2020Updated:October 11, 2022No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Wisconsin Badgers
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The Wisconsin Badgers went into Iowa City trying to get off of a two-game losing streak. After struggling mightily offensive for most of the game, the Badgers fell to the Hawkeyes, 28-7.

    Wisconsin offensive woes

    Wisconsin Football: Instant Takeaways from Ugly Loss to Iowa

    Gross.

    No, really, the Badgers are in one of their worst offensive stretches in a very long time. The Badgers came into this game short-handed on offense. They were without running backs Jalen Berger and Isaac Guerendo and their top two receivers, Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor. They were missing their playmakers and it was very obvious. Freshman quarterback Graham Mertz looked like a freshman again. After his blazing hot start to the season, he has been struggling mightily.

    Granted, the team hasn’t really been able to get into a groove, missing multiple games this year due to COVID cases within their program as well as scheduled opponents. Pair that with being without offensive players consistently, and you have a recipe for disaster.

    The Wisconsin offense managed just 225 yards total on offense. The Badgers, who are historically successful in running the football, managed just 56 rushing yards, led by Nakia Watson, with 29 yards and a touchdown.

    In the passing game, Mertz couldn’t quite seem to get comfortable. He was missing passes high and low all night and wasn’t on the same page with any of his receivers. Mertz finished the night completing just 20-of-38 (53%) of his passes for 169 yards and a pick. He also fumbled the ball on their first drive after Chimere Dike ran into the ball on a fake end-around that gave the Hawkeyes great field position and leading to a field goal to put them up, 3-0. Mertz is still young and we need to remember that, but after his start in Illinois, it’s understandable to be frustrated with his performance since.

    They also had some more miscues that led to a pair of turnovers, including a pick in the end zone at the end of the game. The refs did miss a blatant hold on Jake Ferguson on the play, but Mertz still made a terrible throw in the back of the end zone to pretty much end Wisconsin’s chances.

    Defense showed up

    On the plus side, the defense showed up to play. Wisconsin held the Hawkeyes to six points in the first half, and three of those six were after the offense fumbled in their own territory. The defense was once again awesome on third down, allowing the Hawkeyes to convert 3-of-14 third downs.

    They played well, but they weren’t perfect. Defensive pass interference has been an issue for the defense since the Northwestern game. They had the same issues tonight. Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras overthrew his target and Eric Burrell picked it off, but Caesar Williams was called for DPI, overturning the pick and giving the ball back to Iowa.

    Another issue for the defense was staying off of the field. When the offense was constantly going three-and-out, the defense could barely get a break.

    Is the #Badgers defense even bothering to sit down in between drives?

    — Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) December 12, 2020

    Finally, the dam broke at the end of the game. They gave up two big play-action passes for touchdowns and a big run in the last few minutes that iced the game. The defense played well for three quarters of the game and would have benefited from some offensive success.

    This was the Badger’s third-straight loss, giving them a 2-3 record. If they want to remain bowl-eligible, they will need to win their crossover game next week to go 3-3.

    It isn’t the season we were all hoping for but given the circumstances with covid, missing games, and all of the injuries on offense, you can’t expect the Badgers to be able to compete with for the Big Ten title. We still have one more guaranteed game. And let’s remember, the incoming class is loaded with talent. The future is bright for this Wisconsin football program. Let’s not lose all hope after one tough season.

    Follow me on Twitter at @christianborman and follow us @WiscoHeroics1 for more great content! To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here.

    Iowa Hawkeyes Wisconsin Badgers wisconsin football
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    mattmitty26

    Related Posts

    Wisconsin Badgers football offers 2025 tight end scholarship

    Wisconsin Badgers First To Extend Offer To 2025 Tight End Out Of Green Bay

    January 28, 2023
    Badgers

    Badgers Fans Have Harsh Reaction to Wisconsin’s Home Loss to Illinois

    January 28, 2023
    15C2E9AA D081 438E AB28 ED472F586983

    Three Takeaways: Wisconsin Fall Apart Late Again, Drops To Illinois

    January 28, 2023
    Wisconsin Badgers

    Chucky Hepburn Discusses Badgers Losing Streak and Weird Week

    January 28, 2023
    Add A Comment

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    TRENDING
    Wisconsin Badgers football offers 2025 tight end scholarship

    Wisconsin Badgers First To Extend Offer To 2025 Tight End Out Of Green Bay

    January 28, 2023
    Packers mock draft roundup for the 2023 NFL draft

    Packers Mock Draft: Who Should Be The Top Targets?

    January 28, 2023
    Packers Jerry Gray

    BREAKING: Packers Defensive Coach Close to Deal with New Team

    January 28, 2023
    Aaron Rodgers

    Aaron Rodgers Quote Has NFL Fans Buzzing About Jets Trade (+Video)

    January 28, 2023
    https lakeshowlife.com wp content uploads getty images 2023 01 1436548190 1

    Milwaukee Bucks Offer for Knicks Cam Reddish Revealed

    January 28, 2023
    Badgers

    Badgers Fans Have Harsh Reaction to Wisconsin’s Home Loss to Illinois

    January 28, 2023
    WI Sports Heroics
    Facebook Twitter
    • Contact Us
    • Advertisement
    • Privacy Policy
    • Store
    © 2023 WISportsHeroics All Rights Reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.