Badgers news: 3 quick takeaways from the 24-7 loss to Minnesota

The Wisconsin Badgers saw their season come to a close on Friday morning in another disappointing game, losing 24-7 to the Minnesota Golden Gophers, letting go of both the Axe Trophy and their 22-year bowl streak.

With the loss, Wisconsin drops to 5-7 on the season, missing out on bowl eligibility and capping off one of the more disappointing years recently in program history.

Here are three quick takeaways from Wisconsin’s 24-7 loss to the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Friday.

Inept offense

When offensive coordinator Phil Longo was fired two weeks ago, one of the biggest questions was how the team would actually improve on the offensive side of the ball.

There was some hope last week, as Wisconsin put up 25 points, with Braedyn Locke throwing for 282 yards and three touchdowns before the team’s final drive when the game was out of hand.

However, everything went out the window on Friday as the Badgers just didn’t show up in their biggest game of the season from a rivalry perspective. In fact, they had their worst half of football offensively, getting shut out for the first time in a half all year.

Over the first 30 minutes, Wisconsin had six drives, with all six resulting in punts. No drive went for over 15 yards and the Badgers didn’t even have a single play in Minnesota territory in the ugly half. Instead, they totaled just 43 yards of offense, with Braedyn Locke really struggling, throwing for just 37 yards on 5/13 passing.

The run game had absolutely nothing going with Minnesota selling out against the run, leading to punt after punt after punt for the Badgers.

In the second half, Wisconsin came out with another three-and-out before their first touchdown drive of the game, getting some life by cutting the lead to 21-7. Then, getting a big opportunity afterward to make it a one-score lead, the Badgers got a chance due to an ill-advised 15-yard penalty from Minnesota. But, they couldn’t do anything with it, stalling in the red zone before Nathanial Vakos missed a 37-yard field goal.

That was it for the Badgers offensively as they had another three-and-out and a turnover on downs to end the game, finishing with just seven points of offense and 166 yards of offense in their ugliest performance on that side of the ball this season.

Wisconsin needs to answer a ton of questions on this side of the ball, starting with their offensive coordinator.

QB questions

For weeks, the biggest issue with the Badgers offense has simply been their quarterback play.

Since taking over for an injured Tyler Van Dyke, Braedyn Locke has been inconsistent all season long, struggling with his accuracy, footwork, against the blitz, and ability to push the ball downfield, while not being a threat with his legs.

That has been a detriment to Wisconsin’s offense, although woes in the run game and inconsistencies at receiver haven’t helped either.

Friday’s disappointing performance against Minnesota didn’t do much to quiet the doubts, as Locke finished the game throwing for 130 yards and a touchdown on 15/32 passing from the field.

It was Locke’s first start this year without an interception, but it was another uninspiring performance, nonetheless, leading Wisconsin to their biggest question of the offseason: what will they do at quarterback?

The Badgers had a tough schedule this year and things don’t get any easier in Year 3 for head coach Luke Fickell. To turn the program around, regardless of the new offensive scheme and coordinator, Wisconsin needs much better quarterback play, which could signal a move to the transfer portal for the third consecutive year.

Yes, Wisconsin landed four-star quarterback Carter Smith, but it’s nowhere near a guarantee that he’ll be ready come the fall. Graduate transfer Tyler Van Dyke could apply for a medical redshirt and return, but the Badgers will probably still look to exhaust their options, knowing that the offense could change with a new coordinator and that the senior is coming off a major injury.

Then comes the remainder of the incumbents in the quarterback room. Questions surround the futures of Braedyn Locke and Mabrey Mettauer, who were recruited by former offensive coordinator Phil Longo. They could very well entertain a change of scenery, depleting the quarterback room for the Badgers, leading to even more questions.

Nonetheless, there is a lot to figure out at the most important position of football after Friday.

Bowl streak gone

When it comes to the game, there were many issues during the loss that popped up, especially on the offensive end.

But, looking from a broader perspective, it’s significant that Wisconsin will break its 22-year bowl streak this year in one of the worst three-year stretches for the program in recent memory.

When head coach Luke Fickell was hired, it was clear: championships were the expectation.

However, since the head coach has arrived, Wisconsin has taken a step backward after a brutal final season under the previous regime, and is at a major crossroads currently.

Fickell has done a fantastic job on the recruiting trail, which is why optimism is as high as it should be. It’ll take time for some of those players to develop and become key starters for the Badgers. But, the true coaching aspect hasn’t been great thus far for Fickell, and Wisconsin isn’t trending in the right direction at the moment.

Things need to change. And fast. Fickell made some wholesale changes, specifically to his coaching staff, last offseason. The ball’s in his court to patch up the issues in an extremely crucial offseason.