The Wisconsin Badgers are entering a new era in football, one led by true freshman quarterback Ryan Hopkins. After years of disappointment at the quarterback position, from reasoning spanning from injury to subpar play, it's refreshing to have a genuine talent in the room. Right?
Although it may be fun to jump all over his first performance against Rutgers, which was admittedly a great one, it is also important to temper expectations a bit, as, after all, he is a freshman quarterback, and there are some reasons for questions.
A few impressive Ryan Hopkins throws that don’t show up in the #Badgers’ box score:
— Seamus (@seamus_rohrer) November 12, 2026
- Gorgeous deep ball that draws a PI
- Laser to Tyrell Henry, should’ve been 6
- Off-platform toss to Jaylon Domingeaux, gives him a shot pic.twitter.com/HEvNAALroD
Reason 1: We have played these games before
Badger fans likely know what name is going to be brought up when referencing a Wisconsin quarterback of the past who fooled everyone with his first performance. That player, of course, being Graham Mertz, who infamously completed 20 of his 21 passes, throwing for 248 yards and five touchdowns in his debut in a Badger uniform.
#Badgers QB Ryan Hopkins thinks Wisconsin can have a fresh identity on offense, especially with a deep passing game.
— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) November 10, 2026
“I wouldn’t say evolving into something else. I would say evolving into something better.” pic.twitter.com/UkvWWeUQd7
Mertz then went on to have a subpar tenure with Wisconsin before heading off to Florida, where he actually found enough success to sneak his way into the NFL. Nonetheless, his time in Madison has been reflected on in not-so-bright a light, adding reasoning to why Hopkins shouldn't have the same kind of expectations after just one game.
Reason 2: Freshman mistakes
Even in the stellar outing that he had against Rutgers, Hopkins still made some silly and preventable mistakes that could have very well resulted in turnovers. A few notable ones were an interception he threw early on that was called back because of roughing the passer, and another was a ball to Eugene Hilton Jr. that could have very well been intercepted.
Those kinds of mistakes can very well continue to happen as the year goes on, especially as defenses ramp up, making turnovers imminent. How Hopkins can respond to those turnovers will be the real test.
Reason 3: This isn't a world-beating stretch
As lame as it is to say, it is sadly worth noting that all of Hopkins' performances down the stretch of this season are against the lesser opponents of the Big Ten. There is a chance that he gets a level-up in competition in a potential ranked matchup in a bowl game, but as of now, there is no clear test.
The result of having that caveat is the thought that we have seen Badger quarterbacks of the past play well against below-average competition but squander opportunities in the biggest moments. Whether Hopkins is the same remains to be seen, but nonetheless, the talent is there.
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