The Wisconsin Badgers were just embarrassed on the road against Maryland. It was one of the ugliest games in Luke Fickell's era in so many different ways. The team should have just stayed in Madison, as the Luke Fickell team looked uninspired, and the Maryland team had all sorts of juice and eagerness to win for their interim head coach.
Here are the five rapid reactions from a frustrating game.
1. Wisconsin mistakes were the biggest factor to this loss
Wisconsin made so many crucial mistakes that it was the biggest reason the Badgers lost. Wisconsin lost three fumbles, and all three of them mattered to the overall score. The final one, when Ryan Hopkins got blindsided off the edge by a free rusher, was the one that sealed the deal.
Maryland has had an effective offense all season, so it's not a surprise they were able to find ways to score. Cardale Williams may have actually been the better option for Maryland, considering how much he can scramble and make plays with his legs. He's also a veteran. So, the defense wasn't the problem; it was the Wisconsin offense and the countless mistakes they made.
2. The offensive play-calling was atrocious, the whole way through
Jeff Grimes has got to go. Luke Fickell probably doesn't deserve to keep his job, but he will; the fanbase will be gassed up that six or seven wins are a big improvement from last season. However, Fickell has to get a better offensive coordinator. He has yet to be able to hire a good one, and Grimes may be second to Phil Longo at this point.
He calls a completely predictable game and often tries to do something silly in situations where just doing an obvious thing would be way better. Like the fullback dive with a tight end that led to a fumble, or a jet sweep on the one-yard line. Or something insane. Fickell needs to fire him.
3. Luke Fickell has no answers for Maryland again
Wisconsin has lost to Maryland two years in a row. A team that has fired its head coach, a team that was on a 13-loss Big Ten streak before beating Purdue last week. Sure, they seem to be playing better without Mike Locksley employed, but it's still a team that Wisconsin should have handled easily. The Terrapins are not a good team and don't let Fickell or anyone else convince you that somehow they are.
4. The Badgers suffered some injuries that may cost them the season
The worst thing about the game (besides the loss) is how many injuries happened to the Badgers. Mason Posa went down but was able to come back. Matt Jung had to be carted off the field with an apparent major leg injury. Javan Robinson was helped off the field and never returned. Tyreese Fearbry left shaken up at the end of the fourth quarter, and Ryan Hopkins appeared to enter concussion protocol.
Those injuries are massive and could ultimately cost the Badgers the rest of the season. I guess it's good they got six wins early? Geez.
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