It seemed like it was going to be a memorable, unforgettable night in Madison. Going up against Penn State, the Wisconsin Badgers had an upset in mind and things were looking good for a while. However, the wheels fell off in the second half.
We don't want to put the full blame on Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke, but there were several throws he wants back. None bigger than his interception midway through the third quarter. At the time, the Badgers were up 10-7. However, in the blink of an eye, PSU took the lead.
On this particular play, Locke stared down his receiver and defensive back Jaylen Reed made him play. We've all seen the pick-six several times, but a new clip of the turnover made its way to social media and it somehow has made things worse for Locke:
#PSU Safety Jaylen Reed continues to be a playmaker playing near the LOS and as an extra run defender. Big pick six to change the momentum of their game against Wisconsin and excels filling backside run gaps.
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) October 28, 2024
Is continuing Penn State’s run of safeties who can play a multiple… pic.twitter.com/4MWN96AaIi
Braedyn Locke's pick-six vs. Penn State will haunt him for quite some time
We hate to bash on Locke, but what in the heck was he thinking making this throw? Reed barely had to move, as the ball was thrown right to him. Locked was zoned in on his target and just never saw Reed in the middle of the field.
With how explosive the Nittany Lions' defensive back is, he had little trouble making his way to the endzone for the score. It was a back-breaking play and one that played a huge role in the Badgers losing this contest. Again, the L isn't fully on Locke, but that interception was inexcusable.
It came on 3rd-and-long too. Head coach Luke Fickell must have told Locke countless times leading up to this game to not try and create magic when he doesn't need to. You always live to see another down, but Locke tossed that idea out the window with that terrible INT.
What makes things worse for the signal-caller is that he has now tossed an interception in five consecutive games. This is something that can't be the case, especially moving forward if the Badgers want to close out the campaign on a high note. Locke needs to clean things up, and fast.