Ranking the 3 best players from Wisconsin's Week 1 loss to Notre Dame

After an embarrassing second-half collapse in which the Wisconsin Badgers got outscored 3-28 en route to a 13-41 loss, many questions have begun to circulate in regards to expectations for how the rest of the 2026 season. Many fans hopped right back on the train of wanting to fire head coach Luke Fickell, whilst others remain optimistic for a program turnaround.

Whether you are on either side of that token, it is still impossible to deny that a few Badgers still had quite the game. If the production is sustainable or not is the next question ahead, but for now, let's look at the three best performances from Wisconsin’s Week One loss.

1. Sebastian Cheeks

Pretty comfortably the best performer from the loss was senior edge rusher Sebastian Cheeks. After an offseason in which the buzz around his name had picked up a lot of steam, Cheeks came in and proved that he was exactly who he was made out to be.

The 6-foot-3 defensive end finished with two tackles, a sack and a forced fumble, logging three QB pressures in the process. Cheeks ended the game with an 85.5 PFF grade – the highest on the team – and made sure his impact was felt from start to finish.

It is worth noting that his impact teetered away as the game went on, with the Fighting Irish progressively putting more of an emphasis on not letting him turn the corner. But all in all, it was a very solid outing for the senior leader.

2. Malachi Coleman

Coming into this one, many fans speculated as to how potent the wide receiver room could be. Most fans felt comfortable with putting Eugene Hilton Jr. as the team’s WR1, but beyond him, there were questions as to who was going to pick up the slack. Luckily, Malachi Coleman silenced a lot of those doubts very early on.

He finished the game with team highs in catches (4), yards (76), and touchdowns (1). The 6-foot-5 physical specimen was the most productive and consistent threat for Wisconsin all game, showing that he added some polish to what was previously thought to be an underdeveloped skillset.

Looking forward, the Badgers likely won't need Coleman to be a go-to guy, as Hilton should be able to win more consistently when he isn't matched up with defensive back Leonard Moore, who is widely considered the best defensive back in the country. Nonetheless, it's comforting to know that Wisconsin has a bit of depth in the receiver room this season.

3. Javan Robinson

The Badgers’ third-best performer from the season opener is not one that a lot of fans would have likely expected, but Javan Robinson had himself a very solid outing. On paper, his six tackles and one pass deflection don't exactly scream dominating outing, as for the most part, Robinson seemed to just blend into the flow of the game.

With that said, sometimes the best DBs are the ones you never hear from, as so long as they are doing their job, their imprints won't be put all over the box score. In Robinson’s case, he did just that, reflected in him finishing with the third-highest PFF grade, 73.7.

In an ideal world, moving forward, Robinson can be a bit more of a game wrecker, making some more plays on the ball. But, so long as he continues to guard his spot and win his matchup, Badger fans should be happy with what they have.

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