The Wisconsin Badgers may have solved their quarterback issues, at least in the short term, as true freshman Ryan Hopkins had a debut start that rivaled Graham Mertz's for the best in Badgers history. Hopkins completed 18 of his 24 passes, throwing for 241 yards and three touchdowns in a dominant 31-10 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Wisconsin still has its fair share of offensive issues, not all of which Hopkins could solve, as injuries to the offensive line, an inconsistent run game and poor play calling still hinder the overall output.
That said, for a man in Luke Fickell who is currently coaching for his job, adding a bit of rejuvenation to the offense surely won't hurt his case. Adding more fuel to that fire, Wisconsin clinched a trip to a bowl game for the first time in a couple of years, putting at least a slight positive spin on a season that has had its ups and downs.
Ryan Hopkins to Eugene Hilton
— Carter Lowe (@carterl0we) November 7, 2026
Touchdown #Badgers! pic.twitter.com/xqUhedlzNH
On the Rutgers side of things, the seventh loss pretty much confirms this season as a lost one, eliminating the Scarlet Knights from bowl contention and adding even more confusion to a dwindling program. For the sake of narrative, let's say Hopkins and Co. broke them.
Near record breaking performance
All jokes aside, it really can't be understated just how impressive he was in his first start. Yes, it was against a Rutgers team that is far from the pinnacle of the Big Ten, but to play the way he did in his first start against a Power Four team, knowing the growing pains this Badgers team has had, is impressive in and of itself.
For the first eight weeks of the season, Badgers fans had to suffer through the inconsistent play of Colton Joseph, who, despite being the crown jewel of Wisconsin's recruiting class, failed to make a positive impression on a consistent basis.
A special day for Ryan Hopkins 🤩
— Wisconsin On BTN (@WisconsinOnBTN) November 7, 2026
His family reflects on his first career start for @BadgerFootball 🙌 pic.twitter.com/3HwLewerqx
That said, through all his inconsistencies as a passer, Joseph always brought some juice with his legs, which, for a couple of weeks, was seemingly the reason he kept his job. The only issue is that Hopkins, too, brings some fire as an athlete, being a decorated track athlete in high school and having a family tree filled with professional and Division I athletes alike.
That athleticism extends beyond just his legs as well, with Hopkins' arm being live and fiery. Unlike Joseph, he's able to sit back, go through his progression, scan the defense and rip a throw through a tight window when needed. Arguably his most impressive throw of the night was called back, as a sideline strike to Tyrell Henry in the end zone was possibly a bit too hot, resulting in it dropping to the ground.
Nonetheless, it was impressive play after impressive play for the true freshman, ensuring hope in the fandom that he was everything the coaching staff made him out to be throughout camp.
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