The Wisconsin Badgers got off on the right foot with a win over the Miami (OH) RedHawks, 17-0. It was Wisconsin’s first shutout since September 3, 2022, against Illinois State and the first shutout under Luke Fickell.
It was a splendid defensive showing for Mike Tressel’s defense. The Badgers held the RedHawks to 117 yards of total offense, including a mere 34 rushing yards. Additionally, Miami (OH) failed to convert a single third-down play in the game, finishing 0-for-9 on the day. Wisconsin fans also saw a much-improved pass rush that sacked RedHawk quarterback Dequan Finn three times and kept him contained throughout the game.
While the offense had its moments in Jeff Grimes’ debut, especially in the running game with Dilin Jones, they were certainly few and far between. Wisconsin needs better play from all offensive linemen moving forward. Sure, the Badgers lost a key contributor this offseason when Kevin Heywood tore an ACL. However, Central Michigan transfer Davis Heinzen looked slow moving his feet at the left tackle position, as RedHawks’ pass rusher Adam Trick notched two sacks while matched up against Heinzen.
Backup quarterback Danny O’Neil stepped in after Billy Edwards Jr. went down with a non-contact injury in the second quarter. The transfer from San Diego State finished 12-of-19 for 120 yards, as he settled in completing short, quick passes.
Despite wildly underthrowing a pass on 4th-and-3 at the start of the second half for an easy interception, O’Neil atoned for the pick with a touchdown pass to Vinny Anthony II, giving the Badgers a 10-0 lead. With Edwards Jr. sidelined for the foreseeable future, Wisconsin will need O’Neil to improve on his Week 1 performance.
Here are three standouts from Wisconsin’s first win of the season.
Last year, Cheeks had only five solo tackles and two sacks on the season. Against Miami (OH), Cheeks tied D’Yoni Hill with four solo tackles and had one of the Badgers’ four tackles for loss in the shutout win. One of those solo tackles was a nice open-field tackle on Finn that ended the RedHawks’ opening drive of the fourth quarter.
One player that stood out in this game was Louisville transfer Mason Reiger. He displayed a high motor and finished with three solo tackles and one half sack, constantly putting pressure on the RedHawk offense. While he did not accumulate the statistics of the other Badger linebackers, Mike Lucas compared him to a former Badger star linebacker.
With the Badgers up 10-0 in the fourth quarter, Preston Zachman took control of the game with an interception coming across the middle and returned it to the two-yard line. After the Badgers punched it in to make it 17-0, the RedHawks marched into plus territory, but Zachman came up with a second interception on a deep throw from Dequan Finn, ending the final offensive possession of the game for Miami (OH).
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