A former Badger was at the center of Penn State’s 28-13 win over Wisconsin on Saturday night. It was not necessarily Penn State OT Nolan Rucci, who transferred over from Wisconsin after the 2023 season.

Penn State did exactly what it needed to do by not allowing UW to get into a rhythm on the ground. This Nittany Lions defensive front was able to thwart Wisconsin's rushing attack, allowing just 81 rushing yards on 27 attempts. Tawee Walker was able to cash in for the Badgers' sole touchdown but logged just 59 rushing yards on 22 attempts.

Luke Fickell is in Year 2 of a rebuild that not only has yet to yield a true signature victory but continues to lack marked progress.

Wisconsin fell in ESPN FPI after its 28-13 loss to Penn State on Saturday. The Badgers dropped six spots from No. 25 to No. 31 in the metric, due to their rating falling to 9.2. The dip halts the team’s rapid ascension over its previous three-game winning streak. It also dims its rest-of-season outlook with challenging games upcoming.