Behind Enemy Lines: Wisconsin

John Gugs
Sep 17
5 min read

Maryland football finished up non-conference play with a commanding 44-17 win over the Towson Tigers. This week, the Terps will kick off Big Ten play with their first road trip of the season, going up to Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers. To learn more about the Terps' next opponent, Cam Wilhorn of All Badgers talks about this year's Wisconsin squad, what to look forward to in this year’s matchup on Saturday and who to know:

IBG: The Badgers are dealing with several injuries to start the season, including starting QB and former Terp Billy Edwards and starting center Jake Renfro. How different will the Badger offense look if either one is out on Saturday?

Cam Wilhorn: Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes has kept the playbook fully open for backup QB Danny O’Neil, but O’Neil is more of a threat to run. Designed runs will be mixed in with O’Neil more than I would expect for Billy Edwards, especially if Edwards isn’t 100 percent. Also, O’Neil has consistently had one or two plays a game where he either doesn’t see a defender or makes an ill-advised throw.

There’s a huge drop-off behind Jake Renfro at center. Backup Kerry Kodanko is a sixth-year senior who didn’t see real playing time until this season, and he’s struggled to block and snap the football. The only other player who saw consistent center reps in the offseason was redshirt freshman Ryan Cory, who actually held up well in 10 snaps against Alabama. Without a healthy Renfro, the line becomes a glaring weakness.

IBG: Wisconsin is coming off a 38-14 loss to Alabama down in Tuscaloosa. What is something that went wrong offensively and defensively in that game and how can the team fix them going forward?

CW: There’s a lot to choose from here, but the most glaring issue on the offensive side was first-quarter execution. The Badgers' offense crawled out of the gates in their two tune-up games and did the same in Tuscaloosa. An offensive pass interference penalty on a pick play derailed Wisconsin’s opening drive at midfield, and an interception in Alabama territory immediately after a defensive 4th down stop ruined the second. Being back at Camp Randall will provide a level of comfort that should help eliminate some of the silly mistakes. Having Billy Edwards back would smooth things over as well. Slow starts and critical mistakes have been a concerning trend in the Luke Fickell era, though, so there may not be an immediate fix.

On the defensive end, Wisconsin offered little resistance in the secondary. To Ty Simpson’s credit, he fit plenty of passes into tight windows and didn’t make many mistakes, but the Badgers’ veteran secondary needs to be more disruptive. They had a few opportunities to bat down passes and seemed tentative to sell out for the breakup in fear of allowing a bigger play. I think part of that was mental, knowing the weapons Alabama had on the perimeter. Playing with more aggression or confidence should resolve the problem.

IBG: Wisconsin has never lost to the Terps, including being 3-0 at home. However, this is the first time the Terps will face a Luke Fickell-led Badger team. What happened in the previous four matchups that the Badgers will need to replicate on Saturday to pull out the win?

CW: Two things stand out in particular: a dominant run game and going positive in the turnover margin. Wisconsin ran for at least 200 yards in three of the four meetings and never lost the turnover battle. If I’m choosing one of those two to replicate, it’s the rushing success. The Badgers’ offensive line has struggled to displace defenders in 2025, and there have been minimal running lanes for tailbacks. The offense has been able to stay afloat without a reliable run game, but could elevate significantly behind an improved rushing attack.

IBG: Who are three key players to watch out for on the offensive side of the ball for the Badgers and why?

CW: Vinny Anthony has been Wisconsin’s most consistent pass-catcher and big-play threat. He’s already scored a rushing, receiving and kick-return touchdown this season. His nine-reception, 115-yard stat line doesn’t tell the whole story, either. Anthony has been overthrown multiple times on would-be touchdowns this season. He was Wisconsin’s leading WR in 2024 and averaged 17.2 yards per catch.

Tight end Lance Mason has been a great addition out of the spring transfer portal. He’s a well-rounded tight end who isn’t afraid to do the dirty work. That doesn’t mean he’s not a receiving threat, though. He went for 102 yards and a score against Middle Tennessee State in Week 2.

Slot receiver Trech Kekahuna is one of those players that you have to scheme touches for, because good things happen when the football is in his hands. He took an end-around for a 61-yard touchdown in Week 2. The redshirt sophomore has been quiet outside of the long scamper, but he’s got a knack for making defenders miss in the open field and making big plays out of nothing.

IBG: Who are three key players to watch out for on the defensive side of the ball and why?

CW: I’d be shocked if Christian Alliegro isn’t an all-league linebacker this season. He logged 45 tackles in four starts last season and tied for the team high in sacks across the full year. He hasn’t skipped a beat in 2025, leading Wisconsin with 12 tackles and two sacks. Alliegro has true sideline-to-sideline speed and the strength to fight through blocks to get to the quarterback. Outside linebacker Mason Reiger has only one sack, but he has some game-wrecking tendencies. Per Pro Football Focus, he’s generated at least four pressures in every game and has 14 total. Reiger has struggled to finish sacks, though, often going too fast for his own good. Regardless, he’s able to interrupt the quarterback's rhythm, which could be problematic for a freshman like Malik Washington.

Free safety Preston Zachman is the type of player who can force quarterbacks into making mistakes. He has the football IQ and range to read a quarterback’s eyes and converge on the football before it gets to the intended receiver. Zachman had a pair of interceptions against Miami (Ohio) in Week 1, where he did exactly that.

IBG: Give a score prediction for Saturday and why?

CW: Wisconsin 17, Maryland 10

This game has the makings of a rock fight between two teams that have struggled to run the football and have leaned on their defense. It will likely come down to who can limit mistakes and make timely plays. In that scenario, I’ll lean toward the more battle-tested team playing at home.

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