STEVE MEGARGEE
Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz (5) is sacked by Northwestern cornerback Cam Ruiz, left, and linebacker Blake Gallagher during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Evanston, Ill., Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. Northwestern won 17-7. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Minnesota matchup helps No. 18 Badgers turn page after loss

By Steve Megargee Nov. 23, 2020 06:56 PM EST
No. 18 Wisconsin believes it still has plenty of incentive even though it no

Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald talks to players on the bench during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
This year's Big Ten title chase shows defense still matters

By Steve Megargee Nov. 19, 2020 12:22 PM EST
As the Big Ten prepares to have its version of “Separation Saturday,” it

Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz throws a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Illinois Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Chryst 'hopeful' about No. 13 Wisconsin's QB situation

By Steve Megargee Nov. 12, 2020 01:21 PM EST
Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said Thursday he was “hopeful” about his

Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst talks to players during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Illinois Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
No. 13 Wisconsin confident it will play Saturday at Michigan

By Steve Megargee Nov. 09, 2020 01:19 PM EST
No. 13 Wisconsin expects to return to play Saturday at Michigan after canceling

Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst talks to players during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Illinois Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Wisconsin-Purdue game off amid Badgers' coronavirus outbreak

By Steve Megargee Nov. 03, 2020 12:36 PM EST
Wisconsin has canceled Saturday's home game against Purdue, the second straight

Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst talks to players during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Illinois Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
No. 9 Wisconsin cancels Nebraska game; Chryst tests positive

By Steve Megargee Oct. 28, 2020 11:34 AM EDT
The pandemic hit Big Ten football just two weeks into its season Wednesday as

Wisconsin's Graham Mertz tries to run past Illinois's Tarique Barnes during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Nightmare scenario: What happens when outbreak hits QB room?

By Steve Megargee Oct. 27, 2020 05:49 PM EDT
Wisconsin may be facing the type of nightmare scenario that coaches feared as

Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz throws a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Illinois Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Wisconsin coach stays mum on QB Mertz with Huskers up next

By Steve Megargee Oct. 26, 2020 12:52 PM EDT
Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst isn’t discussing quarterback Graham Mertz’s status

Wisconsin wide receiver Danny Davis III celebrates his touchdown catch with Jake Ferguson (84) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Illinois Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Mertz, No. 14 Wisconsin rout Illinois 45-7 in Big Ten opener

By Steve Megargee Oct. 23, 2020 11:31 PM EDT
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s Graham Mertz gave a star-making performance on

FILE - In this Oct. 19, 2019, file photo, Illinois' Josh Imatorbhebhe, second from right, celebrates with teammates including Donny Navarro (86) after scoring a touchdown in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin, in Champaign, Ill. Even after beating a Wisconsin team that was favored by 30 ½ points last year, Illinois heads into Madison as a 19 ½-point underdog as the two West Division rivals prepare to open the pandemic-delayed Big Ten season Friday night. (AP Photo/Holly Hart, File)
Illinois seeking to surprise No. 14 Wisconsin one more time

By Steve Megargee Oct. 22, 2020 12:20 PM EDT
Illinois believes its upset of Wisconsin last year showed how far the program

FILE - In this Oct. 12, 2019, file photo, Wisconsin running back Nakia Watson (14) carries during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin’s rushing attack will look quite a bit different this season without Jonathan Taylor in the backfield. Wisconsin begins adjusting to life without Taylor on Friday night, Oct. 23, 2020, when the 14th-ranked Badgers host Illinois in their pandemic-delayed season opener.(AP Photo/Andy Manis, File)
No. 14 Wisconsin's rushing attack adapts to post-Taylor era

By Steve Megargee Oct. 22, 2020 12:17 AM EDT
Wisconsin’s rushing attack will look quite a bit different this season without

FILE - In this Sept. 30, 2017, file photo, Wisconsin's Isaiahh Loudermilk (97) and Leon Jacobs celebrate after a sack of Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson (18) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin traditionally wins games primarily because of its running game and defense. Now that Jonathan Taylor has moved on to the NFL, that would seem to put more pressure on the defense to carry the load as the Badgers’ offense adjusts to life without the two-time Doak Walker Award winner. The defense looks forward to that challenge. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
Wisconsin's veteran defense ready for bigger responsibility

By Steve Megargee Oct. 19, 2020 05:10 PM EDT
Wisconsin traditionally wins games because of its running game and defense.

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2019, file photoWisconsin's Graham Mertz reacts to a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Central Michigan in Madison, Wis. Mertz is about to get his chance to show he’s worthy of all the acclaim that accompanied his arrival on campus last year. Now that foot surgery has sidelined returning starter Jack Coan indefinitely, Mertz is likely to open the season as the 16th-ranked Badgers’ first-team quarterback. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
No. 16 Badgers ready to contend again after offseason losses

By Steve Megargee Oct. 14, 2020 10:20 AM EDT
Wisconsin will open the season without quite as much experience as it expected

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2019, file photo, Wisconsin's Graham Mertz throws during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Central Michigan in Madison, Wis. Mertz is about to get his chance to show he’s worthy of all the acclaim that accompanied his arrival on campus last year. Now that foot surgery has sidelined returning starter Jack Coan indefinitely, Mertz is likely to open the season as the 16th-ranked Badgers’ first-team quarterback. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
Coan's injury provides opportunity for Wisconsin QB Mertz

By Steve Megargee Oct. 08, 2020 05:50 PM EDT
From the moment he announced his college choice, Graham Mertz has received more

FILE - UCLA offensive lineman Jake Burton (73) plays during an NCAA college football game against Arizona, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. While most of the offseason chatter surrounding college football transfers inevitably focuses on quarterbacks, plenty of notable players at other positions also switched teams and could make major impacts for their new schools this fall. Burton, a two-year starter at UCLA, decided to transfer to Baylor when the Pac-10 opted to postpone its season. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, FIle)
Potential impact transfers this season aren't limited to QBs

By Steve Megargee Sep. 05, 2020 11:26 AM EDT
While most of the offseason chatter surrounding college football transfers

FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019 file photo, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron reacts after a LSU touchdown in the first half of an NCAA football game against Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. This is the rare SEC team whose schedule might have gotten a tad easier by playing a conference-only slate. The SEC opponents added to LSU’s schedule last month were Missouri (6-6 last season) and Vanderbilt (3-9). LSU had to drop a scheduled home date with No. 14 Texas, though its other non-conference games would have been lackluster matchups with Rice, Nicholls and Texas-San Antonio. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
PICK SIX: SEC, ACC schedule changes impact several programs

By Steve Megargee Sep. 03, 2020 02:33 AM EDT
The debut season for Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz got much more challenging

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2020, file photo, LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase catches a touchdown pass in front of Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell during the first half of a NCAA College Football Playoff national championship game in New Orleans. All-America wide receiver Chase, cornerback Kary Vincent Jr. and defensive end Neil Farrell Jr. have announced they won’t be playing this season. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
PICK SIX: LSU quartet heads list of players opting out

By Steve Megargee Sep. 01, 2020 03:36 AM EDT
LSU knew all along it would have to try to defend its national title without

FILE - In this Dec. 13, 2019, file photo, Memphis director of athletics Laird Veatch, left, presents Memphis head football coach Ryan Silverfield, right, with a team jersey in Memphis, Tenn. As football players start returning to campus, college officials have a wide range of opinions on whether to let the public know how many of their athletes test positive for coronavirus. Just over half of the 64 Football Bowl Subdivision members that responded to an Associated Press survey said they were still deciding whether to announce the number of student-athletes with positive tests.(Ariel Cobbert/The Commercial Appeal via AP, File)
Schools debate whether to detail positive tests for athletes

By Steve Megargee Jun. 14, 2020 12:01 PM EDT
Over the past two weeks, as college athletes have returned to campuses to work

FILE - In this is an April 25, 2018, file photo, NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis is viewed. College sports programs are already being cut and more are likely on the chopping block. The coronavirus pandemic has triggered fears of an economic meltdown on campuses around the country. The cancellation of the NCAA men's basketball tournament cost schools $375 million and more losses are expected, especially if football season is disrupted in the fall. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)
NCAA to lift moratorium on football, basketball workouts

By Steve Megargee May. 20, 2020 12:28 PM EDT
The NCAA Division I Council voted Wednesday to lift a moratorium on voluntary

FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2019, file photo, Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck celebrates a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. The coronavirus is preventing prospects from leaving home to visit campuses and is keeping college coaches from traveling to evaluate players across the country. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
Virus sparks debate on whether more prospects will stay home

By Steve Megargee May. 12, 2020 02:20 AM EDT
Concerns about the coronavirus are preventing football prospects from visiting