Nebraska-Wisconsin Preview with Rajeev Chhabra, host of The Bucky Report Podcast

An insider's look at the Badgers ahead of Saturday's matchup in Lincoln.

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell is shown during the first quarter of their game against Nebraska Saturday, November 18, 2023 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

After four consecutive losses, the Nebraska football team will try to get back on track at home against Wisconsin on Saturday. The Huskers and Badgers both come into the game at 5-5, with each team fighting for bowl eligibility with two games remaining in the season. 

I talked to Rajeev Chhabra, host of The Bucky Report Podcast, to get the Wisconsin perspective on the upcoming game. 

Interview with Rajeev Chhabra, Host of The Bucky Report Podcast

Wisconsin has lost three straight, including a nail biter against #1 Oregon this past weekend. What are the vibes like around the fan base right now? What are the expectations for the remainder of the season?  

The vibes are fairly mixed right now across the fan base. Ultimately, no one is thrilled that we've struggled against good teams yet again this year, but the overall feeling is that we are building something for the future. Coming into the year, we wanted to beat up on bad teams, and compete and get some wins against the top of the conference. Our schedule was extremely difficult on paper so all fans, myself included, were very hesitant picking any more than 8 wins.  Fans were really hoping for a signature win this year but that just wasn't in the cards. There were moments of serious optimism through the season, but losing 42-10 at rival Iowa left an incredibly sour taste in the mouths of all Badgers. At this point, beating Nebraska and Minnesota would mean another 7-5 season and, all things considered, that's not a bad record.  Nebraska will be tough but losing to Minnesota is simply not an option.

Nebraska replaced their offensive coordinator last week, and Wisconsin just fired their OC on Monday. These aren’t exactly the glory days of Tom Osborne and Barry Alvarez, are they? 

They sure aren't the glory days! Wisconsin has still been a very successful team over the last several years, despite not being what we had hoped. Ultimately, we still maintain the country's 3rd longest active consecutive bowl streak (22) and it’s something Badgers are very proud of (behind only Georgia and Oklahoma). Both programs have head coaches they believe can take the programs to the next level, so the next 5 years should be super interesting for our schools!

Head Coach Luke Fickell is in year 2 at the helm in Madison. The Badgers went 7-5 last year and are battling for bowl eligibility this year. What’s the current view of Coach Fickell among Wisconsin fans? 

There are certainly those calling for a change, but you get that with every fan base.  Surely there is a group of Husker fans who already want Rhule out…it’s just inevitable. That being said, the vast majority of fans still believe in what Fickell is building. We have a long history of success in Madison, especially as a high floor team. I still believe Fickell can raise the floor and ceiling, and take us to the next level. This is mainly being seen on the recruiting front. A strong 2024 class looks to be followed up with a 2025 class that adds more athleticism and dynamism to the roster and should continue raising the ceiling. The one thing this staff has shown is great closing ability. Just today, we flipped a 4-star DE recruit away from Michigan!  

We've seen it on the recruiting trail, and now it has to translate on the field. With the offense heading in a new direction next season, it’s really prove-it time for Luke Fickell. If the new OC hire doesn't work out, it likely won't be just that OC that leaves Madison.

Starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke suffered a season-ending injury during the Alabama game in September. What’s your assessment of his replacement Braedyn Locke’s performance to date? 

Not great. And most of the time, not even good. Other than the three game stretch against the basement of the Big Ten, Locke has had a very underwhelming year. He's not mobile at all which of course destroys the read option's effectiveness. While he has a couple dimes in him each game, the majority of his passes are inaccurate and he has a real tendency to get balls batted down. He's not great at finding passing lanes and really executing the offense. There were times fans were really getting behind him, but the overall take is that he just isn't the guy.

Who have been some other key contributors for the Badgers so far this year? Who should Husker fans be worried about?

The backfield has been strong again this year behind the real strength of the offense…our line.  Tawee Walker and Darrion Dupree are dynamic runners who have break-away ability and can grind down a defense. On the receiver front, Vinny Anthony has emerged as our best wideout who can really stretch the field and create big plays. Defensively, it’s always been about our secondary led by all conference safety Hunter Wohler. Other key guys on that side of the ball are LB Christian Alliegro and DT Elijah Hills.

I must admit, when Nebraska came into the Big Ten, I thought Wisconsin was well positioned to be our main rival. The Huskers haven’t held up their end of the bargain, having only won one game in this series since 2011. How is this game viewed in the Badger Common Fans’ eyes?

I hate to say this on something that Husker fans are going to read, but it’s not much of a rivalry at all. Iowa and Minnesota hold that for us, and since the Wisconsin/Nebraska series has been incredibly one-sided, Badger fans think of it as just another game. I think that can change if Nebraska can improve, but the results just haven't been there. Minnesota will always be our top rival, and our series with Iowa is as competitive as any.

What have you seen from Nebraska and does it make you feel better or worse about Wisconsin’s chances on Saturday?

At the beginning of the year, I was worried about how good Rhule's team was going to be this year. I still think there are a ton of great pieces, but the hype has come back down to life a bit.  Anyone who thinks we are going to roll over Nebraska is dead wrong. Raiola is a real talent and someone who I think will find ways to give us fits, even with a new offense. Going into Lincoln is never easy, and it may be yet another super competitive game between our teams.

Wisconsin wins if ______.

Wisconsin wins if we see our defense be as disruptive as it was against Oregon and Braedyn Locke can prevent turnovers. We are going to run the ball, or at least attempt to do so. Not really sure what our playcalling will look like with an interim OC, but hopefully there is some fresh energy from the boys.

Nebraska wins if ______.

Nebraska wins if they can shut down our run game, get penetration, and make Locke uncomfortable. He has a tendency to fumble when he's hit and that could be a big problem if Nebraska gets home.

Final score prediction? 

It's not going to be easy, but I think the Badgers get it done once again. We run the ball and hit some big plays to Vinny Anthony. The defense picks up where it left off and finds ways to make Raiola feel some heat. Wisconsin wins 27-20.

Author’s note: Thanks to Rajeev Chhabra, host of The Bucky Report Podcast, for sharing his expertise with the Common Fans. Both the Common Fan Podcast (Nebraska) and The Bucky Report Podcast (Wisconsin) are members of The College Huddle, the largest fan-led online college sports podcast community, made up of one podcast from each fan base represented.

MORE: Dylan Raiola 'Excited' for Second Game With Dana Holgorsen

MORE: Doc's Diagnosis: Nebraska-USC Run Game, the Flag That Wasn't; a Peek at the Badgers

MORE: Nebraska Women's Basketball Dominates North Alabama; Natalie Potts Leaves with Injury

MORE: Carriker Chronicles: On Dylan Raiola, Matt Rhule and Saturday's 'Ugly Duckling Bowl'

MORE: By The Numbers: Nebraska Volleyball's Winning Streak

---

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.

---