Braedyn Locke says 'the sky is the limit' for Badgers offense after blowout win

Locke is confident in the future of Wisconsin's offense in 2024.

Oct 5, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Braedyn Locke (18) looks to throw a pass during the third quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Wisconsin had by far its best offensive performance of the season against Purdue, with nearly 600 yards of total offense en route to a 52-6 victory. Redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke set a career-high with 359 passing yards.

He finished the day 21-41 passing, with three touchdowns for the first time in his college career. He did have two interceptions, but it was arguably his best game in a Badgers uniform.

"I'm lucky to have these guys around me, thankful for our staff, thankful for this team. What a beautiful great environment," Locke said after the game. "Everything is because of the guys around me. It's a team game and I am really happy about what we did today."

Braedyn Locke against Purdue:

💥 359 Yards (Career-high)
💥 3 TD's
💥 20/31#B1GFootball x @BadgerFootball pic.twitter.com/YSM7wWd9G6

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 5, 2024

Locke was not expected to be Wisconsin's starting quarterback this season. After Miami (FL) transfer Tyler Van Dyke tore his ACL against Alabama, Locke has been thrust into the QB1 role. He has progressively gotten better in each game this season and his performance against Purdue was a true breakout.

He was 13-26 for 125 passing yards and one touchdown in relief duty against Alabama. He was 13-26 for 180 yards, one touchdown and one interception against USC on the road.

"I think preparation breeds confidence. The way we practice, the way we study, the way that we come in and work each and every day," Locke said. "I think you see those results on the field. It will be important for us to continue to grow from here."

There have been a lot of questions about Wisconsin's immediate offensive outlook. Saturday was not only their best performance of the season it was arguably the best offensive game of the Luke Fickell era.

Wisconsin was dominant on the ground with 228 yards and four touchdowns. Purdue did not have an answer for anything that was thrown at them. The Badgers heard the noise and responded with a true beatdown against a Big Ten opponent.

"I do believe the sky is the limit," Locke said. "It comes to me making the right decisions and putting us in good positions and it comes down to us making the plays, making the throws, making the catches, making the blocks to extend everything. Today we did that. We can be a special group, we just have to do it week-to-week."

The Badgers will have a chance to start a win-streak next week on the road against Rutgers. The Scarlett Knights have been one of the surprise teams of the conference and prove to be a formidable test. Another road game against Northwestern the following week will be a nice tuneup before a daunting stretch to end the season.