Just a week removed from their head coach’s firing, Wisconsin waltzed into Evanston and proceeded to thin out a Northwestern student section in just two quarters. The Badgers (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) put on an imposing display in the first half and that was all they needed to close out the Wildcats (1-5, 1-2) at Ryan Field, 42-7.

After a dismal offensive showing in Happy Valley, NU’s current rut traveled back home to Illinois as the Cats fell flat on both sides of the ball Saturday. NU turned the ball over three times and put just seven points on the board en route to another defeat at home.

Here are five takeaways from the Cats’ bout with the Badgers:

Takeaways

1. Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen picks up where he left off last November

NU fans will remember Allen, just 17 years old in the meeting last year, going scorched earth against the Cats in a 173 rushing yard, three touchdown performance. Allen, now 18, picked up right where he left off against NU in 2021. Carving up the Cats’ defense early, Allen tallied nine carries for 66 yards on the first two drives. 

His profound effect on NU’s defense was evident in the opening quarter as well. On Wisconsin’s second drive of the game, the Cats’ defense bit hard on a play fake — expecting an Allen handoff — but Mertz instead found a wide open Skyler Bell for the first score of the game. Allen’s first touchdown came with just under 2:30 to play in the second quarter and it was not a rushing score. Rather, he lined up in the Wildcat, bounced out wide before dumping the ball down to Chez Mellusi for an easy score. Entering halftime, Allen had more passing touchdowns than NU had points. He finished the game with 135 rushing yards on 23 carries and the one passing touchdown.

2. Changes at QB1: Hilinski to Sullivan back to Hilinski then to Sullivan again

It took just one quarter, 13 plays and an interception for the Cats to pull junior quarterback Ryan Hilinski, the man who has played every snap as NU’s signal caller this season, in favor of sophomore Brendan Sullivan. The Davison, Michigan native took over on the Cats’ third drive of the game, but his first three drives under center all ended in three-and-outs. 

The Sullivan experiment then temporarily came to a close, as Hilinski trotted back out with the first half winding to a close. The Orange, California native got the Cats inside Wisconsin’s five-yard line, but a pair of incompletions and a missed 21-yard field goal later, NU went into the intermission facing a 28-0 deficit. Out of halftime, Hilinski led a drive deep into Badger territory again, but, after throwing an interception on fourth-and-3, was laid out by a Wisconsin defender. It was a scary sight as the former Gamecock laid on the ground for minutes, but he was eventually helped off the field into the medical tent by trainers. Replacing Hilinski for the second time on the day, Sullivan got the Cats on the board with his first career touchdown pass to sophomore running back Anthony Tyus III.

3. NU secondary gets torn apart by Mertz and Dike

Graham Mertz and Chimere Dike or Joe Montana and Jerry Rice? For much of the game, it looked like the pair of Badgers had been replaced by the NFL legends. With NU selling hard to try and stop the run, Wisconsin picked apart the home team’s secondary. Mertz made a habit of escaping pressure and connecting with wide open receivers, namely Dike, who hauled in seven passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. 

Entering Saturday’s contest, Dike had 15 receptions, 257 receiving yards and one touchdown. After 30 minutes of football, Mertz was 11-of-16 passing for 204 yards and a trio of touchdown passes. His passer rating through two quarters? 237.7. The duo connected for one final score in the beginning of the fourth quarter, as Dike finished his prolific outing with 10 catches, 185 yards and three touchdowns.

4. Scary third quarter sequence of injuries illustrates the worst parts of football

Just seconds into the third quarter, Wisconsin players huddled together around midfield for what appeared to be a prayer. On the previous play, Badger Cedrick Dort Jr. went airborne and broke up a deep pass from Hilinski intended for senior wide receiver Malik Washington. Dort then landed incredibly hard on the ground. The crowd fell silent as coaches from both teams checked in on the defensive back. He was eventually helped onto a cart and driven off the field. 

Following an interception minutes later on the same drive, Hilinski, defenseless, was laid out by a Wisconsin defender. The same silence fell over Ryan Field as he was eventually helped to his feet and led into the medical tent. He did not return to the game. Injuries continued to pile on for the Cats in quick succession, with senior defensive lineman Taishan Holmes and graduate student defensive lineman Ryan Johnson being helped off the field later, too. 

5. “It’s merely a flesh wound:” NU, bloody and bruised, heads into bye week

Well, if there was ever a time the Cats needed a break, it’s right now. The losers of five straight, NU and coach Pat Fitzgerald have time for some serious soul searching ahead of their next game: a road trip to Maryland on Oct. 22. Questions surround nearly every facet of this Cats squad, notably playcalling, personnel and coaching. Six games remain on the schedule, including just two at home, and the bye week presents a prime opportunity to regroup and try to salvage what has been a horrible 2022 campaign thus far.

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