Accolades Keep Rolling in for Wisconsin Freshman QB Ryan Hopkins

Wisconsin freshman quarterback Ryan Hopkins had a tremendous first career start on Saturday in a win over Rutgers. On Monday, the Big Ten recognized his performance by naming him the conference's Freshman of the Week.

Making an impact 👏@RyanHopkins07 has been named the @B1Gfootball Freshman of the Week! pic.twitter.com/hsPAx5vUVf
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) November 9, 2026

Hopkins, a true freshman making his first start, looked more than comfortable. He completed 18-of-24 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns in Wisconsin's 31-10 win over Rutgers on Saturday. He did not throw an interception in the game.

The win against the Scarlet Knights was Wisconsin's sixth of the season, making the Badgers bowl eligible for the first time since the 2023 season. For Hopkins, it was his first opportunity to start after replacing Colton Joseph during Wisconsin's previous game against Iowa.

Hopkins Made the Most of His First Opportunity

Wisconsin quarterback Ryan Hopkins (10) is tackled by Rutgers defensive back DK Gilley (9) during the second quarter of their game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Hopkins wasted no time making his mark on the game, throwing his first career touchdown pass to Eugene Hilton Jr. for 21 yards in the first quarter.

Hopkins also threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Schwendeman in the third quarter and a 66-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Harris in the fourth quarter. In all, three receivers had touchdown catches, and eight players caught passes for the Badgers.

Hopkins' 241 passing yards tied for the third-most by a Wisconsin freshman in his debut since 1990. He also had the most touchdown passes of any freshman in the country in Week 10, and his passer rating of 200.6 was the best among FBS freshmen.

This was a good performance from Wisconsin's offense after a horrible game against Iowa in which the Badgers were shut out 30-0. After Colton Joseph was pulled from the game against the Hawkeyes, Hopkins stepped in and earned the start against Rutgers the following week.

The offense was night and day from the Iowa game, especially in the second half when the Badgers scored 18 unanswered points. Wisconsin's offense looked completely different with Hopkins leading the way against Rutgers.

Hopkins has another chance to shine when the Badgers travel to Maryland on Saturday, Nov. 14. He has one good start under his belt, but there are still questions about the young quarterback. This award is a great start for him.

Now the Badgers will see if their freshman quarterback can continue to spark the offense and lead the team through the remainder of the season.

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