Winners and Losers: Wisconsin Finally has an Answer at Quarterback

Just like that, Wisconsin football is injected with new life.

The Badgers made a quarterback change with a month left in the season, and it couldn't've worked out better. The true freshman gunslinger had two throws he'd like back he was rather lucky didn't result in an interception, plus a baffling fumble on which he simply never had control of the football. Otherwise? He was surgical, carving up Rutgers' hapless defense with ease.

On the other side of the ball, the defense bounced back and after surrendering a first-half touchdown, dug their heels in the ground and bottled up the Scarlet Knights in the second half in particular. They racked up five sacks and eight tackles-for-loss while holding Rutgers to 2.6 yards-per-carry.

Here's my winners and losers from a much-needed comfortable Week 10 victory:

WINNERS

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Ryan Hopkins. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

QB Ryan Hopkins

The hottest question on everyone's mind ahead of kickoff was how the true freshman Hopkins would look in his first career start. And yes, Rutgers came into this game with the 123rd-ranked total defense in the country. But nonetheless, Hopkins passed his first test with flying colors.

Though he had two near interceptions (one called back for roughing the passer, one that went through a defensive back's hands), he otherwise played with great poise, decision-making and accuracy. The ball simply jumps out of his hands; his arm talent is pretty clearly on a different level than that of Colton Joseph. He finished 18-of-24 passing for 241 yards and three touchdowns, and he very nearly had another score on gorgeous laser of a pass that Tyrell Henry couldn't haul in in the front corner of the end zone.

Hopkins doesn't bring the same dynamic ability with his legs, but he's pretty clearly an upgrade at gunslinger for the Badgers.

WR Eugene Hilton Jr

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It was great to see Hilton as a factor in this offense once again. Since his touchdown at Penn State in Week 4, he's essentially been silent with five catches for 45 yards across four games. He found the end zone once again against the Scarlet Knights, and he was a focal point for the Badgers' offense early; on Wisconsin's first touchdown drive, he moved the chains on a slant on 3rd and four, picked up 18 yards on an end around and reeled in the 21-yard touchdown over the middle. He also had a gorgeous diving catch to move the chains right before halftime and a two-point conversion late in the third quarter; Hilton is still a weapon when utilized properly.

WR Shamar Rigby

Despite entering the season as Wisconsin's most productive wide receiver at the Power Four level, Rigby had been nearly silent this fall with just one catch for 11 yards. He notched four grabs for 71 yards against Rutgers, and had multiple third down conversions, one of which was a huge 28-yard catch-and-run for a third-down conversion that kept the Badgers on the field on a drive that wound up producing three points.

LB Cooper Catalano

Catalano continues to be a tackling machine for the Badgers. He finished with a team-leading 14 tackles, including 2.5 tackles-for-loss and a sack. He was all over the field and once again a huge catalyst for the Badgers' success up front, as they limited Rutgers to 2.6 yards per carry and notched eight tackles-for-loss (and five sacks).

CB Jai'mier Scott

Scott had a brutal game on Halloween against Iowa, committing three penalties. He was challenged to bounce back this week, and he came up big for the Badgers on multiple occasions. He held up beautifully in coverage on several deep balls, including a clutch third-down stop in the first half. He got banged up after playing tight coverage on another deep ball, but he was on the sideline and appeared to roll an ankle; the ailment doesn't look to be serious.

K Gavin Lahm

Wisconsin had to rely on Lahm maybe a little more than it would've liked, especially at the end of the first half when receiver Tyrell Henry dropped a touchdown pass on 3rd down. Lahm converted the short 26-yard field goal attempt that resulted from that, but he also knocked through a 51-yarder in the first half. That was an especially crucial kick, because Wisconsin lost four yards on the play prior on an ill-fated outside handoff to Darrion Dupree. Lahm bailed the Badgers' offense out.

LOSERS

Rutgers Scarlet Knights wide receiver Dyzier Carter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

S Cairo Skanes

Skanes didn't have the greatest of games last week against Iowa, and he got absolutely torched by Rutgers' wideout Dyzier Carter on the Scarlet Knights' first-half touchdown. With Rutgers finding success in the run game, the Badgers brought extra help into the box, leaving Skanes one-on-one in the slot. The versatile defensive back is still growing, but that was certainly a learning moment and a mistake he can't make twice.

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