Wisconsin Football Report Card: Grading Every Defensive Position After Statement Win Over Penn State

Opening Big Ten play, Wisconsin stormed back from a 17-point deficit to upset No. 13 Penn State 24-20 on the road and move to 3-1 on the year. After evaluating the offense, Badgers On SI has grades for each defensive position group from the biggest win of the Luke Fickell era.

Defensive Line

Wisconsin's Hammond Russell IV — Wisconsin Badgers defensive lineman Hammond Russell IV | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

After facing off with lesser opponents over the previous two weeks, the battle in the trenches was set to be much more challenging for Wisconsin in Happy Valley. To say the Badgers responded well would be an understatement. The front continued its momentum in stopping the run, limiting the Nittany Lions to 119 rushing yards on 36 carries (3.3 yards per carry), with quarterback Rocco Becht the only ball carrier to log a run of 10+ yards.

The pass rush was a bigger question, as Wisconsin needed someone to step up alongside edge rusher Sebastian Cheeks. Cheeks balled out once again, recording five tackles (two solo), 0.5 sacks and five hurries, while Nicolas Clayton made an impact on the outside with two tackles (one solo) and three hurries. Impressively, the interior defensive line did a ton of damage, with Hammond Russell IV tallying four tackles (one solo), 1.5 sacks and a third-quarter pass deflection that fell into the arms of fellow defensive tackle Charles Perkins for the big man’s first career interception. Russell was penalized for being offside in the first quarter, but his positive impact far outweighed the miscue.

The Badgers’ defensive line put on a clinic in the first half against Notre Dame in Week 1, but the unit ran out of gas in the second half at Lambeau Field. At Beaver Stadium in Week 4, Wisconsin delivered a full four-quarter effort against a veteran team, helping secure the victory and earning a perfect A grade.

Grade: A

Linebackers

Wisconsin's Cooper Catalano — Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Cooper Catalano | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wisconsin needed its star linebackers to live up to the billing to pull off the road upset, and needless to say, they were up for the task. Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa finished with the two highest PFF grades on the defense at 81.8 and 79.3, respectively. Catalano posted nine tackles (three solo), a pass deflection and a hurry, while Posa finished with a game-high 12 tackles (eight solo), a tackle for loss and two hurries. The latter was tagged with a 15-yard personal foul for tripping on Penn State’s final drive, which in a vacuum is a major mistake, but admittedly, he likely saved a huge play from transpiring, and the Badgers were still able to pull out the victory.

The exciting sophomores get the fanfare, and for good reason, but some credit is also due to Jon Jon Kamara, who played a season-high 26 snaps and recorded two tackles (one solo) as part of a respectable 67.7 PFF grade. The Kansas transfer is an athletic freak who can be a versatile piece for defensive coordinator Mike Tressel to deploy in spurts.

In a miserable 2025 campaign, Catalano and Posa were bright spots and beacons of hope that there may be light at the end of the tunnel. Behind the duo’s spectacular play, leadership and unwavering belief, Wisconsin earned a signature win, and there’s no grade to give other than an A.

Grade: A

Defensive Backs

Wisconsin's Javan Robinson — Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Brett Eskildsen (4) has a pass broken up by Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Javan Robinson (2) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State standout wide receiver Koby Howard being sidelined lessened the challenge for the Wisconsin defensive backs, but how they’d fare against a Big Ten opponent after two cupcake matchups remained a question. The answer was spectacular, as Rocco Becht went just 12-for-29 for 114 passing yards and an interception.

After getting beaten badly for a touchdown last week against Eastern Michigan, cornerback Javan Robinson responded with masterful work in coverage, allowing just two receptions and recording three pass deflections while being targeted 10 times. Bryce West was similarly effective in the slot, permitting just one catch on five targets while continuing his steady tackling with three tackles (two solo).

Safety Matt Jung was the lowest-graded defensive back, but even his 60.7 PFF grade was about average, illustrating the soundness of the Badgers’ secondary across the board. No extra fluff is needed—it was a stellar showing on the back end, particularly as a bounce-back effort for Robinson, who has big-game pedigree and was brought in for matchups like these.

Grade: A

Special Teams

Unfortunately, special teams were a disappointment. Fortunately, that statement is based on the fact that special teams were unreal through the first three games.

In all seriousness, Wisconsin did its job in the third phase. Kicker Gavin Lahm remained perfect on field goals for the year, knocking down a 34-yarder in the third quarter while going 3-for-3 on extra-point attempts. Punter Sean West continued to deliver, booting six punts for 285 yards (47.5 average), with three pinned inside the 20-yard line.

No, there were no fireworks with blocked punts or field goals at Beaver Stadium. But it was a clean performance on special teams, and that’s all that was needed in the upset win.

Grade: B+

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