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Wisconsin Badgers at risk of losing top running back commit to flip to Ohio State

The Wisconsin Badgers' matchup vs Ohio State could be a battle to see which team will sway one of the top running back recruits in the country, who is currently committed to Wisconsin.
Lorin Cox|
Four-star running back Amari Latimer is one of Wisconsin's key recruiting targets for the 2026 class.
Four-star running back Amari Latimer is one of Wisconsin's key recruiting targets for the 2026 class. | Courtesy of Jake Kocorowski

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Wisconsin Badgers

Four-star running back Amari Latimer has been consistent about his commitment to the Wisconsin Badgers.

But the more the team loses, the more that comes in doubt, especially with the No. 1 team in the country beckoning.

Latimer committed to the Badgers at the end of June after taking an official visit. He has been firm on his commitment since then, dominating during his senior season at Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Georgia.

Related: Future Wisconsin Badgers RB puts up ridiculous stat line in high school football

The first ounce of doubt came two weeks ago, when he took an official visit to Ohio State.

It's not uncommon for committed players to take visits to other schools without flipping their commitment, just to see what their options are and build connections in case of future coaching changes.

But the concern for Wisconsin recruiting got stronger when Latimer wore Ohio State arm sleeves during his high school football game last week.

He later apologized on social media for the optics it presented and again affirmed his support for Wisconsin.

His father even told Badger Connect that Latimer remains committed to the Badgers.

Related: Wisconsin Badgers 4-star RB commit responds to fan criticism for wearing Ohio State gear

And still, the doubt continues to grow. On Wednesday, a reporter for On3 filed a formal "crystal ball" prediction that Latimer would flip to Ohio State.

Coming out of that visit, the feeling inside the WHAC was that Ohio State had done enough to convince the Latimer camp that OSU was the best place for his future. But dust always needs to settle following an official visit, and there is the obvious relationships in Madison that do matter.
Alex Gleitman, Oh3

Latimer is set to visit Wisconsin again on Saturday when they host Ohio State. His brother, Geimere, is the starting slot cornerback for the Badgers.

It feels like a matchup where both teams will be trying to prove to him that he should play for their team.

The problem is, one of them is on a four-game losing streak and the other is the No. 1 team in the country.

It leaves fans wondering if firing Luke Fickell would mean losing Latimer in the process. For the fans booing each week in Camp Randall Stadium, that decision might be worth the risk.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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