Hopkins Throws for 241 Yards as Wisconsin Defeats Rutgers
Freshman quarterback Ryan Hopkins led the Badgers to a 31-10 victory over the Scarlet Knights on Saturday, securing a spot in a bowl game.
By Charlotte Dubois ·
Ryan Hopkins completed 18 of 24 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start, leading Wisconsin to a 31-10 victory over Rutgers on Saturday. The win marked a rebound for the Badgers, who had suffered a 30-0 loss at Iowa the previous week.
Coach Luke Fickell announced the decision to start Hopkins on Monday night, citing the physical toll taken on veteran Colton Joseph. Joseph, who carries a team-high 91 rushing attempts, had thrown for fewer than 100 yards in each of Wisconsin's final three games. Fickell noted that Joseph had been beaten up and not feeling well, making it an opportunity to see what the younger player could do.
Hopkins generated three scoring plays. He threw a 21-yard touchdown to Eugene Hilton Jr. on the second series. Late in the third quarter, he connected with Ryan Schwendeman on an 11-yard pass. With 10:08 remaining, Hopkins launched a 66-yard strike to Jacob Harris, who secured the catch near midfield, broke a tackle, and ran to the end zone.
Gavin Lahm converted field goals of 51, 26, and 22 yards for Wisconsin. The Badgers also recorded five sacks of Rutgers quarterback AJ Surace. Wisconsin's sixth win qualified the team for its first bowl appearance since the 2023 season. Rutgers dropped to 2-7, marking a second consecutive losing season.
Rutgers entered the game without star receiver KJ Duff, quarterback Dylan Lonergan, and offensive linemen Tyler Needham and Kwabena Asamoah due to injuries. Lonergan missed his second straight game following a head injury sustained in a 42-14 loss at Northwestern on October 24. Duff was ranked 13th in the Bowl Subdivision in receiving yards per game before the matchup.
Surace went 14 of 24 for 161 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown pass to Dyzier Carter that tied the game at 10 late in the second quarter. Wisconsin regained the lead with 24 seconds before halftime on a field goal. The Badgers outscored Rutgers 18-0 in the second half. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano called the result very disappointing, stating that the team had not done enough.
Wisconsin visits Maryland next Saturday. Rutgers hosts Nebraska at the same time.
