Football: Back-up QB secures bowl eligibility for the Badgers

Nov. 7, the Wisconsin Badgers (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) took on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-7, 1-5 Big Ten) for just the seventh time ever. The Badgers had never lost to the Scarlet Knights, and it stayed that way after Wisconsin’s 31-10 victory in Madison. Head coach Luke Fickell, coming off an embarrassing 30-0 loss at Kinnick Stadium, their fifth straight loss to the Hawkeyes, gave true freshman Ryan Hopkins his first career start. Hopkins threw for 93 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception in relief of senior Colton Joseph in the fourth quarter of the Iowa matchup. Hopkins, a highly touted quarterback out of Mater Dei High School, the same high school that produced Heisman winners John Huarte (1964), Matt Leinart (2004) and Bryce Young (2021), was rock-solid in his first start. Hopkins finished his first career start with 18 completions on 24 attempts for 241 yards, 3 passing touchdowns and zero interceptions.

This excerpt comes from the named source. Read the original for the full reporting.