Oregon football summer preview: 3 Wisconsin Badgers to know
By Ethan Lee
While it’s not the toughest game on the 2024 Oregon football schedule, the Oregon Ducks will face a pretty tough test in their inaugural Big Ten season as they travel to Madison, Wisconsin, to take on the Wisconsin Badgers on November 16, 2024.
This showdown marks a brand new chapter in what could be a budding rivalry between the Ducks and the Badgers. While the two programs have only met a handful of times in their history, their encounters have been plenty memorable and include two thrilling and relatively recent Rose Bowl battles.
But that was before Oregon joined the conference that Wisconsin helped establish. Now they’re both in the Big Ten. As the Ducks get set for this pivotal matchup, let’s examine three key Wisconsin players who could have a major impact on the game’s outcome.
No. 1: Jake Chaney - linebacker
In 2023, Jake Chaney ranked second on the Badgers’ defense with 80 tackles, including three sacks. He’s an incredibly important member of this defense and he could be crucial in slowing opposing offenses this season. Given that he’s a senior, expect his experience and leadership to be huge for the Badgers this year.
No. 2: Jack Nelson - offensive lineman
Redshirt senior offensive lineman Jack Nelson will be a key figure in Wisconsin's efforts to control the line of scrimmage and win in the trenches, he’s massive at 6-foot-7 and that size is one reason he has been a cornerstone of the Badgers' offensive line. In 2023, Nelson started all 13 games and helped Wisconsin win seven games last season.
No. 3: Hunter Wohler - safety
Safety Hunter Wohler emerged as a defensive star for Wisconsin in 2023, leading the team with an impressive 120 total tackles. As the University of Wisconsin likes to note, this performance made him the first Badger defensive back to record over 110 tackles since 1991.
Wohler’s versatility and playmaking ability makes him dangerous in Wisconsin’s secondary. He’s definitely a weapon who can come help Wisconsin’s front seven plug things up in run support, but he also has a nose for the football, which is evidenced by his two interceptions for Wisconsin last season.
Dillon Gabriel and Oregon’s wide receivers will need to be aware of Wohler's presence at all times as he has the skills to change the game with a single play.