The Jump Around

The Badgers have won three-straight games in Locketober and face No. 3 Penn State under the lights at Camp Randall on Saturday! Have the Badgers proven that they're a truly balanced team, can Braedyn Locke prove he's the long-term answer at QB, and is Penn State their biggest test of the season? Ben Brust joins Jum Rutledge on the Jump Around ahead of Badger football's primetime matchup versus No. 3 Penn State! Ben talks with Jim about this year's Badger basketball roster, Greg Gard in the transfer portal era, and his thoughts on Saturday's football game versus Penn State!

The Badgers are coming off back-to-back dominant wins against Purdue and Rutgers, but are they back or BACK? Also, are they walking into a trap game at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium? Jim Rutledge also talks about the offense talking flight during Locketober, and he gives his prediction for the final 6 games of the season! There's also some obligatory slander of Bret Bielema's program at Illinois, and Primetime runs through his tier rankings of the Big Ten football program. Badgers running back great and UW Athletic Hall of Famer, Montee Ball, joins Jim Rutledge on The Jump Around ahead of the Badgers' game at Northwestern! They discuss the Badgers' back-to-back wins, his list of the top-5 running backs in UW history, playing with two other all-time greats in Melvin Gordon and James White, and what it's playing on the road versus Northwestern!

The Badgers got right versus Purdue as Braedyn Locke lit up the Boilermakers defense! Did the Badgers finally hit their stride, and can Locke continue to grow as a QB in Phil Longo's offense, and can emerging playmakers like Tawee Walker and Trech Kekahuna keep it rolling this week versus Rutgers? Plus, how does Chez Mellusi's departure impact the RB depth chart moving forward? Badgers legend and two-time Pro Bowl running back, Melvin Gordon, is scheduled to join at 12:45pm CT to discuss the Badgers' running game, the ongoing transition under Phil Longo and more!

The Wisconsin Badgers are coming off another deflating 38-21 loss to USC. Can they bounce back as double-digit favorites against Purdue, and do they extend their 17-game winning streak versus the Boilermakers? How can Badgers fans evaluate Phil Longo's air-raid system with backup quarterback Braedyn Locke under center? Plus, Luke Fickell addresses the growing criticisms and commentary from fans and former players like Braelon Allen, and the Badgers want to establish a clearer running back duo. Badgers football legend and three-time Super Bowl champion, James White, joins to discuss the Badgers' struggles to transition to a new offense and the outside noise surrounding the program!

The Wisconsin Badgers are preparing for their conference opener against USC. As double-digit underdogs for the second game in a row, how will this game against the Trojans set them up for the remainder of this Big Ten schedule? Plus, Luke Fickell says the Badgers are leaving the door open for Tyler Van Dyke to return next season, and can the Badgers base their new identity in the defense under Mike Tressel? How does Matt Sluka's NIL dispute with UNLV impact the landscape of the transfer portal moving forward? Former NFL head coach and new Badgers football senior advisor, Jack Del Rio, joins to discuss his new role with Luke Fickell's staff, the Badgers defense and more!

The Wisconsin Badgers are coming off a 42-10 to Alabama and lost QB Tyler Van Dyke to a torn ACL. Jim Rutledge and Brad Nortman discuss their new expectations with Van Dyke out for the rest of the season and the QB question marks surrounding Braedyn Locke and freshman Mabrey Mettauer. UW Athletic and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Joe Thomas, joins to discuss last week's loss to Alabama, the Badgers finding their identity under Luke Fickell, and playing as an offensive lineman in Wisconsin's new offense!

It's Bama week in Madison! Can the Wisconsin Badgers keep it close or even pull off an upset in Camp Randall, and is this the "measuring stick" game for Luke Fickell's program? Jim Rutledge and Brad Nortman give their previews, predictions and the anatomy of a potential upset. Plus, Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock is scheduled to join at 12:35pm CT to discuss his program's upset versus #5 Notre Dame last week, his tenure as the Badgers RB coach from 2011-13 and more!

It's the return of The Jump Around (3.0), talking all things Badgers football on ESPN Madison! Jim Rutledge returns for the digital version of his old show alongside former guest and Badgers punter Brad Nortman! Jim and Brad discuss the biggest topics and questions surrounding Badgers football on the weekly edition of the show. This week, Jim & Brad look back at some of their concerns following the Badgers' struggles vs Western Michigan in Week 1, they address the rising concerns surrounding the direction of the program under Luke Fickell, and they pinpoint where the Badgers currently stack in the tiers of the Big Ten. Badgers all-time sacks leader and UW Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Tarek Saleh joins to discuss his upcoming induction, and Jim asks Tarek for his Week 1 takeaways and evaluation of the current state of the team!