March Mode is back.

ESPN Wisconsin’s Alex Strouf and Wisconsin legend Ben Brust react to the Badgers’ 78–45 win over Maryland on Senior Day, but the real story is Nolan Winter’s injury and what it means for Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament outlook.

How does Winter’s absence affect the rotation?

Can the Badgers improve their seed with a win at Purdue?

Is a 6-seed actually the sweet spot?

Plus:

Austin Rapp finding his role

Braden Carrington’s surge

Big Ten Tournament preview

Ben’s Final Four LOCK

A sleeper team that could crash the bracket

Drop your questions in the comments for Monday’s episode.

March Mode is live. ESPN Wisconsin’s Alex Strouf and Wisconsin legend Ben Brust kick off a twice-weekly NCAA Tournament sprint with a full breakdown of the Wisconsin Badgers as March arrives.

The Badgers looked like two different teams on the West Coast: a rough loss at Oregon, then a 17-point win at Washington sparked by Braden Carrington’s 32 points and 9 threes. So what does it mean for Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament seed, their Big Ten Tournament outlook, and the matchups they do (and do not) want?

Plus: Ben gives his take on the national title picture, the conferences he trusts most, why he’s skeptical of Duke in March, and quick-hits on Big Ten contenders like Michigan, Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Drop your questions in the comments and we’ll hit them on the next episode.

Chapters

0:00 March Mode begins

0:56 Badgers: Oregon loss, Washington blowout

2:30 NCAA Tournament seeding: 7 seed vs 6 seed conversation

5:06 Matchups the Badgers should avoid

6:00 Wisconsin’s analytics jump (KenPom/Bart Torvik talk)

10:55 Maryland + Purdue preview

15:20 National contenders and why Ben doubts Duke

22:25 Big Ten “say something nice” lightning round

28:20 Audience questions callout + Ben’s March résumé

Nick Boyd is playing like one of the best guards in college basketball.

After Wisconsin’s 84-71 win over Iowa, Boyd nearly posted the first Badgers triple-double since Ethan Happ — finishing with 27 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds as he and Austin Rapp exploded late to put the Hawkeyes away.

On this episode of The Jump Around, the crew breaks down:

Is Nick Boyd the most electric Badger since Frank Kaminsky?

Where does Boyd rank among Wisconsin’s best transfers?

Are the Badgers peaking at the right time heading into March?

Joe Lunardi now has Wisconsin as a #7 seed — CBS says #6. Is a Sweet 16 run realistic?

What must Wisconsin fix before the NCAA Tournament?

Plus: Twitter Portal, travel concerns out West, and much more!

The Jump Around airs live on ESPN Madison & ESPN Milwaukee’s YouTube Channels.

The Wisconsin Badgers followed up a MASSIVE 92-71 win over Michigan State by getting brought back to Earth in an 86-69 loss to Ohio State.

Is this just a bump in the road… or something bigger to worry about heading into March?

On today’s episode of The Jump Around, we break down:

🏀 What went wrong against the Buckeyes

📊 Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament seeding outlook (Joe Lunardi #7, CBS #8)

🔧 The THREE biggest things Greg Gard’s team must fix before March

🎥 Biggest takeaway from A Road At Night

🥇 Badgers playing for gold

🔥 Electric Final Four debate

Plus — Badgers legend Ben Brust joins at 1PM to talk Wisconsin hoops, tournament expectations, and more.

Is this team still built for a Sweet 16 run?

Wisconsin basketball just made a statement.

After a controversial loss at Indiana, the Badgers responded by knocking off #8 Illinois in overtime — adding it to a growing list of HUGE road wins, including #2 Michigan.

But here’s the real question:

👉 Is Wisconsin more likely to make the Sweet 16… or MISS the tournament entirely?

We break down:

Wisconsin’s tournament ceiling

What the Illinois win really means

Joe Lunardi & CBS seeding projections

Whether this team is built for March

Greg Gard’s elite troll moment

The Badgers’ portal success

PLUS — two major football interviews:

🏈 Matt Mitchell (OLB/Special Teams coach)

🏈 Jeff Grimes (Offensive Coordinator)

We dive into:

Wisconsin’s defensive culture

Offensive identity moving forward

The Badgers’ offseason direction

Drop your take in the comments:

Sweet 16 run… or early exit?

On today’s episode of The Jump Around, we dig into the decline of Badgers in the NFL, the lack of Wisconsin players in the Super Bowl, and what it says about the direction of the football and basketball programs.

We break down NFL Draft results since 2020, examine Luke Fickell’s record and recruiting, and ask the tough question:

👉 Is Wisconsin’s recent struggle about recruiting, coaching, or something deeper?

We also turn the focus to Greg Gard and Wisconsin basketball, looking at NCAA Tournament results, Sweet 16 droughts, and whether the Badgers are falling short in March because of personnel or crunch-time coaching.

Plus:

🔍 How many wins does Luke Fickell need in 2026 to keep his job?

📉 Why has Wisconsin produced fewer high-impact pros in recent years?

🗣️ A lively Twitter Portal with fan-submitted questions

🏆 National champion Riley Nowakowski joins us to talk Indiana’s magical run, Curt Cignetti, Fernando Mendoza, and what it’s like to win it all

📍 LIVE on the ESPN Madison & ESPN Milwaukee YouTube channels

👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments — recruiting, coaching, or both?

The Wisconsin Badgers’ 2026 football schedule is officially here, and it raises a big question — is this finally the year Wisconsin takes a real step forward?

On today’s episode of The Jump Around, we break down every game on the Badgers’ schedule, debate whether this is the easiest path to 8 wins in years, and discuss what it all means for Luke Fickell and the program moving forward.

🔹 Full 2026 Wisconsin Football Schedule Breakdown

🔹 Is this an 8-win team… or are expectations too high?

🔹 Badgers basketball rallies from 20 down vs Minnesota — encouraging sign or red flag?

🔹 Six Badgers shine in Senior Bowl showcase games — who has the best NFL future?

🔹 JJ Watt weighs in on Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub

🔹 Twitter Portal chaos: Notre Dame fans, Minnesota slander & more

📍 LIVE on ESPN Madison & ESPN Milwaukee

👍 Like, subscribe, and comment — do YOU see 8 wins on this schedule?

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell joined Wilde & Tausch this morning — and The Jump Around is spending the entire show reacting to his most revealing comments yet.

-Jim, Pablo, and Riley break down Fickell’s candid thoughts on:

-Wisconsin’s aggressive but disciplined transfer portal approach

-Why he never wants NIL to just be about money

-Agents setting “markets” that may not be real

-Why this era has no rules and demands constant adaptability

-Building culture through honesty, relationships, and trust

-Why Indiana’s title run matters — and why talent alone isn’t everything

-His belief that college football is the greatest team sport known to man

-What Colton Joseph and Wisconsin’s recruiting strategy say about the future

-Why this is now a “grown man’s league”

If you want the full context behind Wisconsin’s offseason mindset — straight from Fickell himself — this is a must-watch

breakdown for Badgers fans.

🔴 LIVE on the ESPN Madison & ESPN Milwaukee YouTube channels

🦡 The Jump Around — Wisconsin’s Badgers-dedicated show

Momentum is finally building in Madison — and The Jump Around breaks it all down.

On today’s episode of Wisconsin’s Badgers-dedicated show, we ask the big question: are the Badgers actually back? After a stunning turnaround on the hardwood and renewed frustration on the football side, there’s plenty to unpack.

🏀 Wisconsin Basketball: Are We Back?

Three straight wins following the Purdue blowout

Victories over UCLA, #2 Michigan, and Minnesota

John Blackwell’s buzzer-beater — signature moment or turning point?

What actually changed during this stretch?

🏈 Wisconsin vs Indiana Football

Indiana Hoosiers playing for a national title sparks debate

Is Curt Cignetti’s model repeatable?

Should Wisconsin Badgers follow a similar blueprint?

👀 Watchability Meter

Rutgers

@ Penn State

USC

Which games are worth circling on the calendar?

🎥 Clip of the Week

**Barry Alvarez’s National Championship preview

Predictions for Monday night

🐦 Twitter Portal Chaos

Blackwell’s buzzer-beater comparisons

Healing signs for humanity

How do you feel about the Badgers’ loss to Indiana now?

🎙 Special Guest: Freddie Owens

3× Big Ten Champion at Wisconsin

Hit the iconic Sweet 16-clinching three vs Tulsa

Former coach at Holy Cross, Montana, & UW-Green Bay

Author of Echoes of Stark Park (releasing February)

Wisconsin is making serious noise in the transfer portal, and one of the Badgers’ rising stars believes it’s only the beginning 👀

🏈 Star LB Mason Posa joins The Jump Around and delivers a powerful message to players considering Wisconsin Badgers — including why this roster can compete for the College Football Playoff.

We also break down:

🔁 Wisconsin’s HOT start in the transfer portal (21 incoming transfers)

⭐ Big-name additions like QB Colton Joseph, RB Abu Sama III, and CB Bryce West

🤔 Is Badgers basketball still #InGardWeTrust?

🎙️ Kelly Sheffield’s blunt comments on transfers & agents

🐦 Twitter Portal reactions you have to hear

📌 Mason Posa accolades:

2025 Freshman All-American

2025 All-Big Ten Third Team

⬇️ Drop your thoughts below ⬇️

Does this portal class make you believe in Wisconsin football again… or do you need to see it on the field first?

🔴⚪️ New episodes of The Jump Around stream live on the ESPN Madison & ESPN Milwaukee YouTube channels every Thursday at 12:30!