The Jump Around

ESPN Wisconsin
ESPN Wisconsin
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It's the return of The Jump Around, Jim Rutledge talking all things Badgers football on ESPN Madison! Jim sits down with former Badgers and fellow ESPN Wisconsin hosts to discuss the biggest topics and questions surrounding Badgers football each week.

  1. 1d ago

    Extra: Wisconsin Finally Showed What It Can Be. Now Comes Penn State

    Was this the Wisconsin football team we've been waiting to see? Jim Rutledge and Riley Jauch react to the Badgers' 54-10 win over Eastern Michigan, a game that finally gave Wisconsin fans a glimpse of what this team can be. After a shaky opening quarter, Wisconsin exploded offensively and dominated the rest of the game. Colton Joseph bounced back from an early interception to throw for a huge afternoon, while Tyrell Henry set a Wisconsin single-game record with 14 receptions for 160 yards. The defense also turned the game around with a flurry of takeaways, including interceptions from Mason Posa and Matt Jung and a fumble recovery touchdown from Cooper Catalano. For the first time this season, Jim and Riley saw the version of the Badgers they've been talking about all offseason. But does a 54-10 win over Eastern Michigan prove Wisconsin is ready for No. 13 Penn State? Not necessarily. The guys discuss what the victory actually tells us about the Badgers — and why the next game will be the real test. In this Jump Around Extra: 🦡 What Wisconsin finally showed against Eastern Michigan 💥 Colton Joseph's massive bounce-back performance 🔥 Tyrell Henry's record-setting game 🛡️ Mason Posa, Cooper Catalano and the Badgers' opportunistic defense 🏈 Why the response after a terrible first quarter may matter more than the final score ⚠️ The one major concern: Wisconsin's running game 📈 Why the Badgers now have a “proof of concept” 🏟️ What the Eastern Michigan win means heading into Penn State The Eastern Michigan game didn't prove that Wisconsin is a good team. But it did prove the Badgers can be a good team. Subscribe for more Wisconsin Badgers football reactions, analysis and interviews from The Jump Around.

  2. 5d ago

    Ep. 104: Wisconsin Spends $30M on Football… So What Are the Expectations? + Collin Wilder Joins!

    Wisconsin football is reportedly spending around $27–31 million on its roster. So what should Badgers fans expect in return? On this episode of The Jump Around, Jim Rutledge and Riley Jauch break down Wisconsin's place among the Power 4 in roster spending and ask what that investment should mean for the Badgers' 2026 season. We also welcome former Wisconsin safety Collin Wilder back to the show to discuss the Badgers' start to the season, what gives him hope that this team can be better than outside expectations suggest, and what he's looking for from Wisconsin ahead of the Eastern Michigan game. On this episode: 🏈 Collin Wilder Returns His thoughts on Wisconsin's start to the 2026 season Why he believes the Badgers could be better than many expect What gives him hope about this Wisconsin team What he wants to see from Wisconsin against Eastern Michigan 💰 Wisconsin's $30M Roster The Athletic's college football roster-spending data Wisconsin's estimated $27–31 million roster Which Big Ten teams spend the same or less than Wisconsin UCLA, Maryland, Michigan State, Rutgers, Minnesota, Iowa and Purdue Are these games Wisconsin NEEDS to win? What would the results in those games tell us about the Badgers? 🔥 Week 3 Superlatives Which Wisconsin player will make a SportsCenter Top 10 play? Which defensive player will have a "3-sack Jack" moment? Which receiver will post a "Randy Moss" stat line? Subscribe to The Jump Around for Wisconsin Badgers football, Wisconsin basketball, recruiting, Big Ten coverage, college football analysis, interviews and more from ESPN Madison and ESPN Milwaukee.

  3. Sep 15

    Extra: The BIGGEST Problem With Luke Fickell at Wisconsin

    Wisconsin football is 1-1, but The Jump Around crew has some serious questions after the Badgers' uneven performance against Western Illinois. The defense and special teams deserve plenty of credit, but the biggest concerns are on offense — particularly Colton Joseph, the running game and Wisconsin's ability to find consistency. Jim Rutledge and Riley Jauch discuss Joseph's accuracy, his ability to stay healthy while using his legs and why his performance could ultimately define Wisconsin's ceiling this season. But the bigger conversation is about Luke Fickell and Wisconsin's identity. Fickell described the Badgers as “arrogant and delusional” when explaining why the team struggled to maintain its early momentum against Western Illinois. The Jump Around crew breaks down what Fickell meant — and whether his mentality and coaching philosophy are actually the right fit for Wisconsin. They also debate what Wisconsin's identity has historically been, whether the Badgers need more of an underdog mentality and whether Fickell's approach can work in Madison. Plus, a closer look at Abu Sama, the Wisconsin running back room, the defense, special teams and what the Badgers need to show against Eastern Michigan.

  4. Sep 10

    Ep. 103: Montee Ball on Wisconsin Football + Aaron Stecker Previews Western Illinois

    Montee Ball joins The Jump Around to discuss Wisconsin football following the Badgers’ loss to Notre Dame, his thoughts on the 2026 team, areas that need improvement, and which Wisconsin running back he’s most excited to watch. We’ll also welcome former Wisconsin and Western Illinois running back Aaron Stecker ahead of Saturday’s matchup. Stecker shares his experience playing for both programs and discusses the upcoming game. Plus, Jim Rutledge and Riley Jauch reacts to Barry Alvarez’s comments on the Notre Dame loss, play a Wisconsin football superlatives game ahead of Western Illinois, and bring you the latest Wisconsin sports conversation from the Twitter Portal. In this episode: 🏈 Montee Ball reacts to Wisconsin’s loss to Notre Dame 🏈 What Ball likes about the 2026 Wisconsin Badgers 🏈 Which Wisconsin running back could break out 🏈 Aaron Stecker previews Wisconsin vs. Western Illinois 🏈 Stecker’s experience playing for Wisconsin and Western Illinois 🏈 Reaction to Barry Alvarez’s comments 🏈 Superlatives vs. Western Illinois Subscribe for more Wisconsin Badgers football, Wisconsin athletics, recruiting, Big Ten coverage, game previews, reactions, and interviews.

  5. Sep 8

    Extra: Can Wisconsin Football Win Back Its Fans?

    Can Wisconsin football win back its fans? Jim Rutledge and Riley Jauch discuss the Badgers' response to the Notre Dame loss, the pressure on Luke Fickell, and whether Wisconsin can still turn the 2026 season into something fans can believe in. The guys debate whether the Badgers have shown enough to earn back fan confidence, why the next few weeks matter, and what a strong stretch of football could mean heading into the Penn State game. In this segment: 🦡 Can Wisconsin football win back its fans? 🏈 Why Riley is still choosing to believe in the Badgers 🤔 Why Jim is skeptical about Wisconsin's ability to climb out of its hole 📈 How a strong stretch of games could change the narrative 💪 Why the Badgers need to respond after Notre Dame 🏟️ What fan attendance and ticket prices might say about confidence in the program 🔥 Whether Wisconsin can build momentum heading into Penn State 🏆 Why the best thing for Wisconsin is still for Luke Fickell to turn the program around Is Wisconsin football still capable of turning this season around? Let us know what you think in the comments. Subscribe for more Wisconsin Badgers football coverage, analysis, interviews, and debate from The Jump Around.

  6. Sep 3

    Ep. 102: Can Wisconsin Pull Off ANOTHER Lambeau Upset vs. Notre Dame? + Matt Lepay & Mike Golic Jr.

    Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame at Lambeau Field is finally here. Can the Badgers pull off another historic upset? On this episode of The Jump Around, Jim Rutledge, Riley Jauch, & Matt Lepay get you ready for Sunday's Wisconsin–Notre Dame season opener with matchup analysis, game superlatives, a flashback to Wisconsin's unforgettable 2016 upset, and insight from former Notre Dame offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr. We'll debate: 🏈 Notre Dame Superlatives Who will be the first Badger to perform the Lambeau Leap? Who is the most important Wisconsin player? Who could be the unsung hero? Where is Wisconsin's biggest matchup advantage? What would qualify as a statement moment? 🏈 2016 Flashback Looking back at Wisconsin's upset of No. 5 LSU at Lambeau Field What made that Badgers team so successful? Can Wisconsin replicate the formula from that 2016 upset? 🏈 Chalk Talk with Lepay How can Wisconsin keep Notre Dame competitive? What needs to happen offensively and defensively? Which players and moments could decide the game? What's the one thing Wisconsin needs to prove in Week 1? 🏈 Notre Dame Perspective Marcus Freeman's connection to Luke Fickell from their time at Cincinnati What Freeman learned from Fickell and has brought to Notre Dame Former Notre Dame offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr. joins The Jump Around to preview the matchup and give his perspective on the Fighting Irish Subscribe to The Jump Around for Wisconsin Badgers football, Notre Dame coverage, Big Ten football, college football analysis, interviews and more from ESPN Madison and ESPN Milwaukee.

  7. Aug 27

    Ep. 101: Wisconsin's 2026 Schedule: Notre Dame & the Games That Could DEFINE the Season

    Which game could make or break Wisconsin's 2026 football season? On this episode of The Jump Around, Jim Rutledge and Riley Jauch break down the Wisconsin Badgers' 2026 schedule and hand out our biggest game-day superlatives. From the best win and worst loss to the biggest trap game and potential season killer, which matchup will ultimately define Wisconsin's season? We also discuss: • Wisconsin's 2026 schedule from top to bottom • The best win on the Badgers' schedule • The worst potential loss • Wisconsin's biggest statement game • The toughest game of the season • The biggest trap game • The must-win matchup • The most exciting and most underrated games • The potential season killer • Which game could become the season-defining matchup Plus, we dive into the changing economics of college football and what it takes to build a contender: • Why professional athletes are attempting to return to college football • Whether college football can now offer more money than an NFL practice squad • Reports that some college football programs are spending nearly $50 million on their rosters • Quarterbacks earning $3.5 million or more at numerous Power 4 programs • Wisconsin reportedly committing around $25-30 million to its roster • Does Wisconsin's investment make you more confident the Badgers can compete? And Jim Polzin of BadgerExtra and the Wisconsin State Journal joins The Jump Around to share his biggest observations from Wisconsin fall camp, the position battles to watch, and what he's learned about the 2026 Badgers. Subscribe for Wisconsin Badgers football, recruiting, Big Ten analysis, NIL and roster spending discussion, fall camp coverage, and more from The Jump Around on ESPN Madison and ESPN Milwaukee.

  8. Aug 20

    Ep. 100 - Why Wisconsin Football's Offense Is BETTER Than You Think + Bradie Ewing Joins!

    Wisconsin football fans saw one rough open practice and immediately hit the panic button 🚨—but is the concern actually justified? Jim Rutledge and Riley Jauch push back on the doom and gloom surrounding the Badgers offense and explain why the talent, depth and upside look **significantly different in 2026**. How much better can Colton Joseph and the offense be? Could Wisconsin realistically win **8 or 9 games** if everything clicks? 👀 And with major investment in the roster, how high should expectations be for Luke Fickell and the Badgers this season? Plus, the guys debate which era truly represents the **golden age of Wisconsin football** 🌹, celebrate Matt Lepay joining the ESPN Wisconsin team and tackle whether the Badgers actually have a puncher’s chance against Notre Dame. Then, former Badgers fullback **Bradie Ewing** joins Riley to go inside Wisconsin’s renewed push to reconnect former players with the program. Ewing shares how Badgers legends are getting involved at fall camp, what he’s seeing from the 2026 roster and why this team’s size, physicality and running back room have him excited for what’s ahead. 🦡 **Are Badgers fans sleeping on how much better Wisconsin could be in 2026? 🔥** Subscribe for more Wisconsin Badgers coverage and listen live and on demand on the ESPN Wisconsin App.

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About

It's the return of The Jump Around, Jim Rutledge talking all things Badgers football on ESPN Madison! Jim sits down with former Badgers and fellow ESPN Wisconsin hosts to discuss the biggest topics and questions surrounding Badgers football each week.

Information

  • Channel
    ESPN Wisconsin
  • Creator
    ESPN Madison
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024, Good Karma Brands, LLC.
  • Show Website
    The Jump Around

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