The Jump Around

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.

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.

Wisconsin football has officially unveiled the new Kellner Family Athletic Center. Is this proof the Badgers are finally catching up in the modern era of college football? On this episode of The Jump Around, Riley Jauch shares his firsthand experience touring Wisconsin's brand-new football facility and discusses what it means for the future of the program. We also discuss: 🏈 Wisconsin unveils the Kellner Family Athletic Center 🏈 How important elite facilities are in today's college football landscape 🏈 Whether Wisconsin is finally embracing the NIL era 🏈 Biggest takeaways from the first day of Badgers fall camp 🏈 Which players stood out during practice 🏈 The biggest questions facing Wisconsin before Notre Dame at Lambeau Field 🏈 Jeff Grimes says Wisconsin is "more talented and deeper everywhere" 🏈 Is this the deepest roster of the Luke Fickell era? 🏈 Twitter Portal featuring the latest Wisconsin and college football discussions 🏀 Wisconsin assistant coach Sharif Chambliss joins the show to discuss the Badgers basketball roster, defensive identity, and building a "hungry and humble" culture Subscribe for Wisconsin Badgers football, basketball, recruiting, NIL, Big Ten analysis, and exclusive interviews every week on The Jump Around from ESPN Madison and ESPN Milwaukee.

Former Wisconsin standout linebacker, Chris Orr, joins Jim Rutledge and Riley Jauch on The Jump Around! Orr has moved around since his days in Madison and currently is in Kansas City working as an assistant coach for the Chiefs, but he still loves his Badgers! Orr shares what he likes to see from the current linebacker duo in Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano continuing the great linebacker tradition at Wisconsin. But he feels like the Badgers need to be back in the conversation of competing in the Big Ten, the College Football Playoff, and overall being feared again. How can Wisconsin get back to its dominance when Orr was dominating opposing backfields at Camp Randall? Plus, Orr shares his favorite stories of recruiting Mason Posa while at Baylor, his favorite Camp Randall memories, and his proposition to change the College Football Playoff. All of that and more from Chris Orr on The Jump Around!

Shawn Eichorst has officially taken over as Wisconsin's athletic director — and his first public comments are already generating debate. On this episode of The Jump Around, Jim Rutledge and Riley Jauch react to Eichorst's introductory press conference, including his comparison of Wisconsin to Texas and what his vision could mean for the future of Badger athletics. In this episode: Shawn Eichorst's introductory press conference Why he compared Wisconsin to Texas Is that comparison inspiring or unrealistic? What Eichorst's leadership style could mean for Wisconsin football, basketball, and the entire athletic department Should football be the top priority, or can Wisconsin continue supporting all of its successful programs? Eichorst's "talk is cheap" comments and whether he'll back them up Twitter Portal featuring the latest Wisconsin Badgers conversations Former Wisconsin standout Ben Brust joins the show to discuss what Eichorst's arrival means for Wisconsin basketball and the future of UW athletics Subscribe for Wisconsin Badgers football, basketball, recruiting, NIL, Big Ten news, and weekly live coverage from The Jump Around on ESPN Madison and ESPN Milwaukee.

The Jump Around is LIVE on ESPN Madison reacting to reports that Shawn Eichorst is expected to become Wisconsin's next Director of Athletics. Jim Rutledge & Riley Jauch are on the air! What does the reported hire mean for the future of Wisconsin football, Luke Fickell, Badgers basketball, NIL, revenue sharing, and the direction of the athletic department? Eichorst is a Wisconsin native and former Badgers deputy athletic director under Barry Alvarez who later served as athletic director at Miami and Nebraska before returning to a senior leadership role at Texas. Reports indicate Wisconsin is set to bring him back to Madison to replace Chris McIntosh as the Badgers' athletic director. On today's LIVE show: Immediate reaction to the reports Why Wisconsin reportedly chose Shawn Eichorst What this means for Luke Fickell and Badgers football How the hire could impact NIL, fundraising, and revenue sharing Biggest opportunities and concerns for Wisconsin Athletics Your live reactions and questions Subscribe for more Wisconsin Badgers coverage, and listen live or on demand anytime on the ESPN Wisconsin App.

Can Wisconsin football exceed expectations in 2026? On this episode of The Jump Around, Jim Rutledge and Riley Jauch react to Phil Steele’s latest preseason preview and discuss why he believes the Badgers are poised for a major improvement this season. From projected offensive production to quarterback Colton Joseph’s outlook, we break down whether Wisconsin fans should share that optimism. In this episode: Phil Steele’s predictions for Wisconsin football Whether averaging around 27 points per game would be enough for the Badgers If Wisconsin’s success would come from internal growth or a favorable schedule Our top instant-impact players for the 2026 season The importance of transfers and first-year contributors in today’s college football landscape Bradie Ewing’s role in reconnecting Wisconsin football alumni with the program Twitter Portal featuring the latest Badgers and college football conversations Jake Kocorowski joins the show to share his insights on Wisconsin football and react to Phil Steele’s projections If you’re a Wisconsin Badgers fan looking for football analysis, recruiting discussion, transfer portal talk, and Big Ten coverage, subscribe for more content from The Jump Around on ESPN Madison and ESPN Milwaukee.

Has Luke Fickell actually improved Wisconsin football? On this episode of The Jump Around, Jim Rutledge and Riley Jauch examine the biggest question surrounding the Badgers heading into the 2026 season. Despite several difficult years for the program, Luke Fickell has brought in promising young talent, including Cooper Catalano, Mason Posa, and quarterback Colton Joseph. But has it been enough? Topics include: • Wisconsin hiring Morocco Brown as football general manager • Luke Fickell's best move since arriving in Madison • Are Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa Fickell's most important recruits? • Colton Joseph landing in ESPN's Top 100 newcomers rankings • Whether Joseph is the most impactful addition of the Fickell era • Is Fickell doing enough to promote Wisconsin football? • Comparing Luke Fickell's public presence to Paul Chryst and Bret Bielema • Recruiting momentum for the Badgers • Brian Butch joins the show to discuss Wisconsin basketball and the impact of the athletic department transition Subscribe for Wisconsin Badgers football, Wisconsin basketball, recruiting news, Big Ten analysis, NIL discussion, coaching insight, and weekly live shows from ESPN Madison and ESPN Milwaukee.

Could Wisconsin football have won a national championship in an expanded College Football Playoff? On this episode of The Jump Around, we dive into the growing debate surrounding the future of the CFP as the Big Ten reportedly pushes for a 24-team playoff while the SEC prefers a 16-team format. What would expansion mean for the Wisconsin Badgers? Would it actually improve UW’s chances to compete for a national title? We discuss: 24-team CFP vs 16-team CFP Whether playoff expansion is GOOD or BAD for college football Which Wisconsin Badgers teams from the past could’ve made a title run The Wisconsin Athletics Mount Rushmore debate Is Barry Alvarez the most important figure in UW sports history? Reactions to Wilde & Tausch discussing Barry Alvarez’s role in the Wisconsin AD search Twitter Portal reactions to the latest Badgers & college football takes Former Wisconsin Badger LaMar “Soup” Campbell joins the show to discuss the Wisconsin athletic director search and the future of UW athletics If you’re a Wisconsin Badgers fan, college football fan, or Big Ten fan, this episode is packed with debate, history, and discussion about where Wisconsin football is headed next. Subscribe for more Wisconsin Badgers football coverage, basketball analysis, recruiting talk, NIL discussion, CFP debates, and live shows from ESPN Madison & ESPN Milwaukee.

Are the Wisconsin Badgers being underrated heading into 2026? On this episode of The Jump Around, we break down where Wisconsin truly belongs in the Big Ten after being projected as low as #14 by major outlets. Is the national perception fair... or way off?? We also kick off our Athletic Director search series with a deep dive into Shawn Eichorst: the Wisconsin native and current Texas deputy AD with ties to Barry Alvarez. Plus: -Reacting to Tyrese Haliburton's comments about Donovan Davis and Wisconsin basketball in-state recruiting 👀 -24-team College Football Playoff debate 🔥 -Twitter Portal: Best Badgers takes of the week 🏈 SPECIAL GUEST: Former Wisconsin OL Rob Havenstein joins the show after retiring from an 11-year NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams, including a Super Bowl title. Havenstein reflects on his career, Wisconsin roots, and what’s next.

Big news for Wisconsin basketball - John Blackwell is heading to Duke, while Nolan Winter is staying a Badger for life… and the fanbase is split. On this week’s episode of The Jump Around, we dive into: Blackwell to Duke reaction — are you rooting for him or not? Comparing John Blackwell vs Nolan Winter’s legacy at Wisconsin Rapid-fire “one word” breakdown of every major Wisconsin program Big Cat’s comments — does Wisconsin need to lean into donors more? Throwback uniforms & fan debates in the Twitter Portal 💪 PLUS: Wisconsin Football Strength Coach Brady Collins joins the show Offseason changes to the program Player development for the NFL Draft Growth of the Badgers this spring 🔥 A packed episode covering BOTH Wisconsin basketball & football.

Chris McIntosh is out as athletic director at Wisconsin Badgers, leaving for a senior role with the Big Ten — and it raises a major question: Did he leave… or did he jump ship? In this special emergency episode of The Jump Around, we break down: Why McIntosh made the move now The state of Wisconsin athletics in the NIL era Whether the Badgers have fallen behind the Big Ten The leadership vacuum facing UW right now What comes next for football, basketball, and the entire department From NIL struggles to fan frustration, this moment could define the future of Wisconsin sports. Is this a smart career move… or a sign of bigger problems in Madison?

The Wisconsin Badgers are under the microscope 👀 On this episode of The Jump Around, we break down some of the biggest questions surrounding Wisconsin athletics: What grade does Athletic Director Chris McIntosh deserve right now? Are there real concerns about Luke Fickell and Wisconsin football heading into 2026? Early spring practice takeaways, including defensive dominance and QB development Frank Kaminsky responds to the “mid-major” debate Recruiting buzz: Is Fickell building the best class in program history? Plus, former Badgers fullback and new Director of Football Alumni Relations Bradie Ewing joins the show to discuss his new role, the importance of alumni engagement, and his confidence in the future of Wisconsin football. 📍 Subscribe for more Wisconsin Badgers content 📍 Watch The Jump Around LIVE on ESPN Madison & ESPN Milwaukee