Third-string Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Hunter Simmons may be the sacrificial lamb led to the slaughter this Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium when UW hosts the No. 1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.
With Billy Edwards Jr. and Danny O'Neil sidelined, Simmons comes in with three games under his belt. In those three games, Simmons has 329 passing yards, one touchdown toss, three interceptions, and a QBR of 16.3.
Analyst Ian Kenyon summed up how bad Simmons was against Iowa Hawkeyes last week with one of the most brutal stats you'll ever see:
Wisconsin quarterback Hunter Simmons had a QBR of 0.8 last week.
— Ian Kenyon (@ikenyonFB) October 14, 2025
Lining up every play and throwing the ball into the dirt 20 times in a row would yield a 0.0 QBR as a point of reference.
And this man is supposed to do what the Washington Huskies' Demond Williams Jr. and the Texas Longhorns' Arch Manning couldn't: concoct a game plan capable of out-dueling the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes. Ohio State's defense hasn't yielded 20 points all season, and some, like Joel Klatt, don't know if there are more than two or three offenses in the country that can accomplish that.
As Bucky's 5th Quarter's Andy Heckroth writes, Simmons may be doomed to an even worse performance against OSU than he had against Iowa.
"This is a matchup of two teams heading in opposite directions. Ohio State looks every part of being the #1 team in the country, while the Badgers look ready for the season to end right now," Heckroth wrote.
"The matchup that scares me the most is the Buckeyes’ outstanding defense going against a Badger team, most likely, led by a third-string quarterback. Hunter Simmons had a rough night last week against Iowa, and I fear it’s going to get worse."
Luke Fickell is one of college football's several sitting duck head coaches. Along with the Florida Gators' Billy Napier and Florida State Seminoles' Mike Norvell, Fickell could be one embarrassing loss away from receiving his pink slip.
Those in the Badger State seem to be preparing for this weekend's matchup with the Buckeyes to be Fickell's last ride. Wisconsin may stand little to no chance, even on its home field. Heckroth has them losing 52-7.
Ohio State tends to strike that fear, or in this case, relief, into opposing fanbases. Especially this year, with arguably one of their most talented rosters ever.