# Wisconsin Badgers Lose to UCLA in Defensive Struggles > Wisconsin's defense struggles as they lose 17-7 to UCLA in Rose Bowl. - Title: Wisconsin Badgers Lose to UCLA in Defensive Struggles - Summary: Wisconsin's defense struggles as they lose 17-7 to UCLA in Rose Bowl. Wisconsin's defense failed to contain UCLA's offense despite a solid performance… - Keywords: wisconsin badgers, ucla, defensive line, linebackers, defensive backs, special teams, wisconsin football, college football, nfl, rose bowl, camp randall stadium, ty dieffenbach - Source: Wisconsin Badgers On SI — https://si.com/college/wisconsin/football/wisconsin-football-report-card-grading-every-defensive-position-after-disappointing-loss-to-ucla-01m58h9bxzam - Published: 2026-10-18T22:32:09+00:00 - Read time: 1 min - Topics: wisconsin badgers, ucla, defensive line, linebackers, defensive backs, special teams, wisconsin football, college football, nfl, rose bowl, camp randall stadium, ty dieffenbach ## Game Result Wisconsin lost 17-7 to No. 12 UCLA in the Rose Bowl after a bye week. > Wisconsin failed to rise to the occasion in a 17-7 loss to No. 12 UCLA ## Offensive Struggles Wisconsin's offense struggled mightily through the air during the game. > The Badgers’ offense struggled mightily through the air ## Defensive Line Defensive line limited UCLA's running back Wayne Knight to 23 yards on 13 carries. > Wisconsin’s defensive front deserves considerable credit for limiting Wayne Knight to just 23 yards on 13 carries ## Defensive Line Edge rusher Nick Clayton recorded first career sack with five pressures. > Edge rusher Nick Clayton generated five pressures and recorded the first sack of his collegiate career ## Defensive Line Defensive tackle Junior Poyser batted down a pass for second consecutive game. > On the interior, defensive tackle Junior Poyser missed his lone tackle attempt but batted down a pass for the second consecutive game ## Linebackers Linebacker Mason Posa recorded seven tackles and five pressures with a 77.6 PFF grade. > Mason Posa continues to live up to his reputation as a road warrior, recording seven tackles, a tackle for loss and five pressures en route to the team’s highest PFF grade at 77.6 ## Linebackers Linebacker Cooper Catalano earned a season-low 63.5 PFF grade with five tackles. > His running mate Cooper Catalano wasn’t quite as effective, earning a season-low 63.5 PFF grade while missing a tackle ## Defensive Backs Defensive back Marvin Burks Jr. recorded two interceptions and three tackles. > At safety, Marvin Burks Jr. delivered his most impactful performance as a Badger, hauling in two interceptions to go along with three tackles ## Special Teams Kicker Gavin Lahm missed his first field goal attempt after starting 9-for-9. > After starting the season a perfect 9-for-9 on field-goal attempts, kicker Gavin Lahm picked an unfortunate time for his first miss ## Defensive Line Grade Defensive line earned a B grade for containing UCLA's rushing attack. > Holding Knight in check was no small feat, and Wisconsin’s ability to contain UCLA’s rushing attack warrants a solid grade ## Linebackers Grade Linebackers earned a B+ grade for containing UCLA's rushing attack. > Between their contributions against the run and Posa’s disruptive performance, I’d argue this was Wisconsin’s strongest position group Saturday ## Defensive Backs Grade Defensive backs earned a C grade for failing to stop UCLA's passing game. > This wasn’t necessarily a case of Wisconsin’s secondary getting torched. The Badgers weren’t consistently beaten badly downfield ## Special Teams Grade Special teams earned a C- grade due to kicker Gavin Lahm's missed field goal. > Special teams certainly weren’t the reason the Badgers lost, but with Lahm’s missed field goal standing out as the unit’s most consequential play ## Next Game Wisconsin faces high-powered USC offense next week at Camp Randall Stadium. > That won’t be an easy task with a high-powered USC offense coming to Camp Randall Stadium next week ## Key takeaway Wisconsin's defense failed to contain UCLA's offense despite a solid performance against rushing, leading to a 17-7 loss.