College football fans expecting a dropoff by the Wisconsin Badgers defense after a lot of turnover may have been surprised. Coach Paul Chryst’s defenders were solid every time Western Kentucky got into the red zone. Four trips by the Hilltoppers resulted in just one field goal. The Badgers were third-best in the nation last year in red zone touchdown percentage. In four of the last five years, Wisconsin has surrendered a T-D on less than 45 percent of the times an opponent entered the red zone. Western Kentucky couldn’t even punch it in when recovering a Badger fumble on the 18-yard line.
Also, a member of the team is stepping away from the sport as a senior. Outside linebacker Arrington Farrar left the squad last week but is still in school pursuing a degree. Farrar was a prized recruit from Atlanta when he arrived in Madison and he got playing time as a true freshman at safety during the 2015 season. He was beaten out by Christian Bell on the team’s two-deep depth chart and decided to pass on his senior season.