Wisconsin football insider: Badgers get the victory in Luke Fickell's debut, but performance shows there's work to do

MADISON – A recap of Wisconsin’s 38-17 victory over Buffalo at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday.

Big picture

It’s clear the Badgers have plenty to work on, but the Luke Fickell era started with a victory. Anything else would have been a major letdown following an offseason filled with wins on the recruiting trail and in the court of public opinion.

Turning point was Tanner Mordecai's touchdown to Chimere Dike in second quarter

Wisconsin drove 73 yards in 11 plays for its first touchdown of the season, a 1-yard run by senior Chez Mellusi at the 7-minute 16-second mark of the first quarter. Then the Badgers offense went cold. They gained 72 yards in 18 plays over the next four possessions. However, quarterback Tanner Mordecai and receiver Chimere Dike changed the Badgers’ fortunes just before the half when the two connected for a 29-yard touchdown with 1 minute left. The score and extra point gave UW a 14-7 lead and marked the start of a run of four scores in five possessions. When the Badgers were done, they led, 31-10, early in the fourth quarter.

THUMBS UP

Chez Mellusi, Hunter Wohler, Braelon Allen start season strong

* Chez Mellusi finished with a career-high 157 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 13 carries. His 89-yard score with 8:28 left in the third quarter was a thing of beauty not only because of the distance, but also because of how the senior weaved in between defenders as he moved down the field. He made four or five players miss before reaching the end zone.

* Braelon Allen wanted to be more active in the passing game. He got his wish Saturday, catching a career-high seven passes for 26 yards in addition to running for 141 yards and two scores. He caught 13 passes last season.

*The UW defense delivered on third down, holding the Bulls to two third-down conversion in 15 opportunities (13.3%). A key to that success was winning on first and second down. The Bulls' average distance on those third-down plays was 7.6 yards.

*Much is expected of safety Hunter Wohler this season and the Muskego High School graduate delivered an 11-tackle performance while lining up at a variety of spots on the defense.

THUMBS DOWN

A key drop and costly penalty hurt the Badgers

*Skyler Bell more than anyone knows that he has to haul in that second quarter pass from Mordecai that would have gone for a 60-yard touchdown. The ball went right off his hand at the Buffalo 22. The mistake became further magnified when Mordecai was intercepted and the ball was returned to the UW 16.

* Linebacker Jordan Turner was called for targeting and ejected, a penalty that will disqualify him from playing the first half of UW's game at Washington State on Saturday. It wasn't a malicious hit, but the rule offers no room for subjectivity.

*Teams don’t reveal much in Week 1, but Wisconsin didn’t generate much pressure on Buffalo QB Cole Snyder. He dropped back 41 times but wasn’t sacked and was hurried just five times.

Replay: How the Wisconsin-Buffalo game unfolded

Wisconsin football schedule: Badgers face Washington State next

The Badgers' loss to Washington State last year marked the beginning of the end for the Paul Chryst era at UW. The Cougars stunned Wisconsin, 17-14, holding the Badgers scoreless in the second half and went on to have a 7-6  season. The Cougars, picked to finish seventh in the Pac 12 preseason media poll, opened the season Saturday night with an impressive 50-24 victory at Colorado State.

Best friends: Wisconsin star running backs Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi are a strong duo on and off the field

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What Wisconsin football team's win over Buffalo revealed about Badgers