It’s been an eventful last week of spring ball for the Wisconsin Badgers, as they’ve started to ramp up, reaching the midway point of April.

With a lot of updates coming, let’s do a long notebook that breaks down the last four practices individually, giving my thoughts on each. Wisconsin had its sixth practice of the spring last Thursday, seventh on Saturday, eighth on Tuesday, and ninth today on Thursday.

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Notes on spring practice No. 6

The defense dominated to start the day last Thursday, especially in team drills in the run game. The front seven were consistently getting stops at or near the line of scrimmage, and the energy was completely on the defense’s side to start the day.

Players who stood out making plays included defensive lineman Nolan Vils, who has been quite consistent all camp, and Micheal Garner, who has been in and out due to injury.

But I thought things started to flip a switch in 1-on-1s between the offensive and defensive line, as the former had an impressive performance there. Kevin Heywood was a clear standout, winning all of his one-on-one reps, regardless of who he went up against. He’s poised to be the leader of the offensive line this season after missing all of last year with a torn ACL.

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Overall, though, I thought the offensive line did a pretty good job keeping things even (or even winning more reps) in the 1-on-1s, where the defense usually has more of an advantage.

Going back to team drills, I thought Colton Joseph had a nice start in 11-on-11s, which included four straight completions, including a rollout throw to Shamar Rigby for a good gain. The lone incompletion in that first set of plays? A pass breakup from Jai’mier Scott, who has absolutely been a riser in the cornerback room all spring long.

True freshman Ryan Hopkins continued to get a ton of reps behind Joseph, working in with Deuce Adams, and it was more of what we’ve seen so far: some flashes met by moments of inconsistency throwing the football. Hopkins is continuing to learn through reps, but is still figuring out his accuracy and feel with the speed of the game.

Carter Smith did get a few reps in team drills, but things continued to be a struggle for the sophomore quarterback, who hasn’t been able to build off his freshman campaign much this spring.

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Overall, while the offense had a few moments, I thought it was a pretty clear day for the defense, who dominated with sacks, run stuffs, and forcing short plays.

One key note at the end of practice, though, was that right guard Emerson Mandell ended up in a boot after starting the day on the field. Arkansas transfer Blake Cherry hopped in his spot, working in at right guard, while Stlyz Blackmon got some reps with the top offense as well. Head coach Luke Fickell shared this week that Mandell had surgery on his foot and will be out for the rest of the spring.

Notes on spring practice No. 7

While I wasn’t present for Wisconsin’s seventh or eighth spring practice, 247Sports’s Payne Blazevich had a good breakdown of both days, and I’ll share the highlights and key takeaways that he had of the practices.

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On Saturday, Wisconsin had one of its bigger days of practice to date, going live with around 60 reps, which has been a goal for the team. They’re looking to ramp up and simulate game experience with the live reps on Saturdays, so it was an eventful day.

“The energy reached a peak as the Badgers built up to an animated day of practice that blended intense 11-on-11 work with individual competition,” Blazevich wrote. “It was a stage for several different names to stand out amid the ferocious atmosphere. The defense reveled in the physicality, while Wisconsin’s offense was challenged to overcome the pressure.”

One of the standouts of the day was the safety room, which has impressed throughout spring ball. Wisconsin did a lot of work to improve that room with the additions of Missouri transfer Marvin Burks Jr. and Iowa State transfer Carson Van Dinter. Both are in line for key roles in 2026.

“Their desire for contact shined bright as the pair of expected starters Marvin Burks Jr. and Matt Jung flew downhill for a handful of forceful stops near the line of scrimmage,” Blazevich continued. “Newly converted safety Cairo Skanes darted around the field with a near interception, while transfer Carson Van Dinter displayed his athleticism as he tracked down a ball carrier for a touchdown-saving tackle.

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“Each grouping of safeties came away with standout plays in a high-intensity session. And near the end of practice, Grant Dean knocked down a pass in the back corner of the end zone, before Luke Emmerich closed out the day with a red zone interception.”

It was also an impressive day for true freshman Ryan Hopkins, who continued to receive a substantial amount of reps.

“The freshman signal-caller has flashed this spring as he begins to integrate within the offensive system. That reached another level with some standout plays in full speed competition,” Blazevich added.

“Hopkins delivered a dime to wideout Eugene Hilton Jr. down the sideline, dropping the pass right over the defense for a touchdown. He’s utilized his legs throughout camp, and he wiggled through the defense for some key pickups again.

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“The first-year quarterback has only grown more comfortable with seven practices under his belt, and he’s played at his best when the intensity is at a maximum. That was no more reflected than when Hopkins lined up across from safety Kah’ni Watts with the ball in his hands while the team huddled around the pair and a set of pads. The young QB dropped his shoulder and battled as roars erupted from the crowd.”

The pass rush also continued to impress, thanks to efforts from sophomores Nick Clayton and Jaylen Williams, who each had a few pressures and stops on the day. With the physicality amping up, this room and blitzing linebackers were highlights of the day.

Notes on spring practice No. 8

This was a rather uninspiring day, and head coach Luke Fickell had a lot to say about that following Tuesday’s practice when speaking with reporters.

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It was another day where the defense was dominant, as the offense looked lethargic on all fronts. One group that continued to shine? The secondary.

“It was another proficient showing for Wisconsin’s secondary. The Badgers saw multiple members of the cornerback and safety rooms fly in for pass breakups and interceptions in a busy day downfield,” Blazevich wrote in his write-up on Tuesday’s practice.

“Cornerbacks Jai’Mier Scott and Carsen Eloms notched takeaways on deflected passes in seven-on-seven work. And cornerback Eric Fletcher Jr. jumped a route for a pick-six during live action.

“The Badgers were strong in coverage with safety Cairo Skanes and cornerback Javan Robinson surging in to knock the ball away. Skanes and safety Marvin Burks Jr. also made their presence known defending the run.”

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It was also a day where the quarterbacks were consistently on the move, be it by design or due to pressure coming in.

Whether by design or necessity, Wisconsin’s quarterbacks were constantly on the move as they looked to pick up yards on the ground or fire the ball downfield while evading pressure.

“Colton Joseph utilized his legs on option plays and scrambles to slice through the defense and move the chains on Tuesday morning,” Blazevich added. “Deuce Adams slipped through a collapsed pocket before finding running back Abu Sama breaking open to notch a long catch-and-run down the sideline, and Carter Smith picked up a lengthy carry to move the sticks on a QB keeper.

“Wisconsin’s quarterbacks are well equipped to manage the pressure that’s been brought by a tenacious defensive front this spring. And with pass catchers like Zion Kearney, Tyrell Henry and Jaylon Domingeaux consistently finding open space on busted plays, the quarterbacks have been able to reliably deliver the ball or keep it themselves.”

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Notes on spring practice No. 9

Let’s get to Thursday, where we saw some better work from the offense, but it was still a defense-dominant day.

With Mandell out, it was exclusively Blake Cherry playing at right guard with the top offense again, slotting in between Austin Kawecki at center and Kevin Heywood at right tackle.

We also saw redshirt freshman Emmett Bork being used as an H-back and seeing time with the top offense, and he had quite a strong day. Bork saw a ton of reps, with his best catch being a deep corner from Deuce Adams in 7-on-7s for about a 35-yard gain up the sideline.

Bork also had a touchdown when Wisconsin was working red zone drills at the end of the day.

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We did see more of Bryce West as the Badgers ran some more nickel against Wisconsin’s offensive look on Tuesday, while the cornerback rotation continued on the outside. One player who continues to shine with one of the best spring camps of any on the team is cornerback Jai’mier Scott, who has been a regular with the top defense on the outside. Scott had a pick, breaking on a pass in 7-on-7s, to add to his quality spring.

Marvin Burks Jr. also had an interception in 7-on-7s, as the offense just couldn’t muster much consistency.

There were some good runs on the day, with Abu Sama and Bryan Jackson breaking off ones, but Wisconsin continues to struggle to effectively run the ball inside the tackles. The defense has gotten the better of the offense there with good edge seals and swarming to the ball.

Thought one of the standouts of the day on offense, though, was Ryan Hopkins. As we’ve reported, he continues to get a lot of work, and he ended the day on a high note on Thursday. Early on, in 11s, Hopkins had a nice throw to Tyrell Henry, stepping up with a clean pocket and firing on a 15-yard dig over the middle to his wideout for a completion.

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He’s also got some quality speed, being able to hit the edge under pressure on a play. After a near-interception on an ugly overthrow towards the end of practice, Hopkins finished strong. He had a nice deep ball to Eugene Hilton for a score, then followed that with a great backshoulder throw on a go ball where he allowed Shamar Rigby to go up and get it. One play later, with a defender in his face, Hopkins lowered his arm slot rolling left, and fired a great ball over the middle to Rigby again on a dig.

The quarterback ended his day with an easy touchdown throw rolling right to find Emmett Bork for the score. It was a solid end to his day.

It continued to be a tougher spring for Carter Smith, who struggled a bit again with his few opportunities. We’ll see if he can start to turn things around with his accuracy and reading defenses.

The defensive pressure continues to be a positive, and Sebastian Cheeks and Nick Clayton were among those who had sacks. Overall, there are still a lot of questions about this offense, namely whether they’ll be able to have a good enough run game this year. The Badgers have not been able to generate enough traction inside the tackles, despite having some quality running backs in the room. It’s either been a chunk play or a stop.

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Colton Joseph has had his moments as well this spring, but we’re waiting for the consistency from the starter. There are a lot of high expectations on him, and you’d expect him to continue to grow over time, but Wisconsin needs more consistency from him when facing the top defense over the final six practices of the spring.

Late goals from Luis Díaz and Michael Olise clinched victory on the night as the Bavarians set up a semi-final clash against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain. Arsenal, meanwhile, successfully defended their slender first-leg lead against Sporting Lisbon by grabbing a goalless draw at home. The Gunners will take on Atlético Madrid for a spot in the final.

Carlos Alcaraz pulled out of his second-round match-up in Barcelona, which he was due to play on Thursday, after sustaining a wrist injury in his opening match. The Spaniard, second in the world rankings, is now a doubt for next week’s Madrid Masters.

Plus, recent reports from several media outlets have seen concerns raised over the future of LIV Golf, with Saudi Arabia‘s PIF said to be on the verge of cutting funding for the breakaway league it founded five years ago.

WrestleMania 42, the latest in the modern era of two-night WrestleManias, kicks off on Saturday. The action takes place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

In total, there are eight championship matches across the two nights, including the Night 1 main event with Randy Orton challenging Cody Rhodes for the undisputed WWE championship. Night 2 is headlined by CM Punk putting the world heavyweight championship on the line against former champion Roman Reigns, who held the title for 1,316 days.

Not every big match on the card has a belt on the line, with potential weekend-stealing matches such as Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi and Seth Rollins vs. Gunther not requiring a title to be high stakes.

Ranking every WWE WrestleMania of all time: Where each of the 41 events lands heading into 2026 edition

Brent Brookhouse

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With so many big matches set for the biggest wrestling event of the year, the CBS Sports wrestling experts have cast their predictions. Let’s see who we’re picking to come out on top at WrestleMania 42.

WrestleMania 42 Night 1 predictions

Logan Paul, Austin Theory & IShowSpeed vs. The Usos & LA Knight

IShowSpeed gets the “celebrity” spot, and he’s athletic enough that he’ll probably hold up his end of things perfectly fine. That said, the show probably starts with an Usos and Knight win to get the crowd into things. Paul and Theory are kind of treading water while awaiting the returns of Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed to make The Vision a force again. Not to mention that Speed is still under Danhausen’s curse. Pick: The Usos & LA Knight win — Brent Brookhouse (also Shakiel Mahjouri)

Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre (Unsanctioned Match)

McIntyre’s ceiling and floor are set. He’s a main event heel who can slot into the world title picture, and even hold it briefly. It would take a lot to shake his baseline in either direction. That’s why Fatu needs to win. “The Samoan Werewolf” was on track for an undisputed WWE title program with Rhodes before getting injured last year. A win is an important step to getting back there. Pick: Jacob Fatu wins — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

Women’s World Championship — Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan

Vaquer is a fantastic wrestler, but Morgan has seemed destined to return to the title since returning from injury, which winning the Royal Rumble only further cemented. Morgan also has ways to win that don’t hurt Vaquer much, such as interference from Raquel Rodriguez. There is a wild card at play in Roxanne Perez, who is seemingly ready to turn on Morgan and break away from Judgment Day. Despite that, a Morgan win is still the likely outcome. Pick: Liv Morgan wins the title  — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

Women’s Intercontinental Championship — AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky Lynch

Giving Lee a title run of any sort was nice, but it was never something that felt destined to be a long-term play. It’s a little bit funny that after winning the belt, Lee gave a fiery promo about being a fighting champion, only to make a single defense heading into WrestleMania. Lynch represents a more consistent presence as champion, something the women’s intercontinental title needs at this point. Lee’s run should come to an end on Saturday. Pick: Becky Lynch wins the title — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

Women’s Tag Team Championship — Nia Jax & Lash Legend (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Nikki & Brie Bella

Bayley and Valkyria are the only fresh options. The defending champions aren’t an interesting unit. Bliss and Flair have already accomplished their goal of rehabilitating Flair’s image. The Bella Twins probably won’t be here for long, especially after Nikki’s potential ankle injury. Bayley and Valkyria are aimless after the Lynch saga. Winning the titles gives them much-needed stability. Pick: Bayley & Lyra Valkyria win the titles — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

Seth Rollins vs. Gunther

Rollins needs momentum post-WrestleMania if WWE wants to salvage The Vision storyline. The stable has been ravaged by injuries. The only two remaining members, Paul and Theory, aren’t even part of the original unit. Gunther has been boxed in by his legend-killer persona, further driving home why Rollins is the best option. Pick: Seth Rollins wins — Mahjouri

Obviously, the original plan was Rollins vs. Bron Breakker before Breakker was injured. This led to a kind of disjointed story where Gunther helped Paul Heyman but not to work with Heyman, just because he has “personal issues” with Rollins, which turned out to be that it’s “personal” that Rollins thinks he’s a better wrestler. Regardless, these two are capable of putting on a match that steals the weekend. In the end, I lean toward a Gunther victory, likely with a returning Breakker costing Rollins the match. Pick: Gunther wins — Brookhouse

Undisputed WWE Championship — Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton

It doesn’t feel like the outcome here matters. WWE’s obsession with celebrity crossovers has spoiled what should have been a straightforward, story-rich feud. Saturday’s result, one way or another, probably spins off into a tag team match involving Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll. There might also be a mastermind pulling the strings. I’ll give the nod to Orton so that he can enjoy a 15th world title reign, but either result is a means to an end. Pick: Randy Orton wins the title — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

WrestleMania 42 Night 2 predictions

Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar

This might be the most anticipated match of the weekend. It’s a throwback monster vs. monster encounter that jumps off the poster. It’s been almost a decade since a superstar under 30 has won a world title. That’s a far cry from the days when Lesnar, Orton and John Cena were coming up. Femi, 27, has the chance to break that cycle. Beating Lesnar goes a long way to accomplishing that. Pick: Oba Femi — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

Intercontinental Championship — Penta (c) vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Dragon Lee vs. JD McDonagh vs. Rusev vs. Rey Mysterio (Ladder Match)

Not many superstars in the modern era captured fan imagination as quickly as Penta did. It arguably took too long for him to win the intercontinental title, and it’d be a shame for him to lose it so quickly. Evans might be the future, but Penta needs to be the present. Pick: Penta retains the title — Mahjouri

Evans feels like a solid pick for a “surprise” win, though not that surprising. He’s young, exciting and the kind of wrestler who can really show out in a ladder match. A minor “WrestleMania Moment” win for the youngster feels appropriate. Pick: Je’Von Evans wins the title — Brookhouse

WWE Women’s Championship — Jade Cargill (c) vs. Rhea Ripley

Cargill’s new goons serve no purpose if she loses the title. I believe they were introduced to give Cargill a convenient win over Ripley, one of WWE’s most talented and popular stars. The champ’s new faction is one of WWE’s better creative decisions lately. Cargill has the star power to carry the title and the power moves to win. What she lacks is the wrestling skill to believably get to the finish line. B-Fab and Michin are perfect fodder to protect her: taking beatings and stealing wins. Pick: Jade Cargill retains the title — Mahjouri

Cargill just hasn’t really worked out as a top champion, plus there are constant rumors of her clashing with the locker room behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Ripley could benefit from a change of scenery by moving over to SmackDown with a title victory. If Ripley remains on Raw and Morgan takes the women’s world championship, you’re stuck running back a tired program between the two (not that WWE has had any hesitation about running things into the ground over the past few years). Ripley getting a win solves many issues on both shows. Pick: Rhea Ripley wins the title — Brookhouse

United States Championship — Sami Zayn (c) vs. Trick Williams

I’m at a loss with Zayn. WWE has effectively neutered one of the company’s most beloved and enduring underdogs. How many times can WWE tease Zayn finally winning the big one, only to get cold feet and toss him a midcard title instead? The creative team has unintentionally turned fans against Zayn by having him stunt other rising stars. Zayn is only here because WWE believes Williams gets a bigger rub from taking the title from Zayn as opposed to Carmelo Hayes. Pick: Trick Williams wins the title — Mahjouri (Brookhouse)

Finn Balor vs. Dominik Mysterio

The smarter long-term move might be to have Mysterio win with the help of his Judgment Day teammates and force Balor into chasing a rematch Mysterio doesn’t want to give. But Balor scoring a clean victory wouldn’t be a big misstep. If Balor is going to win, he should win a very one-sided match that shows why Mysterio should have continued to learn from the accomplished veteran, but that’s not really how WWE approaches matches. Either way … Pick: Finn Balor wins — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

World Heavyweight Championship — CM Punk (c) vs. Roman Reigns

My head says Reigns is once again world champion at the end of Sunday night, possibly with the help of The Usos or even The Rock. However, the more interesting play is for Punk to retain the title and force Reigns to deal with coming up short. Does anyone really want to see the return of The Bloodline? Reigns is around so infrequently that you almost need him back with The Usos so that there’s someone around to represent the champion on television. Reigns winning is the boring option, and I’m not picking the boring option. Pick: CM Punk retains the title — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid this week, with Marcus Rashford and his team-mates complaining about the officiating over two legs

Barcelona have filed a fiery report to UEFA after Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford and his team-mates lambasted the officiating in both legs of their Champions League quarter-final with Atletico Madrid. The Catalan stalwarts suffered a 2-0 loss to their La Liga rivals at the Nou Camp in their initial meeting – a game in which Pau Cubarsi was sent off 44 minutes into.

Rashford, however, took issue with Istvan Kovacs denying his side what appeared to be a blatant penalty and potential red card against Marc Pubill. The Atletico Madrid defender was already sitting on a yellow when he handled the ball he received from Juan Musso – believing it not to be in play.

Appeals from Barcelona were rife, but were ultimately waved away by the official – leading to the La Liga leaders lodging an official complaint with UEFA. That was also dismissed by the governing body, who replied in a statement: “Following the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg between Barcelona and Atlético, Barcelona filed a protest relating to a referee decision.”

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“The UEFA Control Ethics and Disciplinary Body has declared the protest to be inadmissible,” they added. Speaking with CBS Sports after the game, meanwhile, Rashford vented over what seemed to be a clear and obvious penalty in his club’s favour.

Rashford, whose future remains unclear beyond this season, said: “It’s clear to me; It’s a penalty. It’s happened before and it’s always been given.

“I don’t understand the decision. People talk about common sense, but common sense itself tells you it’s a penalty.

“Our reaction reflects that, but so does that of their own players. That counts, too.

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“I’ve been in similar situations in matches where the decision was a penalty. Ultimately, it’s hard not to complain when the decision goes against you.”

Having headed into their reverse at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Tuesday with a 2-0 deficit to overcome, Barcelona were quick to bring it back to level pegging on aggregate. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring just four minutes into the match, before Ferran Torres made it 2-0 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate 20 minutes later.

Ademola Lookman ultimately broke the hearts of Barca fans worldwide a third of the way through the match, however, to give Atleti the overall advantage once more. After a goalless second-half, Eric Garcia was shown an early exit with around 10 minutes left to play, as matters went from bad to worse for the visitors.

And after exiting the competition 3-2 in terms of total score over two legs, Raphinha was quick to criticise the officiating over both games. Speaking to TNT Sports Brasil, he said: “For me, we were robbed.

“I don’t want to talk about the refereeing, but we played extremely well, they committed I don’t know how many fouls, and the referee didn’t even pull out a single yellow card against them. The refereeing was very bad in all the decisions he made.

“What I really want to understand is, by what criteria is Barca being refereed? I’d really like to understand the secret behind this fear that haunts these people at the thought of Barca winning.

“Yes, we’re all human and we can make a mistake in a match, that’s something I can understand, but for it to happen in two consecutive matches? That’s not normal. I think the result of this double confrontation isn’t fair.”

Now, Barcelona are planning on sending more complaints UEFA’s way, with club president Joan Laporta also dubbing certain decisions as “disgraceful” in the aftermath. He told reporters: “We filed a complaint after the first leg and UEFA said it was ‘inadmissible.’

“We will ask for further explanations. The club will also make another complaint because what’s inadmissible is what happened to us on Tuesday once again.”