Wisconsin uses bonus-point wins to beat Northwestern 28-12 in Madison
MADISON, Wis. — The Badgers piled up falls, a technical fall and major decisions to build a margin Northwestern could not overcome on Jan. 16, 2026.
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin beat Northwestern 28-12 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison on Jan. 16, 2026.
Wyatt Ingham set the tone with a fall at 197 and Wisconsin extended the lead with a string of bonus-point victories that created separation. No. 10 Zan Fugitt pinned Sean Spidle at 133, Luke Mechler recorded a 12-3 major decision at 157 and No. 28 Cody Goebel finished Jacob Bostelman by technical fall, 20-4, at 165.
Fugitt’s pin came early in the second period after an escape and a takedown sequence, and the result was recorded as a fall. Mechler turned his match with a second-period escape, takedown and a two-point nearfall, then closed with a four-point nearfall and a riding-time point to reach a 12-3 major decision. Goebel opened with takedowns in the first two periods and added multiple third-period takedowns plus a late penalty point that pushed him to the technical-fall threshold.
Wisconsin also added a major decision from No. 16 Braxton Amos at 285 and a decision by Joseph Zargo at 149, helping the Badgers build the cushion that decided the dual. Those bonus outcomes — falls, a technical fall and major decisions — produced extra team points that widened the margin in Wisconsin’s favor.
Northwestern had notable individual results. No. 29 Dedrick Navarro upset No. 14 Nicolar Rivera at 125, winning 6-5 after a third-period takedown that put Navarro ahead. Eddie Enright beat Luke Condon 11-4 at 174 and J.D. Perez edged Caleb Dennee 7-6 at 184. Billy Dekraker also won a close 5-4 decision at 141, giving Northwestern multiple winning efforts despite the loss.
The dual swung early when Ingham’s pin and Amos’ 16-3 major decision produced an early Wisconsin lead. Northwestern’s upset at 125 and later decisions at 141, 174 and 184 kept the Wildcats within striking distance, but the Badgers’ collection of bonus-point wins produced a 16-point margin of victory that Northwestern could not erase.
Wisconsin’s 28-12 home win featured several ranked winners and a balance of early pins and late bonus scoring that proved decisive in the dual.