Iowa · L 0-30
16 tackles, 1.5 for loss
The other 7 games average 9 tackles. This one was 7 above.
“I know we have not been a good team for a few years, but our defense is legit. We have two linebackers (Posa and Catalano) that will play in the NFL”
5 stories in the last 60 days, from 3 outlets.
Wisconsin football’s Cooper Catalano: Colton Joseph ‘was awesome, man’
Badger Observer Oct 4
Cooper Catalano
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Second year in the Wisconsin linebacker corps. First career honor, 2025: Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. One game to point at: 16 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss against Iowa — Week 9, 2026.
76 tackles · 0 sacks
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
Activity vs finishing · season enumeration
What the box score actually says
76 tackles. 3 passes defended. 0 interceptions. 2.5 TFL.
Counts only, never a rate — splash-event sample sizes this small (interceptions, pass breakups, TFL) are noise as a rate and signal only as a tally.
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
from 3 outlets
Wisconsin football’s Cooper Catalano: Colton Joseph ‘was awesome, man’
Badger Observer Oct 4 · 1 outlet
from 6 outlets
Wisconsin football’s Cooper Catalano: Colton Joseph ‘was awesome, man’
Badger Observer Oct 4 · 1 outlet
Badgernotes
On3Each week: his team’s game, the stories about him that week, and the week’s biggest news headline.
Stories are headlines grouped by what they are about, counted through Nov 4.
Fans first named Cooper Catalano at Notre Dame.
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Last game (Wk 9): 16 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 8 games
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| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 13-41vs No. 4 Notre Dame | 9 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 36-9vs Western Illinois | 13 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 54-10vs Eastern Michigan | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 4 | W 24-20@ No. 13 Penn State | 9 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 5 | W 31-3vs Michigan State | 10 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 7 | L 7-17@ No. 12 UCLA | 5 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 8 | W 24-7vs No. 16 USC | 10 | 7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 9 | L 0-30@ Iowa | 16 | 5 | 1.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 16 tackles |
| Total | 76 | 36 | 2.5 | 0.0 | — | 3 |
Oct. 31 · L 0-30 at Iowa, play by play
16 tackles, including 1 more for loss.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play: 15 of his 16, sacks included.
Forced a fumble. Second quarter, down 10-0.
His game this year: coverage — 3 passes defended in the 8 games with play by play.
How Wisconsin’s defense played that day
Iowa’s 10 drives: 4 stopped (1 takeaway) · 6 scored. His forced fumble came with Wisconsin down 10.
10 tackles, including 1 more for loss. He hurried the quarterback once.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 11 for him; the box score credits 10.
5 tackles, including 1 pass broken up.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 6 for him; the box score credits 5.
10 tackles, including 1 pass broken up. His pass breakup on 4th and 2 ended Michigan State’s drive (downs).
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Broke up a pass on 4th and 2. Second quarter, up 14-0. Ended Michigan State’s drive (downs).
9 tackles, including 1 pass broken up.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
4 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
A big game: 13 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play: 12 of his 13, sacks included.
9 tackles. He hurried the quarterback once.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Ratings of the games shown run from -15 to +25 points against an average team (SP+ rating of each opponent).
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
Tackle volume
76tackles this seasonTFL rate
3%2 TFLSack rate
0%0 sacksPD rate
4%3 pass breakups76 tackles · 2.5 for loss.
2 seasons under Luke Fickell — 9-11 over that span.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 8 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home4g | 9.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Road3g | 10.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-76g | 8.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| Weeks 8+2g | 13.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Luke Fickell
Pass share
43.5%
200 pass / 260 run
Plays / game
57.5
8 games
Team sack rate
4.6%
218 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.
Player standing · 2026
76 tackles in 8 games, more tackles a game than nearly every FBS linebacker who plays every week.
Recognition
Production · CFB Zeitgeist Score
Three-star recruit. Now #164 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #43 of 72 Big Ten LBs
A base rate for the rank, not a forecast of this player: 15% of returning players who ranked #21 or lower at their position in their conference made an all-conference team the next season (95% confidence interval 13–17%).
2026 is in progress.
Honored in a first season.
