There are plenty of reasons to keep the brakes on when it comes to Wisconsin this fall, but the Badgers aren’t short on upside either. With their win total sitting at 6.5 and the over getting a slight edge on FanDuel, this group has a path to make the optimism look justified.
Start with the schedule, because that’s where the opening is clearest. Wisconsin ran into a brutal slate last year, facing seven ranked teams, with Iowa also spending time in the rankings.
Four of those opponents - Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana - ended up in the College Football Playoff, while Michigan came close to joining them. The stretch in October was especially punishing, with Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State and Oregon stacked back-to-back.
Things didn’t really ease up from there, either, as Washington, Indiana, Illinois and Minnesota rounded out the year in a rough finish.
This season looks much friendlier. Wisconsin does not have Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan or Indiana on the schedule.
The Badgers still have to deal with Notre Dame, USC, Iowa and Penn State, but there are also games against Michigan State, UCLA, Rutgers, Maryland and Purdue. Add Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan, and the road to a bowl game is there.
The real question is whether Wisconsin can finally push through and get there.
The ground game is another reason to believe there’s something here. Wisconsin has been loading up at running back for a while, and the talent in that room has shown up even when the broader offense has struggled.
Braelon Allen was dominant in 2023 despite injuries, piling up 984 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Chez Mellusi remained efficient. Tawee Walker followed in 2024 as a physical answer alongside Darrion Dupree and Mellusi, then put together an 864-yard, 10-touchdown season on 4.5 yards per carry once he got rolling.
Last season, the Badgers looked loaded again with Dilin Jones, Dupree and Gideon Ituka. The flashes were there from all three when healthy, but injuries got in the way, with Jones missing half the year because of turf toe and Ituka suffering a serious injury against Oregon. The bigger problem around that group was the offense around them: run blocking has been an issue for two straight years, and the passing game never forced defenses to loosen up.
This year, Wisconsin is hoping for better work up front, and the backfield has real punch. Abu Sama III is described as Wisconsin’s best running back since Braelon Allen.
Dupree remains important and should handle plenty of third-down snaps as a pass-catching and pass-protection back while mixing in with Sama. Bryan Jackson, who averaged 5.2 yards per carry as a freshman at USC, is finally healthy at 6-foot-0 and 235 pounds.
Nate Palmer adds another layer as a change-of-pace depth option. The room has both depth and top-end ability, and Colton Joseph’s legs may be the biggest piece of the puzzle.
Wisconsin hasn’t had a true rushing threat at quarterback in recent years, and that has made life easier for defenses. Now they have to account for the keeper.
There’s also a lot to like about the linebackers, especially after what Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano showed last season. Wisconsin won a game because of their impact against Washington, and the idea now is that those flashes can stretch across a full year.
Both freshmen treated last season as a learning year, and they’re entering Year 2 with more confidence and more polish. Posa brings versatility as both a pass rusher and an inside linebacker, while Catalano has the instincts and ball skills of a playmaker.
They’re not just talented - they’re becoming tone-setters. Wisconsin believes the floor of the defense rises because of them. The depth behind them matters, too, with Thomas Heiberger finally healthy and Jon Jon Kamara ready for a bigger role.
At quarterback, the ceiling is still uncertain, but there’s at least a baseline Wisconsin can trust. Joseph remains something of an unknown as a passer, even with signs of growth in his comfort within the offense.
Fall camp reports haven’t answered every question yet. Still, his rushing ability gives the offense a different shape, and he’s shown a willingness to challenge defenses vertically.
That matters if Wisconsin wants opponents to respect more than just the box. He’s also been efficient as a runner throughout his career, which helps him survive when things get messy in the pocket and lets him extend plays.
Finally, Wisconsin simply looks more athletic than it has in recent years. The Badgers spent the offseason adding speed, size and raw upside, and that shows up all over the roster.
Cornerback is a good example, where Javan Robinson and Eric Fletcher bring speed and ability. The linebacker group moves well from sideline to sideline.
Up front, Nick Clayton brings speed off the edge, while Charles Perkins and Junior Poyser add violence.
That won’t answer every question for Wisconsin, but it gives this team a better foundation than it has had before.
In Other News...
Luke Fickell Has Wisconsin Looking Like Wisconsin Again
The Badgers have spent enough recent seasons trying to modernize in different ways, but Luke Fickells latest roster build is starting to look a lot more familiar in Madison. Wisconsin now checks in with the heaviest roster in college football by average weight, a sign that the emphasis has shifted back toward the kind of size and physicality that long defined the program.
A big part of that change has come in the trenches, where Fickell has pushed to add bulk to both the interior defensive line and the offensive line, with most of those players now over 300 pounds. For a fan base that has long associated Wisconsin football with winning up front, the composition of this team feels like more than just a roster note. It is a clear nod to the programs old identity, and a reminder of the style the Badgers may be trying to reclaim. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Suddenly Has A Week 1 Receiver Concern Fans Cant Ignore
Jaylon Domingeaux had already been part of the early conversation at receiver for Wisconsin, but a recent team photo added an unexpected layer to his status heading toward the 2026 season. The transfer wideout was seen wearing a cast on his hand, a detail that immediately shifted attention to his availability and whether the Badgers may have to open the year without one of their more intriguing additions.
The program has not offered any public explanation for the injury, so the scope remains unclear for now, and the practice picture suggests others have been picking up more reps while Domingeaux is sidelined. For a Wisconsin offense still sorting out its pass-catching depth, any issue with a player expected to be in that mix is worth watching closely as Week 1 approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Lance Mason Just Got Caught In A Brutal Big Ten Fight
The Big Tens latest eligibility ruling landed hard for players trying to navigate the fuzzy line between college football and the pros, and Wisconsins Lance Mason is one of the names now caught in the middle. The conference voted to bar players who have already gone professional from returning to play at Big Ten schools, closing off a possible path for veterans who might have hoped for one more shot back in college.
For Mason, the timing makes the issue even more notable. He had no remaining eligibility when he left for the NFL, and after being cut by the Seahawks, he was recently claimed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, underscoring how quickly a pro career can shift. The new Big Ten stance leaves players like Mason with fewer fallback options if the professional route keeps changing on them. [Read more 🡒]