Wisconsin’s homecoming game now has a kickoff time, and it’s a familiar early start for the Badgers.
The Oct. 3 matchup against Michigan State will begin at 11:30 a.m. CT and air on Big Ten Network, the program announced Monday. It will be Wisconsin’s second conference game and its first home Big Ten game in 2026, and it marks the team’s second 11:30 a.m. kickoff of the season.
Homecoming week in Madison will build toward that Saturday morning game at Camp Randall, the 118th homecoming game in program history. Wisconsin has taken 10 of its last 12 homecoming games.
This year’s celebration will also be the first homecoming for new athletic director Shawn Eichorst, who was hired this summer after Chris McIntosh’s abrupt departure. The usual parade is part of the slate, and so are a block party and a pep rally. The annual “Fill the Hill” event will be held Friday, Oct. 2, with pink flamingos on Bascom Hill representing gifts and donations to the university.
The matchup itself has become a little more intriguing than it looked at the start of the season. Michigan State is 2-1, with wins over Toledo and Eastern Michigan and a loss to Notre Dame. The Spartans were competitive against the Irish, dropping a 27-10 game that was much closer than Wisconsin’s 41-13 defeat.
Like Wisconsin, Michigan State stayed in it through a tight first half before Notre Dame pulled away after the break. New head coach Pat Fitzgerald has clearly brought some energy to the program. The 30-20 win over Toledo raised some questions, but the more convincing victory over Eastern Michigan and the close game against Notre Dame offered better signs.
Michigan State will get another major test in Week 4 when it hosts undefeated Nebraska, while Wisconsin’s own conference picture will continue to sharpen with its Week 4 game against Penn State on Saturday evening.
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