Wisconsin’s 2026 schedule is shaping up to look a whole lot friendlier than the one it just survived.
The Badgers went through a bruising slate last year, lining up against seven teams that were ranked when they played them: Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, Indiana, and Illinois. On top of that, they saw an Iowa team that was ranked at one point during the season and a Minnesota squad that finished 7-5. It was a grind from start to finish.
This time around, the challenge changes shape. Wisconsin still has four opponents in the preseason Top 25 - Notre Dame, Penn State, USC, and Iowa - but the overall load is lighter.
The Badgers do not draw Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, or Michigan. Instead, their Big Ten slate includes Penn State, Michigan State, UCLA, USC, Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue, and Minnesota.
When you factor in non-conference games against Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan, ESPN’s FPI pegs Wisconsin with the third-easiest schedule in the Big Ten. The Badgers’ strength of schedule comes in at No. 40 nationally, and in the conference only Penn State sits lower at No. 62.
That doesn’t mean the road is clear. Wisconsin still has tough trips to Penn State and Iowa. But the opening is there for a better year, and maybe for the Badgers to get back on track in 2026.
ESPN also has Wisconsin ranked 43rd in FPI, which places the Badgers 11th in the Big Ten, ahead of Northwestern, Maryland, Purdue, Minnesota, UCLA, Michigan State, and Rutgers. Whether they can meet that number - or climb past it - will be one of the bigger questions heading into 2026.
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Wisconsin Fans Just Sent Luke Fickell A Brutal Message
Since Luke Fickell took over in Madison, the results have been tough enough to show up in the standings, with Wisconsin sitting at 17 wins and 21 losses under his watch. The disappointment has now spilled beyond the field and into the fan base, where season ticket sales have taken a notable hit and the mood around the program feels a lot less patient than it did when he arrived.
Wisconsin sold 47,587 season tickets, down from 54,780 the previous year, a 13.1% drop that sends a clear signal about how supporters are reacting. For Fickell, the message is unmistakable: the margin for error is shrinking, and the pressure is building in a way that could even reach athletic director Shawn Eichorst as the program tries to steady itself. [Read more 🡒]
Former Badgers Star Faces Troubling Recovery Question After Camp Injury
Tyler Biadaszs next chapter with the Chargers has taken an unfortunate turn, with the former Wisconsin star and seasoned NFL center suffering a significant knee injury during a joint practice against the 49ers. He is out indefinitely after the issue was diagnosed as an ACL injury, and the damage also includes his MCL, a setback that immediately raises questions about how soon he can get back on the field.
Biadasz is now seeking additional medical opinions as he sorts through the recovery path, which is where the uncertainty really starts to settle in. Even with the severity of the injury, there is still some hope he could return this season, but for now the focus is on how the Chargers handle a key piece of their offensive line without a clear timetable. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Is Asking One Quarterback To Save Its 2026 Season
Luke Fickell heads into 2026 knowing the margin for patience around Wisconsin football has thinned, and the offense is again the place where the program needs a real lift. The Badgers went into the transfer portal and brought in Colton Joseph from Old Dominion, a move that puts a lot of the seasons hopes on a quarterback who is expected to help change the tone of the attack and give Wisconsin something it has lacked too often in recent years.
For Joseph, the assignment is bigger than just winning a job. If he settles in quickly, Wisconsin can start talking about more than just getting back to a bowl game and instead chase the kind of upward climb that keeps a coaching staff out of trouble. If he does not, the questions around Fickell and the direction of the program are only going to get louder, which is why this quarterback move carries so much weight before a snap has been taken. [Read more 🡒]