The Wisconsin Badgers are on the doorstep of the AP Top 25, and another win this week should push them through.
After knocking off No. 13 Penn State 24-20 last weekend, Wisconsin moved to 3-1, but the poll voters still left them just outside the rankings.
The Badgers came in at No. 26, sitting as the first team out and trailing Missouri, which held onto No. 25.
That result has set up a big chance for Wisconsin to make its move. The Badgers return home to face Michigan State, and a victory would likely be enough to land them in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2023.
The matchup comes with Wisconsin listed as a 9.5-point favorite, and the over/under is 43.5. Michigan State and Wisconsin have shared two common opponents so far: Notre Dame and Eastern Michigan. The Spartans lost to Notre Dame by 17, beat Eastern Michigan by 28, and then took a 31-13 loss to Nebraska this past weekend to drop to 202.
Missouri’s spot has already stirred debate, and the AP Poll has been a talking point this year. Earlier this week, I said Missouri shouldn’t have been ranked after losing to Mississippi State while staying close with Troy. I also felt Kentucky should have slipped out, since its only quality win, Texas A&M, hasn’t looked especially strong.
Now the focus shifts to whether Wisconsin can back up its breakthrough win with another one. A victory would put the Badgers in position to crack the rankings at last. A loss would leave them waiting again.
In Other News...
Luke Fickell Knows Wisconsin Cant Keep Winning Like This
Wisconsin came away with a huge win over Penn State, but the film gave Luke Fickell plenty to worry about afterward. The Badgers survived despite losing the turnover battle 3-1, with quarterback Colton Joseph throwing all three interceptions, and they also had to scrape by on the ground in a game where the rushing edge was razor-thin. Fickell made it clear the result mattered, but the formula did not look like one Wisconsin can lean on for long.
The bigger concern is sustainability. Wisconsin finished with only a one-yard edge in rushing yardage and was outperformed when the quarterback run game was stripped out, a sign the offense still has work to do if it wants to control games instead of just hang around in them. Fickell pointed to ball security and the rushing attack as the areas that have to improve moving forward, which is a fair reminder that even a win like this can feel more like a warning than a breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Two LA Matchups Suddenly Carry Very Different Threats
With Wisconsin working through a demanding Big Ten slate, the trip out to Los Angeles is starting to look less like a single swing through two marquee programs and more like two games with very different levels of danger. The Badgers already have a tough one looming against No. 14 Iowa, and now the other West Coast stops are taking on new meaning as the conference race tightens.
UCLA has surged to 4-0 under new coach Bob Chesney and earned a spot in the Top 25 behind strong play on both sides of the ball, while USC remains a far more complicated read under Lincoln Riley. The Trojans have been drawing criticism for their defense and the fallout from a controversial player incident, and with Washington, Penn State and Wisconsin all on the schedule, the pressure around that matchup is only growing. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Just Earned The Kind Of Respect Fans Will Notice
Wisconsins comeback win over No. 13 Penn State did more than just change the conversation around the Badgers for a week. It gave Luke Fickells group the kind of result that tends to travel, the sort of performance that reminds opponents this is still a physical team capable of responding when things get uncomfortable. After a stretch of frustration, the victory looked like more than a single upset - it looked like a sign of growth.
Pat Fitzgerald noticed, too, and his praise for Fickell and Wisconsin centered on the toughness and resilience the Badgers showed in turning that game around. With Michigan State and Wisconsin now heading toward each other after very different recent outcomes, the matchup carries a little extra weight. One side is trying to prove the Penn State win was a turning point, while the other is preparing for a Badgers team that has just earned some new respect. [Read more 🡒]