The Big Ten is already underway, but for Wisconsin and the rest of the conference, Week 1 is where the real sorting starts. USC opened things with a 42-26 win over San Jose State at the LA Coliseum, and now the focus shifts to how the league stacks up before the full slate gets rolling.
At the top, Ohio State gets the nod, just barely ahead of Indiana. The Buckeyes bring what sounds like the conference’s most dangerous overall package, with Jeremiah Smith at wide receiver, Julian Sayin at quarterback, and impact talent all over the roster.
Indiana, though, is right there because there’s no obvious hole anywhere else. The quarterback spot is the only area where the Hoosiers may take a slight step back, but the rest of the team looks loaded.
Oregon sits behind that pair, even if the Ducks may look stronger on paper. The reason for the placement is simple: until Dan Lanning’s team actually beats Indiana, there’s no reason to flip them. Dante Moore is described as a future top-10 pick, and the Ducks still don’t show much weakness.
USC lands fourth after a opener that was more convincing than the final score. The crowd at the Coliseum was thin, but Lincoln Riley’s team handled business. Freshman receiver Trent Mosley stood out with seven catches for 118 yards and a touchdown, and he looks like a name to remember.
Penn State comes next, a team that may not be getting as much love as some others but still profiles as sturdy and experienced. The Nittany Lions have a veteran roster and a good coach, and that combination should keep them in the mix.
Washington checks in after that, with Demond Williams Jr. drawing plenty of attention despite offseason portal drama. The receiving corps may not be as flashy, but the offensive line looks strong again and the defense is expected to hold steady.
Michigan follows, with Bryce Underwood in year two and Kyle Whittingham now in charge. The roster looks solid enough, but the next step depends on Underwood taking one himself.
Iowa remains a question because the Hawkeyes still haven’t named a starting quarterback. That alone says plenty about Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown. Iowa should be fine in other areas, but the lack of proven quarterback play and wide receiver talent could keep it from moving much.
Minnesota lands in the middle tier, and there’s more talent there than people may realize. Darius Taylor, Greg Johnson and Anthony Smith all rank among the Big Ten’s best at their spots, while Drake Lindsey is the key piece after getting some NFL buzz this offseason.
Nebraska is another team that doesn’t exactly jump off the page, but it may be Matt Rhule’s best group in Lincoln. Anthony Colandrea still has to prove himself in this league, though the nonconference schedule - Ohio, Bowling Green and North Dakota - gives him room to settle in.
Wisconsin is slotted behind that group, and the case for the Badgers is straightforward: there’s room to rise. The first three games won’t offer much help, with a heavy favorite and two heavy underdogs on the schedule, so October may be the earliest chance to climb. The Badgers are capable of moving up, but for now they sit where they sit.
UCLA is the league’s biggest wild card, and Bob Chesney’s hire is a big part of that. The question is how the James Madison transfers, along with the rest of the new arrivals, translate to Big Ten play.
Illinois is expected to slide after its best two-year stretch in program history, with 19 wins across the 2024 and 2025 seasons. The transfer class doesn’t inspire much confidence, and that points toward a step back.
Rutgers has a couple of players worth circling in KJ Duff and Antwan Raymond, but the roster drops off sharply after that.
Northwestern becomes one of the more intriguing teams to track with Aidan Chiles at quarterback, Jerry Neuheisel coaching the position and Chip Kelly calling plays. That’s a different kind of offense for a program that has usually leaned on the run.
Maryland has Malik Washington and some real talent up front on defense, but there are still too many questions elsewhere on the roster.
Michigan State is in rebuild mode under Pat Fitzgerald, and 2026 does not look like the year the turnaround arrives.
Purdue brings up the rear, and the outlook is bleak enough that two wins may be a stretch.
In Other News...
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The lead-up to Wisconsins opener against No. 4 Notre Dame has taken on a different look on both sides of the ball, with the Badgers dealing with questions up front and the Irish sorting through a couple of notable injury issues of their own. For Wisconsin, the focus has been on the availability of starting offensive linemen Emerson Mandell and Kevin Heywood, a concern that only adds to the challenge of protecting the quarterback in a matchup that already looked steep on paper.
Notre Dames latest injury report makes the matchup even more worth watching, especially with linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa listed as questionable and wide receiver Quincy Porter ruled out for Week 1. Porters absence matters because he was expected to be part of the starting receiving group, while Viliamu-Asas status could affect the Irish defenses depth as the game approaches. For the Badgers, any edge in a season opener like this can matter, and the health updates on both sidelines could shape how the first major test of the year unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins 2027 Class Is Sparking A Debate Badgers Fans Wont Ignore
Wisconsins 2027 basketball recruiting class has already stirred up a familiar kind of debate among Badgers fans, and it starts with how the national services are valuing the group. Guard Jalen Brown, forward Baboucarr Ann and center Jack Thelen are all viewed by most outlets as top-100 level prospects, which is enough to make this class stand out before any of them have even arrived in Madison.
ESPNs latest update, though, only included Brown at No. 96 and left Ann and Thelen unranked, a discrepancy that has only added fuel to the discussion. Rankings always come with some built-in subjectivity, and the real test for Wisconsins staff will come later, when the trio is actually on campus and the comparisons shift from internet lists to what they look like once practice starts. [Read more 🡒]
Eight Former Badgers Just Earned A New Reason For Fans To Watch
The 2026 NFL Draft came and went without a Wisconsin selection, but the Badgers still found a way into the league conversation. Several undrafted former Wisconsin players signed free agent deals, got into preseason action and kept themselves in the mix long enough to survive the first wave of roster cuts, which is no small accomplishment in a league where the margins are razor thin.
Now eight former Badgers have a new home on practice squads around the NFL, with landing spots spread across teams like the Rams, Dolphins, Eagles, Falcons, Saints, Giants, Panthers and 49ers. For Wisconsin fans, it is a familiar kind of late-summer scoreboard to follow: not draft night headlines, but the slower, quieter progress of players hanging on, earning another chance and giving the Badgers a reason to keep an eye on Sundays a little differently. [Read more 🡒]