Wisconsin enters 2026 with a lot of moving parts, but CBS Sports analyst Tom Fornelli thinks that might be exactly why the Badgers are worth circling.
On a recent episode of the Cover 3 podcast, Fornelli labeled Wisconsin his “dark horse” pick in the Big Ten, pointing to a roster that has been overhauled, a defense that already proved it can hold up, and a schedule that may give the Badgers room to breathe.
“This is a very dark, dark horse, especially the way the last few years have gone for this program. But I’m going to take Wisconsin,” Fornelli said.
“I’m telling you, if you look at this team the last few years, they’ve been crushed by injuries more so than other programs have had to deal with, which have derailed their seasons. Defensively last year, that team was great.
They were one of the best defenses in the country. They just couldn’t score any points because they were down to like their third-string quarterback, their fourth-string running back, their third-string offensive tackle.
“But they’ve got Darrion Dupree, they brought in Abu Sama, the running back from Iowa State that was very successful for the Cyclones. I like what they have at running back.
I think Colton Joseph and his legs add another dimension to that offense at quarterback to kind of give him a little cheat code in the run game. They’ve revamped their run game there.
If you remember what Baylor was running a few years ago with [offensive coordinator Jeff] Grimes, that’s what they’re going to be bringing in this year. And I think that defense, while they’ve got some guys to replace, is still going to be very good.
“But the one reason, the primary reason I’m taking Wisconsin- have you seen that schedule, guys?”
That schedule matters because the Badgers are dealing with a whole lot of turnover. Wisconsin is projected to have new starters at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, left tackle, center, defensive tackle, edge, cornerback, and safety. That kind of reset would be a headache for almost anyone, but the Badgers are also bringing in a wave of talent across the roster.
The biggest addition is Colton Joseph, who was brought over from Old Dominion and is expected to be a redshirt junior in 2026. His dual-threat ability gives Wisconsin a different kind of quarterback than it has had recently, and it could open up Jeff Grimes’s offense in a way the Badgers haven’t had.
The injury issue has been impossible to ignore. Wisconsin has lost its top quarterback for at least four games in every season under Luke Fickell, and in two of those years, that player was done for the year altogether in Billy Edwards and Tyler Van Dyke. The offense has also taken hits up front and in the backfield, with injuries slowing the run game and thinning out the depth chart.
That’s why this offseason has been about rebuilding depth as much as anything else. Wisconsin has added multiple running backs to go with Darrion Dupree and Joseph, and the hope is that a healthier lineup can finally give the offense some stability.
Defensively, the Badgers should still have a strong foundation. The linebacker group is back, and while there are plenty of new faces around it, the expectation is that Wisconsin’s defense will remain a strength.
The schedule also gives Wisconsin a path, at least on paper. The toughest games in 2026 look like Notre Dame, Penn State, USC, and Iowa. Outside of that stretch, the Badgers could be favored or close to it in most of their other games if they meet expectations.
Wisconsin’s win total is currently set at 6.5, but Fornelli clearly thinks there’s a little more upside here than the market is giving the Badgers credit for.
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Joseph brings a dynamic style that could fit what coordinator Jeff Grimes wants to build, and CBS Sports recently ranked him among the 10 most elusive quarterbacks in college football based on several performance metrics. For a program that has been trying to find a spark and an identity under center, the appeal is obvious, even if the real answer still has to be proven once the games start. [Read more 🡒]