When Wisconsin looked ahead to its 2026 slate, there was plenty of relief that Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, and Michigan were off the menu. On paper, it seemed like the Badgers had dodged the most punishing part of the Big Ten grind.
Five games in, that optimism looks a little shaky.
If the AP rankings hold steady through October, Luke Fickell’s team will have already played five ranked opponents in its first eight games. And that stretch isn’t even done yet, because the next three all come against AP Top 25 teams. What once looked manageable now feels a lot heavier.
Here’s how the rest of Wisconsin’s schedule stacks up now compared with preseason expectations.
The trip to UCLA in Week 7 has become a much bigger problem than it looked like before the season. The Bruins weren’t being treated as a pushover to begin with, but Bob Chesney has changed the feel of that team fast.
The former James Madison head coach brought a bunch of his guys with him and has UCLA rolling at 4-0 (2-0 Big Ten). Oregon will give the Bruins a stiff test this weekend, but Wisconsin is still likely to walk into the Rose Bowl as an underdog a week from Saturday.
Verdict: Tougher
USC in Week 8 still looks like a major headache, even if the Trojans have drawn plenty of criticism for their 5-1 start, especially after the home loss to Oregon. The record doesn’t tell the whole story.
Lincoln Riley’s team is still loaded with talent, and Jayden Maiva may end up being the best quarterback Wisconsin sees all season. That makes this late-October game in Madison a serious challenge for Mike Tressel’s defense.
Verdict: Similar
Then comes Iowa in Week 9, and this one already had a reputation before fall camp even started. It was labeled Wisconsin’s toughest game of the 2026 season then, Notre Dame included, and that hasn’t changed.
Iowa may not be the most gifted team in the country, but its style has repeatedly given Wisconsin trouble in recent meetings. Beating the Hawkeyes in Iowa City still looks like a tall task, even if the Badgers can make it more competitive than a 37-0 loss.
Verdict: Similar
After that stretch, Rutgers arrives in Week 10, and it looks like the closest thing Wisconsin gets to a breather. The Scarlet Knights are 1-4 (0-2), and they’ve already taken a bad home loss to UMass. After three straight games against ranked opponents, this is the kind of matchup Wisconsin has to cash in on at Camp Randall.
Verdict: Easier
The Week 11 trip to Maryland carries baggage, because plenty of people around Wisconsin still remember Malik Washington showing up in nightmares from last year’s 27-10 home loss. Still, the Terps haven’t been good, and Mike Locksley is sitting on a hot seat that’s getting warmer by the week.
Maryland is 2-3 (0-2) and has looked about as shaky as expected. Wisconsin needs to win this one, and there’s no reason to think it can’t.
Verdict: Similar
Purdue in Week 12 is no longer the automatic win it once seemed to be. Wisconsin has beaten the Boilermakers 18 straight times since 2003, but Barry Odem has given West Lafayette some life.
That showed up in last week’s 24-17 win over Bret Bielema’s Illinois team. What looked like a comfortable Badger victory before the season now feels a lot less certain.
Verdict: Tougher
The regular season ends with Minnesota in Week 13, and that one has grown into a monster. PJ Fleck could extend his Axe streak to three years with a win, and the Gophers have been better than many expected.
Their defense is typically stout, and Drake Lindsey has given them real quality at quarterback. Wins at Washington and at home against Michigan have pushed Minnesota’s confidence up another level.
For Wisconsin, this is the kind of game Luke Fickell will need no matter what the record looks like by then.
Verdict: Tougher
Put it all together, and the back half of Wisconsin’s schedule looks a lot meaner than it did in preseason. The count is three tougher games, three similar ones, and one easier matchup, which leaves the Badgers with a slate that has clearly sharpened since August.
There’s only one sure-fire win in sight, a couple likely losses, and a whole lot of games that can swing either way.
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Instead, Manchester will miss the entire 2026-27 basketball season, leaving Wisconsin with 13 active players for the upcoming campaign. For a team that has already had to piece together its rotation this offseason, the loss trims away a bit more margin before the first practice reps even turn into games. [Read more 🡒]
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Wisconsin Heads Into Bye With One Position Suddenly Under The Microscope
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Even so, the break comes with at least one spot suddenly drawing extra attention. Center Luke Kaweckis performance and injury status left an uneasy note amid an otherwise comfortable win, and the bye gives Wisconsin a little time to sort out how secure that position really is. For a team trying to build on a strong start in league play, that kind of uncertainty inside the line can matter just as much as the scoreboard did on Saturday. [Read more 🡒]