Wisconsin’s 2025 football schedule has a mix of challenges and opportunities. The Badgers will kick off their season with games against Miami University, Middle Tennessee, and Maryland, which offers a strong chance for a 3-1 start. However, tough road games at Alabama, Michigan, and Oregon, along with tough home matchups against Ohio State and Washington, will test the team’s mettle. Wisconsin also misses key Big Ten opponents like Penn State and USC, but they will face Michigan State, Northwestern, Purdue, and Rutgers, which didn’t perform well in the previous season.
The Good: The schedule features a nice stretch from October 11 to November 15, where only one game is away from Camp Randall (at Oregon). The Badgers should pick up wins early in the season, but the road stretch will be challenging.
The Bad: The five toughest road games—at Alabama, Michigan, Oregon, Indiana, and Minnesota—create a daunting challenge for the Badgers. There’s no real break in the schedule, with eight consecutive games against 2024 bowl teams.
Best Case Scenario: If Wisconsin can split the games against Alabama and Michigan, as well as the matchups against Ohio State and Oregon, they could start the season with a 6-2 record. After an open date, the team could finish strong, securing victories over Indiana and Minnesota to reach the Big Ten Championship and potentially the College Football Playoff.
Worst Case Scenario: If Wisconsin loses all of their tough games, including Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, and Oregon, they could start 3-5. A loss to either Maryland or Iowa could derail their season, leaving them with just enough wins to be bowl-eligible but falling short of a major breakthrough.
Season Prediction: Wisconsin’s 2025 season will show improvement, but it won’t be a breakout year. With tough road games, they’ll likely win two of those and finish with at least six wins, earning a bowl game bid, but still falling short of major success under coach Luke Fickell.
