Demanding schedule could make it tough for Wisconsin to bounce back from rare losing season

By Canadian Press on August 20, 2025.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin wants to start a new string of bowl appearances after allowing its streak of 22 straight winning season to end with a late tailspin a year ago. A demanding schedule will complicate that effort.

The Badgers face six teams ranked 20th or higher in the preseason Associated Press Top 25: No. 3 Ohio State, No. 7 Oregon, No. 8 Alabama, No. 12 Illinois, No. 14 Michigan and No. 20 Indiana. Four of those six games are away from home.

That’s a tough road for any team, particularly one trying to regain its footing after ending 2024 with five straight losses.

“We see that as just more fuel,” safety Austin Brown said. “We’re already counted out by a lot of people. Even our own fans count us out. To us, we have nothing to lose.”

Wisconsin has gone 13-13 under coach Luke Fickell, who took over the Badgers after going 53-10 with one College Football Playoff appearance in his last five seasons at Cincinnati.

“What last year does do is it gives us an opportunity to be able to self-reflect,” Fickell said. “It gives us an opportunity to recognize things that we need to continue to be able to change.”

Those changes included hiring new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes and adding size on the defensive line.

The Badgers believe those adjustments can help them meet this program’s usual standards.

“Coming into this year, we’re going to be the more physical team and we’re going to try to wear people down, try to get back to old Wisconsin football,” safety Preston Zachman said.

Changes in the offense

Grimes comes to Wisconsin after working as Kansas’ offensive coordinator last year, and he’s also held that position at BYU and Baylor. He’s returning Wisconsin to its roots after the offense struggled under Air Raid disciple Phil Longo the last two years.

Wisconsin averaged 23.5 points in 2023 and 22.6 last season. Before 2023, Wisconsin hadn’t finished a season with such a low scoring average since 2004.

Another transfer QB

This marks the third straight year that Wisconsin opens a season with a transfer starting at quarterback. Billy Edwards Jr. completed 65% of his passes for 2,881 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions for Maryland last year.

Quarterback injuries have hampered Wisconsin. SMU transfer Tanner Mordecai missed 3 1/2 games in 2023 with a broken hand. Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the third game of the season last year.

Those injuries caused Mississippi State transfer Braedyn Locke to start 12 games for Wisconsin over the last two seasons. Locke is now at Arizona.

Impressive but inexperienced at RB

Tawee Walker’s transfer to Cincinnati leaves Wisconsin without proven running backs, but the Badgers still have reason to feel good about their rushing attack.

Darrion Dupree showed promise last year while running for 317 yards, making him Wisconsin’s top returning rusher. Dilin Jones played just three games last year but had an impressive spring. Cade Yacamelli rushed for 274 yards on just 33 carries a year ago.

They’ll run behind a line featuring three returning starters in center Jake Renfro, tackle Riley Mahlman and guard Joe Brunner.

Shoring up the front seven

Wisconsin prioritized upgrading its run defense after allowing 200 yards rushing per game and 4.63 yards per carry last season. Purdue was the only Big Ten team to give up more rushing yards.

The Badgers also need a stronger pass rush after collecting 17 sacks last year to rank next-to-last in the Big Ten, ahead of only Maryland.

Transfer portal additions Charles Perkins (formerly at Tennessee-Martin, Jay’Viar Suggs (LSU), Parker Petersen (Tulane) and Mason Reiger (Louisville) could boost Wisconsin’s front seven on defense.

The schedule

Wisconsin opens Aug. 28 with a Thursday night game against Miami (Ohio) and then hosts Middle Tennessee before going to Alabama on Sept. 13. A brutal October has the Badgers facing Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State and Oregon in successive weeks.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Steve Megargee, The Associated Press