Wisconsin Badgers
Big Ten
0-0 (0-0 conf)
SP+ #85
Ratings
2025 final
- SP+
- -4.4 (#85)
- SP+ Offense
- 17.4
- SP+ Defense
- 20.9
- SRS
- 2.3
- FPI
- 2.5
- Elo
- 1502
- Talent
- 763
- Recruiting
- 187 (#78)
2026 Outlook
Projected wins
5.4p10 3.0 — p90 7.0
| Round | Prob | |
|---|---|---|
| Win conference | 0.0% | |
| Make CFP | 0.0% | |
| Quarterfinal | 0.0% | |
| Semifinal | 0.0% | |
| Natl. final | 0.0% | |
| Natl. champ | 0.0% |
Schedule
proj record 5.5–6.5
Schedule
49th
toughest of 136
Offenses faced
54th
toughest of 136
Defenses faced
53rd
toughest of 136
Strength of schedule — how tough this team's opponents are, ranked 1 (hardest) to 136 (easiest) · by 2025 SP+ · 1 FCS game.
| Wk | Opponent | SP+ | Score | Proj | Win% | Res |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NNotre Dame | +24.4 | 21-42 | -20.9 | 10% | — |
| 2 | vsWestern Illinois | FCS | 44-5* | +39.1 | 99% | — |
| 3 | vsEastern Michigan | -14.7 | 34-18 | +15.4 | 82% | — |
| 4 | @Penn State | +18.1 | 16-33 | -16.3 | 16% | — |
| 5 | vsMichigan State | -3.4 | 28-23 | +4.9 | 62% | — |
| 7 | @UCLA | -8.7 | 29-29 | +0.1 | 50% | — |
| 8 | vsUSC | +16.9 | 22-38 | -15.6 | 17% | — |
| 9 | @Iowa | +19.7 | 20-35 | -15.4 | 18% | — |
| 10 | vsRutgers | +1 | 22-25 | -3.0 | 43% | — |
| 11 | @Maryland | +0.6 | 27-28 | -1.8 | 45% | — |
| 12 | @Purdue | -6.1 | 28-28 | +0.1 | 50% | — |
| 13 | vsMinnesota | +1.5 | 27-27 | +0.7 | 52% | — |
* FBS-vs-FCS estimate from the SP+ gap — no per-game model for FCS opponents.
Quarterbacks · 5
2026 · 79
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | 1st | Colton Joseph← Old Dominion | SO | 6'2" | 200 | ★★★ |
| QB | 2nd | Danny O'Neil | SO | 6'0" | 196 | ★★★ |
| QB | 3rd | Hunter Simmons | SR | — | 215 | — |
| QB | 4th | Carter Smith | FR | 6'3" | 197 | ★★★★ |
| QB | 5th | Deuce Adams← Louisville | FR | 6'2" | 190 | ★★★ |
Running Backs · 6
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB | 1st | Abu Sama III← Iowa State | JR | 5'11" | 210 | ★★★ |
| RB | 2nd | Darrion Dupree | SO | 5'10" | 212 | ★★★★ |
| RB | 3rd | Gideon Ituka | FR | 5'9" | 227 | — |
| RB | 4th | Nate Palmer← TCU | FR | 6'0" | 190 | ★★★ |
| RB | 5th | Bryan Jackson← USC | SO | 6'0" | 235 | ★★★ |
| RB | 6th | Grover Bortolotti | SR | 5'9" | 204 | — |
Wide Receivers · 11
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | 1st | Vinny Anthony II | SR | 6'0" | 190 | — |
| WR | 2nd | Shamar Rigby← Oklahoma State | SO | 6'3" | 190 | ★★★ |
| WR | 3rd | Jayden Ballard | SR | 6'2" | 205 | ★★★★ |
| WR | 4th | Tyrell Henry | SR | 6'0" | 178 | — |
| WR | 5th | Chris Brooks Jr. | JR | 6'2" | 222 | ★★★ |
| WR | 6th | Eugene Hilton Jr. | FR | 6'0" | 201 | ★★★ |
| WR | 7th | Malachi Coleman← Minnesota | SO | 6'5" | 200 | ★★★ |
| WR | 8th | Zion Kearney← Oklahoma | SO | 6'1" | 207 | ★★★ |
| WR | 9th | Dekel Crowdus | SR | — | 170 | ★★★★ |
| WR | — | Eli Adams← Louisville | FR | 6'0" | 190 | ★★★ |
| WR | — | Jaylon Domingeaux← Southeastern Louisiana | — | — | — | ★★★ |
Tight Ends · 6
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TE | 1st | Lance Mason | SR | — | 240 | — |
| TE | 2nd | Jacob Harris← Bowling Green | SO | 6'4" | 255 | ★★★ |
| TE | 3rd | Jackson Acker | SR | 6'1" | 250 | ★★★ |
| TE | 4th | Grant Stec | FR | 6'6" | 255 | ★★★★ |
| TE | 5th | Jackson McGohan | SO | 6'3" | 226 | — |
| TE | — | Ryan Schwendeman← Southern Illinois | — | — | — | ★★★ |
Offensive Line · 3
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OL | — | Riley Mahlman | SR | 6'8" | 320 | ★★★★ |
| OT | — | Blake Cherry← Arkansas | FR | 6'5" | 309 | ★★★ |
| OT | — | Lucas Simmons← Florida State | SO | 6'8" | 315 | ★★★ |
Defensive Line · 14
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL | 1st | Junior Poyser← Buffalo | SO | 6'2" | 310 | ★★★ |
| DL | 2nd | Ben Barten | SR | 6'5" | 323 | — |
| DL | 3rd | DeNigel Cooper← App State | FR | 6'3" | 260 | ★★★ |
| DL | 4th | Hammond Russell IV← West Virginia | SR | 6'3" | 312 | ★★★ |
| DL | 5th | Parker Petersen | SR | 6'4" | 315 | ★★★ |
| DL | 6th | Brandon Lane | SR | 6'3" | 320 | ★★ |
| DL | 7th | Jay'viar Suggs | SR | 6'3" | 299 | — |
| DL | 8th | Charles Perkins | JR | 6'2" | 316 | — |
| DL | 9th | Dillan Johnson | SO | 6'2" | 293 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 10th | Nolan Vils | SO | 6'2" | 295 | — |
| DL | — | Jake Anderson← Illinois State | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| EDGE | 1st | Justus Boone← Arkansas | SR | 6'4" | 266 | ★★★ |
| EDGE | — | Jayden Loftin← Tennessee | FR | 6'4" | 255 | ★★★ |
| EDGE | — | Liam Danitz← Hope | — | — | — | ★★★ |
Linebackers · 13
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB | 1st | Mason Posa | FR | — | — | ★★★★ |
| LB | 2nd | Cooper Catalano | FR | 6'1" | 223 | ★★★ |
| LB | 3rd | Darryl Peterson | SR | 6'1" | 260 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 4th | Mason Reiger | SR | 6'5" | 250 | — |
| LB | 5th | Sebastian Cheeks | JR | 6'3" | 230 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 6th | Jon Jon Kamara← Kansas | FR | 6'4" | 230 | ★★★ |
| LB | 7th | Aaron Witt | SR | 6'6" | 245 | — |
| LB | 8th | Corey Walker | SR | 6'5" | 297 | ★★★ |
| LB | 9th | Tyreese Fearbry | JR | 6'4" | 249 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 10th | Thomas Heiberger | FR | 6'4" | 233 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 11th | Micheal Garner | JR | 6'6" | 300 | — |
| LB | 12th | Nicolas Clayton | FR | 6'5" | 223 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 13th | Garrison Solliday | SR | 5'11" | 236 | — |
Defensive Backs · 16
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB | 1st | Javan Robinson← Arizona State | JR | 5'11" | 180 | ★★★ |
| CB | 2nd | D'Yoni Hill | SR | 6'0" | 180 | ★★★ |
| CB | 3rd | Ricardo Hallman | SR | 5'10" | 190 | — |
| CB | 4th | Geimere Latimer | JR | 5'10" | 191 | — |
| CB | 5th | Eric Fletcher← Oklahoma State | FR | 6'1" | 180 | ★★★ |
| CB | 6th | Bryce West← Ohio State | SO | 5'11" | 197 | ★★★ |
| CB | 7th | Cairo Skanes | FR | 6'2" | 190 | ★★★ |
| CB | 8th | Cai Bates← Florida State | FR | 6'2" | 196 | ★★★ |
| S | 1st | Matthew Jung | JR | 6'3" | 225 | — |
| S | 2nd | Marvin Burks Jr.← Missouri | JR | 6'1" | 204 | ★★★ |
| S | 3rd | Austin Brown | SR | 6'1" | 213 | ★★★ |
| S | 4th | Carson Van Dinter← Iowa State | FR | 6'3" | 210 | ★★★ |
| S | 5th | Owen Arnett | SR | 5'11" | 215 | — |
| S | 6th | Matthew Traynor | SO | 6'1" | 215 | — |
| S | 7th | Charlie Jarvis | JR | 6'1" | 212 | — |
| S | 8th | Grant Dean | FR | 6'1" | 196 | — |
Special Teams · 5
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LS | 1st | Nick Levy | SR | — | 230 | — |
| LS | 2nd | James Roe← Toledo | SO | 5'11" | 194 | ★★★ |
| P | — | Ethan Tranel← Wisconsin La Crosse | — | — | — | ★★★ |
| PK | 1st | Sean West | FR | 6'2" | 195 | — |
| PK | 2nd | Nathanial Vakos | SR | 6'1" | 208 | — |
Projected Season
2026 · win prob / game
Exp. Wins
5.5
Exp. Losses
6.5
Toss-ups
5
bars: model win probabilityfav / toss-up / dog
2025 · pct vs FBS
SP+ Off
17.411
Off PPA
+0.025
Pass PPA
+0.025
Rush PPA
+0.0631
Success
37%11
Explosive
1.2026
PlayerMedian (50th)percentile vs league
SP+ Trend
points vs avg team
— Overall— Offense— Defense
SP+ = opponent-adjusted points vs an average team. Overall & Offense higher = better; Defense lower = better.
Advanced
2025 · opponent-adjusted PPA / play
| Split | Offense | Defense |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | +0.02 | +0.17 |
| Passing | +0.02 | +0.31 |
| Rushing | +0.06 | +0.05 |
| 1st Down | -0.17 | +0.03 |
| 2nd Down | +0.03 | +0.16 |
| 3rd Down | +0.22 | +0.48 |
Scoring Trend
2025 · pts/game
PPG For
12.8
PPG Against
21.6
Differential
-8.7
— Points for— Points against
dots: W / L2025
- Overall
- 4-8
- Home
- 4-3
- Away
- 0-5
- Conference
- 2-7
- Non-Conference
- 2-1
- One-Score (≤8)
- 1-0
- Avg Margin
- -8.8
Situational Splits
2025 · record · pts
| Split | Record | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | |||
| Home | 4-3 | 15.6 | 18.3 |
| Away | 0-5 | 9.0 | 26.2 |
| Competition | |||
| vs Ranked (SP+ 25) | 2-6 | 9.8 | 25.6 |
| Conference | 2-7 | 9.0 | 23.4 |
| Non-conference | 2-1 | 24.3 | 16.0 |
Season History · last 12
0 AP top-10 · 10 postseason
| Season | Record | Conf | SP+ | AP | Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4-8 | 2-7 | #85 | — | — |
| 2024 | 5-7 | 3-6 | #60 | — | — |
| 2023 | 7-5 | 5-4 | #29 | #19 | 0-1 |
| 2022 | 6-6 | 4-5 | #42 | #18 | 1-0 |
| 2021 | 8-4 | 6-3 | #7 | #12 | 1-0 |
| 2020 | 3-3 | 3-3 | #3 | — | 1-0 |
| 2019 | 10-3 | 7-3 | #11 | — | 0-1 |
| 2018 | 7-5 | 5-4 | #19 | — | 1-0 |
| 2017 | 12-1 | 9-1 | #3 | — | 1-0 |
| 2016 | 10-3 | 7-3 | #16 | — | 1-0 |
| 2015 | 9-3 | 6-2 | #21 | — | 1-0 |
| 2014 | 10-3 | 7-2 | #13 | — | 1-0 |
Recent Form · last 5
2-3 SU · 4-1 ATS · O0/U5
Betting Profile
2025 · 12 w/ line
| Straight up | 4-8 |
| ATS | 6-650% |
| Over / Under | 2-10 O-U |
| — ATS splits — | |
| As favorite | 1-3 |
| As underdog | 5-3 |
| Home | 3-4 |
| Away | 3-2 |
vs closing line · splits show cover–no cover
Recruiting Classes
avg #38 · 52 blue-chip
■ 5★■ 4★■ 3★157 rated signees
| Class | Natl | Pts | 5★ | 4★ | 3★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | #78 | 187 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 2025 | #27 | 227 | 0 | 7 | 8 |
| 2024 | #23 | 239 | 0 | 11 | 7 |
| 2023 | #58 | 188 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 2022 | #44 | 194 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 2021 | #15 | 241 | 1 | 8 | 6 |
| 2020 | #25 | 226 | 0 | 5 | 7 |
| 2019 | #29 | 220 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2018 | #45 | 195 | 0 | 1 | 21 |
| 2017 | #39 | 194 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
247Sports composite · class rank vs all FBS
Roster Talent
2026
Portal in 33net +8Out 25
Portal avg stars (in / out)3.0 / 3.0
Notable Portal Moves
| ▲ | Shamar Rigby | WR | 3★ | ← Oklahoma State |
| ▲ | Abu Sama III | RB | 3★ | ← Iowa State |
| ▲ | Jacob Harris | TE | 3★ | ← Bowling Green |
| ▲ | Austin Kawecki | IOL | 3★ | ← Oklahoma State |
| ▼ | Joe Brunner | IOL | 4★ | → Indiana |
| ▼ | Tucker Ashcraft | TE | 3★ | → USC |
| ▼ | Christian Alliegro | LB | 3★ | → Ohio State |
| ▼ | Trech Kekahuna | WR | 3★ | → North Carolina |
returning PPA · portal · talent composite · 2026
Injury Report · 0
No injuries reported.
Team News
20 items
- Biggest Questions Facing Wisconsin Football Before Fall CampWhat are the most pressing topics entering camp as Luke Fickell looks to turn it around in year four?WIS4h
- How can Wisconsin thrive in new era of college athletics under Shawn Eichorst?What direction will Wisconsin go in under Shawn Eichorst?WIS15h
- ESPN predicts the winner of every Wisconsin football game in 2026ESPN Analytics matchup predictor broke down the Wisconsin Badgers' 12 football games in 2026.WIS17h
- Does Wisconsin's projected win total go up under Shawn Eichorst?Coming off a 4-8 season, the Wisconsin Badgers know 2026 is a make-or-break year for struggling head coach Luke Fickell.WIS18h
- Three Transfer Acquisitions Wisconsin Football Could Regret in 2026Who could leave the Badgers with buyer's remorse this fall?WIS2d
- Wisconsin Will Face Two of College Football's Best Offenses in 2026Despite a more manageable schedule, the Badgers still face some dangerous offenses.WIS3d
- Wisconsin has its first commit in the 2028 classThe Badgers have their first splash in the junior class.WIS4d
- Three takeaways from Wisconsin Badgers' first class of 2028 commitmentThe Wisconsin Badgers secured a big-time commitment from four-star linebacker Cale Britt on Wednesday, July 15.WIS4d
- Bishop Moore junior LB Cale Britt makes commitment to WisconsinThe meteoric rise that has been the recruitment of Bishop Moore 2028 linebacker Cale Britt has landed in Madison, Wis. On Wednesday, the 6-foot-3, 212-pounder committed to play for Wisconsin and he was pumped up about his decision. Britt, the No. 13 player in the Sentinel’s Central Florida Super60, picked the Badgers over Michigan and Penn State from among his more than 35 FBS scholarship ...WIS5d
- Scouting Report: Why Blue-Chip LB Cale Britt is a Perfect Fit in MadisonWisconsin's first signee in the class of 2028 drips with potential.WIS5d
- Four-star linebacker Cale Britt commits to Wisconsin's 2028 classWisconsin football coach Luke Fickell started his 2028 recruiting class July 15 with a commitment from four-star linebacker prospect Cale Britt.WIS5d
- Former Wisconsin QB turned analyst isn't giving up on Badgers footballFormer Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Nate Tice recently had a chance to preview the team's 2026 season.WIS5d
- Three Wisconsin Football Unknowns who Could Become Standouts in 2026Which Badgers could come out of nowhere and emerge as contributors this fall?WIS6d
- Why Wisconsin hired Shawn Eichorst after narrowing down candidatesWhy was Shawn Eichorst the pick?WIS6d
- Badgers' Top Incoming Recruit Makes Bold Declaration About his Wisconsin CareerMekhi Williams has already placed high expectations on himself.WIS7d
- Ranking Wisconsin Football's Defensive Transfers by Impact for 2026Which incoming transfers on the Badgers' defense are primed to make a splash in Madison?WIS7d
- Way Too Early Wisconsin Football Opponent Preview: RutgersPreviewing the most manageable conference game on the scheduleWIS7d
- Which Badgers Could Have a Posa, Catalano-type Breakout in 2026?Does Wisconsin football have another Mason Posa and/or Cooper Catalano-esque breakout waiting to happen?
- Wisconsin Football's FPI Rating Conveys Clear Message About Where Badgers Stand in Big TenESPN dropped its initial FPI ratings for the 2026 season.WIS9d
- Shawn Eichorst hire met with positive initial reviewsHow did most grade the Badgers AD hire?WIS9d