2025 Wisconsin Badgers Football

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The 2025 season for the Wisconsin Badgers opens up on Thursday, August 28th against Miami (OH) at Camp Randall Stadium at 8:00 pm (Central Time) on the Big Ten Network (BTN).

As I write this, UW is currently an 18-point favorite – per Bovada – against Miami (OH).

On Bovada, the over/under win total for the Badgers is an uninspiring 5.5 wins. The odds to win the National Championship is +60000 (risk $100 to win $60,000).

Luke Fickell enters his third full season (fourth total including 2022 Bowl Game) as the Wisconsin head coach. The Badgers have gone 13-13 (.500) under his leadership. Fickell has a 76-38 (.667) career record. He needs to start winning in Madison.

Some things I’m looking forward to tomorrow night as key indicators of success moving forward – in no particular order:

• Explosive plays. UW has been one of the worst teams in College Football in the Fickell era at generating explosive plays. Whether you take the top off down the field or hit on a big run play, you simply need big plays to generate points.
• An improved running game. The Badgers simply need to be better in the run game to stay out of bad down-and-distance situations, which also has been a killer in the Fickell era. While yes, an occasional home run might be needed, even a consistent 3/4-yard rush on non-home run drives is good.
• Outside pash rush. I don’t care if it’s schemed up or player generated, but UW cannot continue to be among the worst teams in College Football in that regard again as they have the past two years.
• Being more stout at the point of attack. I don’t care if teams dink & dunk the ball down the field against soft zone defenses (Kevin Cosgrove defense) as long as the Badgers don’t get blown off the ball like they have been the past two years in the Fickell era.

So I guess that means pass offense, run offense, pass defense, and run defense. Nothing major. But on a serious note, I just want to see UW FINALLY have an identity in the Fickell era that UW is getting better, at least move the needle to average.

The Badgers face the Big Ten’s toughest schedule this season, but do have five Big Ten home games.

As far as my predictions go. I think the absolute ceiling for this team is an 8-4 regular season (please note the word ceiling in this). Realistically, I think the Badgers will finish 5-7 for the second straight season and miss out on a bowl game.

I won’t write off an upset somewhere on the schedule, but they have zero margin of error.

My game-by-game predictions:

Miami (OH) – Win

Middle Tennessee – Win

@ Alabama – Loss

Maryland – Win

BYE

@ Michigan – Loss

Iowa – Loss

Ohio State – Loss

@ Oregon – Loss

Washington – Win

@ Indiana – Loss

Illinois – Loss

@ Minnesota – Win

Comment with your thoughts and predictions for the 2025 Wisconsin Badgers football season!