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USA Today
10 hours ago
- Business
- USA Today
Where Wisconsin football landed in ESPN's updated FPI for 2025 season
Where Wisconsin football landed in ESPN's updated FPI for 2025 season The Wisconsin Badgers landed at No. 9 among Big Ten teams in ESPN's latest FPI rankings for the 2025 season on Tuesday. The metric, which evaluates a college football team's potential, placed the Badgers behind the Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Oregon Ducks, Michigan Wolverines, USC Trojans, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Washington Huskies and Indiana Hoosiers. The outlet also considers UW the No. 38 overall team in the country and projects its win-loss mark at 5.6-6.5. Notably, the Badgers were placed ahead of the No. 39-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, No. 43-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers, No. 44-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini and No. 61-ranked Maryland Terrapins on the hierarchy. While Iowa and Minnesota handed the Badgers losses a season ago, Luke Fickell's program will line up against all four programs during the 2025 slate. If one were to simply abide by ESPN's metrics, Wisconsin would finish with a 6-6 mark following the 2025 season with losses to Alabama, the No. 3 overall team in the FPI ranking, Michigan (No. 17), Ohio State (No. 4), Oregon (No. 6), Washington (No. 27) and Indiana (No. 31). Miami (Ohio), Wisconsin's first opponent, holds the No. 79 distinction, while Middle Tennessee, Wisconsin's second foe, is down at No. 134. While numbers and projections are one discussion, what occurs on the field is certainly the more prudent component for the Badgers this coming season. Wisconsin went 3-6 in Big Ten play a season ago with its only wins against Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern, three of the lowest-rated teams in the conference. In addition to last season's finish, Wisconsin will welcome a new offensive coordinator, system and quarterback in the third full season under Fickell. Jeff Grimes, former Kansas offensive coordinator, will be calling plays for former Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., leading what projects to be a traditional ground-and-pound approach. A gauntlet of games against Alabama, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State and Ohio State doesn't help Wisconsin's chances of finishing with a winning record. UW's standing in ESPN's FPI will receive clarity beginning with Week 4 against the Maryland Terrapins on Sept. 20. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Wisconsin football lands commitment from class of 2026 in-state linebacker
Wisconsin football landed a commitment from class of 2026 linebacker Ben Wenzel on Sunday. Wenzel announced his commitment during his official visit to the program. He chose the Badgers over one other top contender: the Oklahoma Sooners. Advertisement 247Sports lists the Appleton, Wisconsin, native as a three-star recruit, ranked specifically as the No. 1,251 player in the class of 2026, the No. 109 linebacker and the No. 5 recruit from his home state. He is the Badgers' highest-ranked in-state recruit in the class, with 247Sports' No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 players in the state committed to Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa and North Dakota State, respectively. Wisconsin was late to offer Wenzel, waiting until May 20 to do so. The program's pursuit then picked up quickly. It has now added the linebacker's commitment before his scheduled visit to Oklahoma (June 20). Wenzel is Wisconsin's ninth commitment in the class. He was the program's second addition to the group on Sunday, following three-star defensive lineman Arthur Scott. Both players committed before the conclusion of their official visits. The Badgers' class now ranks No. 39 nationally and No. 13 in the Big Ten after those two additions. Luke Fickell and his staff are still looking for their first blue-chip commit. Wisconsin is building momentum off its first official visit weekend of the month, arguably the most important three-day period of the recruiting cycle. Fickell and company hope that momentum aids the program's chances with its top targets in the class, including four-star recruits LB McHale Blade, WR Jayden Petit, RB Amari Latimer, OT Kamari Blair and athlete Jackson Ford. Advertisement Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin football recruiting 2026 Ben Wenzel commitment
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Updated Wisconsin football 2025 schedule with kick time, TV info for nonconference slate
Updated Wisconsin football 2025 schedule with kick time, TV info for nonconference slate Wisconsin's 2025 football schedule continues to gain clarity. The Badgers recently learned the kickoff times and television information for the first three games of the season -- their full nonconference schedule. That opening stretch precedes arguably the toughest conference schedule in the sport, let alone in just the Big Ten. Wisconsin is slated to face ESPN SP+'s No. 1, No. 7, No. 10, No. 19, No. 23 and No. 28 overall teams in Big Ten play. A road trip to Alabama (SP+'s No. 2 team) will be an apt preview for what faces Luke Fickell's team during its conference slate. Wisconsin itself ranks No. 37 in ESPN's latest SP+ update. That mark is also good for No. 10 in the Big Ten, narrowly edging 2025 opponents Washington (No. 39 overall) and Minnesota (No. 40). As we await kickoff information for the remainder of Wisconsin's 2025 schedule, here is an updated look at the announced dates, kickoff times and broadcast information. Wisconsin Badgers 2025 football schedule For more on each matchup, here are our latest game-by-game predictions. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Wisconsin football reveals start times, TV information for 2025 nonconference schedule
Wisconsin football reveals start times, TV information for 2025 nonconference schedule Wisconsin football released start times and television information for the first three games of its 2025 season on Thursday. UW's first contest of the 2025 slate is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, Aug. 28, against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks at Camp Randall Stadium. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Wisconsin's second bout, a home matchup against Middle Tennessee, is set to commence at 3:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, Sept. 6, on Fox Sports 1. A week later, Luke Fickell's program will square off against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, at 11:00 a.m. CT. That nationally-televised game will be broadcast on ESPN/ABC. The opener vs. the RedHawks marks the sixth time in the last eight seasons that UW will start its season with a night game. The program did so in 2024, securing a 28-14 victory over the Western Michigan Broncos in Madison. Most notably, the third contest of the season is a rematch of the Badgers' 2024 defeat at the hands of the Crimson Tide at Camp Randall. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe captained his squad to a 42-10 blowout victory. Other marquee battles, including at Michigan on Oct. 4, vs. Ohio State on Oct. 18, at Oregon on Oct. 25 and at Indiana on Nov. 15, have yet to receive a start time or television designation. Wisconsin went 5-7 in 2024 in the second full season under Fickell. The team recorded wins over Western Michigan, South Dakota, Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern. The disappointing output prompted UW's brass to relieve former offensive coordinator Phil Longo of his duties in November. The program then signed former Kansas OC Jeff Grimes following the season's end. With former Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. now poised to start at quarterback for Grimes and Fickell, Wisconsin will work towards rediscovering its traditional identity on offense. That journey begins against the RedHawks at 8:00 p.m. CT on Aug. 28 at Camp Randall. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
27-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Picking Wisconsin's football schedule by NCAA Academic Progress Rate and U.S. News ranking
Picking Wisconsin's football schedule by NCAA Academic Progress Rate and U.S. News ranking The difficulty of Wisconsin's 2025 football schedule is well documented. As we've outlined both before and after spring practice, the slate is by far the Big Ten's toughest and among the most challenging in the entire sport. The team hosts two clear-cut national title contenders in Ohio State and Oregon, plus travels to play another in Alabama. The schedule also includes games against College Football Playoff hopefuls Michigan, Washington and Illinois, and projected top-30 teams in Iowa and Indiana. That all doesn't include Minnesota, which has claimed Paul Bunyan's Axe in three of the last four years. The preseason consensus is that Wisconsin would do extremely well to make a bowl game, let alone return to an eight or nine-win pace. Therefore, it may require more than just an assessment of wins and losses to evaluate the program's progress in what will be year three of the Luke Fickell era. For more on the team's specific outlook, here are our post-spring game-by-game predictions. That is all an on-field assessment of Wisconsin football and its upcoming opponents. Unrelated to football, how does Wisconsin compare to those schools academically? In the last few weeks, we've outlined Wisconsin's place in the Big Ten in both the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate and the latest U.S News & World Report rankings. Those placements: No. 5 (991) and No. 6 (No. 39 nationally), respectively. Now, how do those standings compare to the team's upcoming opponents? In other words, who is the smartest school Wisconsin football plays in 2025? Week 1 vs. Miami (OH) RedHawks Academic Progress Rate: 959 U.S. News Ranking: No. 136 Wisconsin has little trouble besting Miami (OH) academically and shouldn't have much trouble on the football field. The RedHawks are ESPN SP+'s No. 96-ranked team in the sport entering the season. If we were to make picks based solely on APR, U.S. News ranking, or SP+, Wisconsin is 1-0 in every scenario. Week 2 vs. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Academic Progress Rate: 959 U.S. News Ranking: No. 273 The same blurb from the opener against Miami (OH) can apply to this contest. Wisconsin has a significantly higher standing in APR, U.S. News' ranking and SP+. Week 3 at Alabama Crimson Tide Academic Progress Rate: 998 U.S. News Ranking: No. 171 This is where Wisconsin's schedule begins its significant on-field challenge. Alabama is SP+'s No. 2 team entering the season, trailing another team on the Badgers' schedule. None would be surprised if this becomes the Badgers' first loss of the year. Off the field, while Wisconsin holds a much higher U.S. News ranking than Alabama, it falls short in APR. Get more (Alabama) news, analysis, and opinions on Roll Tide Wire Week 4 vs. Maryland Terrapins Academic Progress Rate: 962 U.S. News Ranking: No. 44 Maryland is part of a large group of schools on Wisconsin's schedule with similar academic rankings. While the Terrapins' latest APR is significantly lower than the Badgers', only five spots separate the two schools' U.S. News ranking. Week 6 at Michigan Wolverines Academic Progress Rate: 996 U.S. News Ranking: No. 21 To spoil the article's title, Michigan is the top-ranked academic school on Wisconsin's 2025 schedule. It ranks just No. 3 in the Big Ten, behind UCLA (No. 15 nationally) and Northwestern (No. 6). This is one of the few matchups where Wisconsin is outperformed in all three categories — APR, U.S. News ranking, and SP+ rating. Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire Week 7 vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Academic Progress Rate: 982 U.S. News Ranking: No. 98 Wisconsin edges Iowa in APR and U.S. News ranking. The on-field matchup is more of a question, especially after the Hawkeyes crushed the Badgers 42-10 last season. This game will go a long way toward deciding Wisconsin's 2025 season. Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire Week 8 vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Academic Progress Rate: 1000 U.S. News Ranking: No. 41 No football program in the country has a better APR than Ohio State. Additionally, none are ranked higher in ESPN SP+. Wisconsin only owns a four-spot edge over Ohio State in U.S. News' rankings. Badgers fans hope the on-field matchup is somehow just as close. Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire Week 9 at Oregon Ducks Academic Progress Rate: 946 U.S. News Ranking: No. 109 Wisconsin has a prohibitive academic edge over Oregon, besting the football program's APR by 45 points and the school's U.S. News ranking by 72 spots. The same can't be said for the on-field matchup. The Ducks are No. 7 in SP+, fresh off a 13-1 2024 season that included a Big Ten title. Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire Week 11 vs. Washington Huskies Academic Progress Rate: 978 U.S. News Ranking: No. 46 Wisconsin closes the season with four must-win games. Washington, which has high expectations entering year two under Jedd Fisch, is one of those critical matchups. Given that Wisconsin edges Washington in both listed academic metrics, the on-field matchup will hopefully follow suit. Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire Week 12 at Indiana Hoosiers Academic Progress Rate: 982 U.S. News Ranking: No. 73 If games were picked based only on U.S. News ranking, Wisconsin would be 9-1 after its matchup against Indiana. The only loss in that scenario is to Michigan in Week 6. Of course, the word 'football' carries significant weight in the name of the sport, 'college football.' Week 13 vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Academic Progress Rate: 971 U.S. News Ranking: No. 33 Wisconsin dropped behind Illinois in this year's U.S. News Ranking. The program also may be falling behind on the football field, as Bret Bielema's Illini are fresh off a 10-win 2024 season and enter 2025 with expectations of a College Football Playoff breakthrough. Week 14 at Minnesota Golden Gophers Academic Progress Rate: 992 U.S. News Ranking: No. 54 Wisconsin closes with an all-too-familiar matchup. The program barely edges Minnesota in SP+, forecasting yet another coin-flip matchup. Given that Minnesota has won three of the last four in the series, including a 24-7 triumph at Camp Randall Stadium to close 2024, it's reasonable to call this matchup a must-win. In summary, the Badgers would do well if games were decided in the classroom. They beat 10 of their 12 opponents in the latest U.S. News rankings, plus eight of 12 in NCAA APR. We'll now see how the on-field product compares to that projection. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
