There was plenty for the University of Wisconsin football⁠ program to like about the first 30 minutes of its season opener against No. 4 Notre Dame.

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The problem was everything that followed.

Wisconsin went into halftime trailing only 13-10 before being outscored 28-3 in the second half of a 41-13 loss at Lambeau Field. The Badgers missed tackles, struggled to run the football, and couldn’t consistently get Notre Dame into the third-and-long situations where their defense had been most effective. Luke Fickell didn’t exactly help matters, either, coaching conservatively enough at times that he seemed more concerned with avoiding making a big mistake than doing what was needed to win.

Now comes a considerably different test.

Western Illinois visits Camp Randall on Saturday night, and Wisconsin will enter as an overwhelming favorite. That means Week 2 isn’t really about proving the Badgers can compete with their opponent. It’s about proving some of what they showed against Notre Dame can become repeatable.

Here are three takeaways from Luke Fickell’s Week 2 media availability.

Wisconsin needs to prove its first-half physicality can last for 4 quarters

Fickell’s explanation for the second-half collapse became a little clearer after watching the film.

He doesn’t believe Wisconsin physically ran out of gas. Instead, Fickell pointed toward the mental and emotional toll of playing such a high-level opponent with somewhere between 15 and 17 new starters.

“I don’t want to say the youth, but the newness of our ability to do that for 60 minutes of what we did in the first half showed up in the second half of the game in particular,” Fickell said. “But there’s a lot of really good things that we’re going to grow from.”

Wisconsin held Notre Dame to 29 rushing yards on 16 attempts in the first half. By the end, the Irish had 111, and the Badgers struggled to get off the field because they stopped winning first and second down.

The tackling deteriorated with it.

“Second half took a toll on us,” Fickell admitted. “And in some ways, we made some mistakes that were really, really difficult to overcome, especially against a great football team. But all in all, in that second half, I think we just wore down a bit too much. The physicality showed up a little bit.”

Western Illinois isn’t going to recreate the environment or come close to the talent level Wisconsin just faced. But that’s almost beside the point.

The Badgers need to show they can play with the same physicality and attention to detail from start to finish regardless of who is standing across from them. There can’t be another stretch where one mistake turns into several.

Fickell doesn’t want Wisconsin changing its standard because the opponent changed

This is probably the most important part of Saturday night.

Wisconsin shouldn’t need to prove much against Western Illinois beyond being the team it says it wants to be every week. Fickell was asked whether dominance matters in these kinds of nonconference games, particularly after several closer-than-expected home games during his tenure.

His answer came back to identity.

“Being dominant in every game is going to be important,” Fickell said. “I think the most important thing is that you really kind of focus on who you need to be and who you want to be.”

That sounds obvious, but Wisconsin hasn’t consistently done it under Fickell.

The Badgers have spent the better part of three years searching for something they can hang their hat on every Saturday. For one half against Notre Dame, we saw a version of it. Wisconsin was disruptive defensively, played physically up front, and looked comfortable on a big stage.

Now it needs to show that wasn’t opponent-dependent.

“We’ve got to make sure that we’re building an identity of all that we have to do, and it has to show each and every one,” Fickell said. “And however that’s going to unfold in a game, in particular Saturday night, it’s going to unfold. But we’ve got to continue to battle at what it is that we need to do and what we need to be, and that’s got to be shown on Saturday.”

That’s the assignment against Western Illinois.

Don’t chase a score. Put the identity on film.

Wisconsin’s response to adversity starts before Saturday

Fickell said after the Notre Dame loss that Wisconsin’s season “really begins now.”

His point wasn’t that the opener didn’t matter. It was that this is the first opportunity to see how a roster with so many new pieces responds after getting punched in the mouth. Some would argue the adversity was happening in real time during that second half against Notre Dame, but if the best time to respond was then, the second-best time is now.

And that evaluation is underway.

“There’s a hell of a lot of maturity and discipline involved in handling adversity,” Fickell said.

Fickell said coaches will be watching how players prepare, how injured players handle a shortened week, and whether the next man up on the depth chart approaches his opportunity with the same seriousness.

“We look for the guys that prepare in a very similar way,” Fickell said. “We look for guys that take everything as seriously as it was last week. That’ll tell us a lot about the discipline and maturity of our team.”

Saturday shouldn’t teach us a whole lot about Wisconsin.

It should, however, tell us whether the Badgers learned anything from Notre Dame. The opponent is different. The standard can’t be.

Wisconsin will return to Camp Randall Stadium for its home opener against Western Illinois on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 6:15 p.m. CT on BTN. For the Badgers, this is less about simply getting into the win column and more about looking like the better team from start to finish.

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Week 1 of the Wisconsin football team's season is in the books. The Badgers looked primed to upset No. 4 Notre Dame, but a dominant second half from the Irish ended any hopes of that.

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After the dust settled, the Badgers were on the wrong end of a 41-13 beatdown for a myriad of reasons, leading to a 0-1 start to the season.

Before we move on to the Western Illinois matchup, let’s take one last look back at the Notre Dame game with the post-Week 1 stock report:

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There wasn’t much mystery left in Wisconsin’s 41-13 loss to No. 4 Notre Dame by the time the final seconds ticked off at Lambeau Field.

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But the snap counts give us a better idea of how the Badgers actually intend to use this roster.

Some position battles became considerably clearer. Others remain unsettled. And after an offseason built around creating more playable depth, Wisconsin followed through on that plan defensively while keeping several offensive rotations tighter than expected.

Here’s what stood out at every position from Wisconsin’s Week 1 snap counts.

Quarterback

• Colton Joseph: 61 snaps

There was never much question about who Wisconsin’s quarterback was going to be, and Joseph took all 61 offensive snaps in his Badgers debut.

The 6-foot-2 signal caller finished 19-of-30 for 217 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The pick-six was costly, but there were enough encouraging moments to feel reasonably good about what Wisconsin has at quarterback — at least relative to the past few seasons.

Joseph also showed some toughness after taking several hits, and Luke Fickell specifically praised his demeanor and response to adversity afterward.

The bigger concern is creating more around him.

Joseph officially carried 12 times for three yards, with a pair of sacks obviously eating into that total, while Wisconsin finished with only 67 rushing yards as a team. If the Badgers are going to maximize what Joseph brings to the table as an athlete, they can’t consistently put him in situations where he has to manufacture offense himself.

Running back

• Abu Sama: 31

• Darrion Dupree: 25

• Nate Palmer: 4

• Tyler Jansey: 1

Sama was clearly Wisconsin’s primary runner, taking 15 carries for 49 yards. That’s only 3.3 yards per attempt, and his longest run went for seven. That said, Sama did force five missed tackles.

Dupree’s usage was considerably different. He played 25 snaps but carried the ball only four times for 15 yards, with 19 of those snaps coming either as a receiver or pass protector, according to PFF.

That distinction matters.

This looks less like a traditional 1A/1B backfield and more like Wisconsin already identifying specific roles for their top two tailbacks. Sama is the player Jeff Grimes wants carrying the football, while Dupree’s versatility gives the offense another way to get him onto the field as an asset.

Bryan Jackson did not play after dealing with an injury during camp, and Nate Palmer received only four snaps but didn’t touch the football.

For now, this is Sama’s backfield.

Wide receiver

• Chris Brooks Jr.: 47

• Tyrell Henry: 45

• Malachi Coleman: 40

• Eugene Hilton Jr.: 17

• Shamar Rigby: 15

This was probably the most revealing offensive rotation.

For all the discussion during camp about Wisconsin potentially spreading snaps across a deep receiver room, the Badgers leaned pretty heavily on Brooks, Henry and Coleman — although Hilton wound up getting hurt.

And Coleman made the most of it.

The Nebraska and Minnesota transfer caught four passes for a team-high 76 yards, including Wisconsin’s lone touchdown on a 28-yard connection with Joseph. Henry added four receptions for 42 yards, Brooks caught three for 38, and Hilton finished with three for 31 despite playing only 17 snaps.

That’s encouraging in one specific respect: Wisconsin didn’t need one receiver to dominate the targets. I’m not sure that kind of offense.

Joseph distributed the football, and four different wideouts finished with at least 30 receiving yards.

The more interesting development is Coleman. After missing some time during fall camp, the 6-foot-5 pass catcher immediately looked like someone capable of becoming a much larger part of this offense than perhaps expected. At the very least, Coleman earned more opportunities.

Rigby played 15 snaps without drawing a target. That’s worth monitoring after the Oklahoma State transfer generated some buzz during camp.

Tight end

• Grant Stec: 42

• Emmett Bork: 18

• Jacob Harris: 17

• Ryan Schwendeman: 5

If there was one offensive depth chart that looked slightly different from what I expected entering Week 1, this was probably it.

Stec wasn’t merely the starter. He was Wisconsin’s clear-cut No. 1 tight end, playing 42 snaps and catching three passes for 20 yards.

Bork, an in-state product, actually finished second in the room with 18 snaps, one more than Bowling Green transfer Jacob Harris. Harris caught only one pass for three yards.

That doesn’t mean Harris won’t eventually become a more significant piece of the puzzle. Wisconsin has intentionally built this room around different body types and skill sets, so usage in Nate Letton’s room could change substantially depending on opponent and personnel package.

But Week 1 told us something.

Stec appears to have created meaningful separation at the top.

Offensive line

• Kevin Heywood: 61

• Colin Cubberly: 61

• Austin Kawecki: 61

• PJ Wilkins: 53

• Blake Cherry: 38

• Stylz Blackmon: 23

• Lucas Simmons-Johansson: 8

The biggest news here might simply be that Heywood played every snap.

After missing most of fall camp with a lower-body injury and entering Sunday with Heywood’s availability uncertain, Wisconsin’s starting right tackle allowed two pressures while also being flagged for a penalty, but he handled all 61 offensive plays.

So did Cubberly (left guard) and Kawecki (center).

The rotation came primarily at right guard, where Blackmon started but Cherry ultimately played 38 snaps to Blackmon’s 23. With Emerson Mandell unavailable to play, that competition clearly isn’t decided.

Simmons-Johansson’s eight snaps came in relief of Wilkins at left tackle.

The results up front were mixed.

Wisconsin allowed Joseph to throw for 217 yards and largely looked solid in pass protection, but the running game never established itself. The Badgers averaged just 2.2 yards per carry, and Sama averaged 3.3.

Against Notre Dame’s defensive front, that isn’t shocking. But for an offense whose identity is supposed to begin with establishing the run, it’s an obvious area that needs to improve.

Defensive line

• Hammond Russell IV: 38

• Charles Perkins: 26

• Junior Poyser: 20

• Nolan Vils: 15

• DeNigel Cooper: 13

• Dillan Johnson: 11

This looked much closer to what Wisconsin spent the offseason describing.

The Badgers wanted size, depth, and enough bodies to rotate through their defensive front without asking anyone to handle an unreasonable workload. Six defensive linemen played at least 11 snaps, and nobody exceeded Russell’s 38.

For a half, it worked exceptionally well.

Notre Dame entered halftime with only 29 rushing yards on 16 attempts, an average of 1.8 per carry.

The problem was sustaining it.

The Irish eventually finished with 111 rushing yards. Notre Dame’s ability to stay ahead of the chains became a major part of how the game got away from the Badgers. Still, there’s enough here to believe Wisconsin has the rotational depth it wanted up front.

Inside linebacker

• Cooper Catalano: 64

• Mason Posa: 60

• Jon Jon Kamara: 18

• Thomas Heiberger: 4

There shouldn’t have been much doubt about who Mike Tressel views as the centerpieces of his defense after what Catalano and Posa showed down the stretch last season. But Week 1 helped reinforce that vision.

Catalano played every defensive snap. Posa missed only four. And both were all over the field, with Posa finishing with a career-high 15 tackles and Catalano adding nine. Wisconsin spent the offseason talking about rotating Kamara and Heiberger into the defense, which they did but against Notre Dame, Tressel leaned pretty heavily on his two starters.

Kamara still received 18 snaps, while Heiberger played only four.

That could change against Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan, when Wisconsin should have considerably more freedom to develop its depth.

But when the Badgers needed their best 11 against Notre Dame, Catalano and Posa weren’t coming off the field much.

Outside linebacker

• Sebastian Cheeks: 43

• Michael Garner: 33

• Tyreese Fearbry: 25

• Justus Boone: 21

• Nick Clayton: 11

• Aaron Witt: 1

Wisconsin actually followed through on its plan to rotate bodies here.

Five true outside linebackers saw the field, with four receiving at least 21 snaps. Aaron Witt, who has primarily been viewed as an inside linebacker, was also credited with one snap on the edge. Cheeks separated himself from the group.

The senior edge rusher recorded two tackles, three pressures, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup, with his strip-sack of CJ Carr on Notre Dame’s opening possession immediately translating the disruption he reportedly showed more often than not during fall camp — into a game.

Garner, who stands at 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, played 33 snaps and contributed four tackles, while Fearbry and Boone both received meaningful work. Boone recorded four tackles and two pressures.

This room was supposed to give Wisconsin multiple ways to attack opposing offenses rather than rely on a single premier pass rusher. One game in, Cheeks looks like he might be capable of becoming that premier option anyway. They need some of the others to continue developing.

Cornerback

• Javan Robinson: 62

• Jai’mier Scott: 48

• Bryce West: 46

• Eric Fletcher Jr.: 16

• Cai Bates: 2

This was another rotation that told us quite a bit.

Robinson essentially never left the field, while West and Scott handled the overwhelming majority of the remaining cornerback snaps.

Most notably, Scott played three times as many snaps as Fletcher.

After Wisconsin completely rebuilt this room through the transfer portal, we have our first meaningful look at the pecking order under position coach Robert Steeples. Robinson appears firmly established at the top, and Scott and West (starting nickel) have clearly earned significant roles alongside him.

The secondary held up reasonably well early on before Carr and Notre Dame found answers in the second half.

Carr finished 19-of-29 for 239 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt. Wisconsin’s softer coverage also allowed him to take easy access throws in the second half.

There were encouraging individual moments, but this remains a group that needs to prove it can hold up when offenses start finding answers.

This room was one of Wisconsin’s biggest problems a year ago. The next two nonconference games should allow the Badgers to iron some things out and figure out how to maximize the talent they’ve added to the room.

Safety

• Matthew Jung: 64

• Marvin Burks Jr.: 53

• Cairo Skanes: 10

Like Catalano, Jung never left the field.

That tracks with everything Wisconsin showed throughout the offseason. Jung represented the football program at Big Ten Media Days and has become one of the veterans Jack Cooper trusts to communicate and organize the defense from the back end. He backed that up against Notre Dame, finishing with nine tackles and a pass breakup.

Burks handled 53 snaps, with Skanes spelling him for 10. Carson Van Dinter didn’t see the field defensively.

Wisconsin wants more depth in the secondary than it had a year ago, but Week 1 showed there are still players this staff views differently when the opponent demands its best personnel.

Jung is clearly one of them.

What did we actually learn?

More than anything, Week 1 gave Wisconsin a baseline.

The Badgers are hoping to have found something in Coleman. Stec has emerged as the clear top tight end. Sama is the primary ball carrier. The right guard competition remains open until Mandell is back. Heywood was healthy enough to play an entire game.

Defensively, Catalano, Posa, Jung and Robinson look like foundational every-down pieces, while Wisconsin has legitimate rotational depth along the defensive front and at outside linebacker.

That’s useful information coming out of a 28-point loss.

Now comes the part that matters.

Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan should give Wisconsin opportunities to expand some of these rotations, get younger players meaningful work and, more importantly, establish the things it couldn’t sustain against Notre Dame. They need proof of concept.

That starts with the running game. It extends to cleaning up the secondary and figuring out which of these rotational pieces deserve larger roles. Notre Dame showed us who Wisconsin trusted when the stakes were highest. Unfortunately, the talent gap is still pretty wide.

The next two weeks should tell us who is capable of earning more.

We appreciate you taking the time to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. Your support means the world to us and has helped us become a leading independent source for Wisconsin Badgers coverage.

You can also follow Site Publisher Dillon Graff at @DillonGraff on X.

Sunday night, Wisconsin football looked different against No. 4 Notre Dame… until it didn’t.

So did head coach Luke Fickell, who trotted out onto Lambeau Field wearing an all-black outfit and a slick Wisconsin hoodie… until I caught a glimpse of that damn T.E.A.M. acronym adorned on his right sleeve.

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Fickell’s attire was a perfect representation of how the Badgers played against the Irish on Sunday night: rejuvenated and frisky at first, but ultimately still displaying the same warts that’ve haunted Wisconsin in the Fickell era.

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For half of Sunday night’s game, the Wisconsin football program looked capable of making No. 4 Notre Dame uncomfortable.

Then everything unraveled.

Wisconsin went into halftime trailing 13-10 after holding Notre Dame to 135 total yards and just 29 on the ground. The Badgers had created pressure defensively, stopped the run, blocked a punt, and got a 28-yard touchdown pass from Colton Joseph to Malachi Coleman.

Notre Dame responded by outscoring Wisconsin 28-3 after halftime on its way to a 41-13 win at Lambeau Field. The Irish finished with 350 total yards, including 111 on the ground, while Wisconsin managed 284 yards and only 67 rushing.

Luke Fickell didn’t have a particularly complicated explanation for how it happened. Notre Dame took control physically, Wisconsin compounded the problem with mistakes, and a game that had looked competitive quickly stopped being one. The Badgers certainly look better than they did a year ago, but the gap Fickell has talked so much about closing is clearly still there.

Here are three takeaways from Fickell’s postgame media availability.

Notre Dame exposed Wisconsin in the second half

Fickell opened his press conference calling Sunday a “tale of two halves.”

That’s probably the simplest way to describe it.

Wisconsin went into halftime within a field goal despite an early fumble on a kickoff return by Harrison Bortolotti that handed Notre Dame possession at the Badgers’ 13-yard line. The defense held the Irish to 1.8 yards per carry in the first half, and Wisconsin had actually outgained Notre Dame 143-135.

Then Notre Dame imposed itself.

“I don’t have a great explanation for the second half,” Fickell said postgame. “I give them a lot of credit. I thought that we kind of held the energy and created a lot of momentum in the first half. In the second half, we could do none. They physically got after us. We felt like we were in a really good place in the first half. In the second half, the energy and momentum shifted in one direction, and we could never get it back.”

Notre Dame opened the third quarter with a nine-play, 70-yard touchdown drive. On Wisconsin’s next possession, Joseph threw an interception that D.J. McKinney returned 55 yards for a touchdown.

A 13-10 game had become 27-10 in a matter of minutes.

Fickell acknowledged the two giveaways were “catastrophic,” but his concern extended beyond just those two mistakes. Notre Dame began finding more success on the ground, CJ Carr consistently took the easy throws Wisconsin gave him, and the Badgers’ tackling deteriorated.

“We missed a lot of tackles in the second half,” Fickell said. “And I think that’s probably as big an issue as anything.”

That’s the part Wisconsin can’t simply dismiss as losing to a more talented team.

“I’m not making excuses,” Fickell said. “It’s a really, really good football team. They played really, really well. There’s no doubt, but we have a greater expectation for just the way we execute some things and the way we play physically.”

For one half, Wisconsin looked capable of meeting that expectation. Then, stop me if you’ve heard this before, it couldn’t sustain it for 60 minutes.

Fickell saw enough from Colton Joseph to remain encouraged

The final numbers don’t tell a particularly bad story for Joseph.

In his Wisconsin debut, the Old Dominion transfer completed 19-of-30 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown. But his lone interception became one of the game’s defining plays when it was returned 55 yards for a score.

Fickell wasn’t interested in burying his quarterback for it.

“I love what I saw from him in body language, demeanor, and poise,” Fickell said. “Can he make some more plays? Hell yeah. Are there some things out there that we got to get better at? There’s no doubt.”

Fickell pointed to possible timing and pressure issues on the interception and acknowledged there will be plenty to clean up. What seemed to matter more to him afterward was Joseph’s response.

“I did see something in his eyes,” Fickell said. “I seen a competitive spirit. I seen a guy that threw a pick six that really didn’t, like, look like he was completely down on himself.”

That’s a relatively small thing coming out of a 28-point loss, but it’s also part of what Wisconsin needed to learn Sunday.

Joseph was making his first start for the Badgers, facing one of the best defenses on Wisconsin’s schedule, and doing it at Lambeau Field. There were mistakes, but there were also flashes. He spread the ball around, with Coleman catching four passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, while Tyrell Henry added four catches for 42 yards, Chris Brooks Jr. had three for 38, and Eugene Hilton Jr. caught three for 31.

Fickell came away believing there’s something to build around.

Fickell believes Wisconsin’s season really begins with how it responds

Wisconsin spent the entire offseason talking about finding out what it had.

Thirty-plus newcomers. A ton of new starters. A rebuilt roster and an opening matchup against one of the best teams in the country.

Fickell got his first answer Sunday. Now he believes the more important one is coming.

“The season really begins now,” Fickell said. “That doesn’t mean we weren’t preparing for this game or that the whole fall camp wasn’t about this game. But the season begins for us when we get punched in the face, because now we get to really find out who we are and what we’re about.

“Now we get to figure out who we really are. There’s nothing like adversity. There’s nothing like getting punched in the face and seeing your brothers and how they respond. We’re going to find out a hell of a lot about ourselves really, really quick.”

That connects directly to something Fickell talked about throughout the offseason: identity.

Wisconsin wanted to become a more physical football team. It wanted to establish the run, play complementary football, and develop the kind of leadership capable of responding when games turn against it.

Notre Dame exposed how much work remains.

Wisconsin rushed for only 67 yards. The defense couldn’t get off the field consistently in the second half. The Badgers committed two turnovers that Notre Dame turned into 14 points, and the Irish scored touchdowns on all three of their offensive possessions in the second half.

Fickell isn’t treating those failures as proof Wisconsin can’t become the team he believes it can be. He is treating them as the first real test of whether it will.

“Everybody asks about what’s your identity,” Fickell said. “Well, you know what? You create an identity through a season. And this was one step in a journey that didn’t come out the right way.”

Wisconsin doesn’t have much choice but to move forward. Western Illinois comes to Camp Randall next Saturday, followed by Eastern Michigan at home before the Badgers begin Big Ten play at Penn State.

For all the offseason talk about different energy, increased investment, and a rebuilt roster, Wisconsin is 0-1. What happens from here will tell considerably more about whether any of it actually mattered.

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For 30 minutes, Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin football program gave you reason to believe something might actually be different. Then, in the second half, it looked nothing like a team that had “burned the boats.”

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The Badgers trailed No. 4 Notre Dame just 13-10 at halftime before being outscored 28-3 after the break in a 41-13 loss to Marcus Freeman and the Irish. Wisconsin has now lost 12 straight against top-five opponents, but this wasn’t 60 minutes of hopeless football. The frustrating part is how quickly a competitive performance unraveled, and how little Fickell’s own decision-making reflected the aggressive mentality he’s asking his players to embrace.

“Obviously, a tale of two halves,” Fickell said. “I don’t have a great explanation for the second half. I give them a lot of credit. I thought that we kind of held the energy and created a lot of momentum in the first half. In the second half, we could do none. They physically got after us.

“We felt like we were in a really good place in the first half. In the second half, the energy and momentum shifted in one direction, and we could never get it back.”

With that as the backdrop, let’s hand out some grades.

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It was certainly a fun first half for the Wisconsin football team in the season-opening game against the No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but the mistakes came back to bite them.

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After a back-and-forth first half that ended with a 13-10 Irish lead at the half, the Badgers fell behind quickly in the third quarter after Notre Dame marched down the field in their opening possession of the half, followed quickly by a Colton Joseph pick-six to put Notre Dame up 27-10.

A lengthy drive by the Badgers ended in Irish territory, but the Badgers were able to get three points from a 36-yard field goal by Lahm, cutting the lead to 27-13.

Notre Dame flexed their muscles, marching right down the field, capped off by an Aneyas Williams rushing touchdown to put the No. 4 Irish up 34-13 with 10:48 left in the game.

Notre Dame scored another touchdown late on a pass from CJ Carr to Nolan James Jr. to put the Irish up 41-13, which ended up being the final score.

What stood out

The offense is vastly improved

Initially, I was impressed with the team as a whole. The offense moved the ball much better than they did a year ago. Quarterback Colton Joseph is a big reason why. While Joseph has his flaws, the Badgers’ new quarterback can make plays that nobody on the roster could last season. His running ability also opens things up for the running backs, too.

Joseph finished his first game as a Badger throwing 19-for-30 for 217 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The stats may not pop off the page, but it could have been a lot worse going against one of the best defenses in the country.

Malachi Coleman paced the Badgers’ passing attack, catching four passes for 76 yards and the lone Wisconsin touchdown.

The defense has one glaring problem

The defense held up well early against the Notre Dame rushing attack, which was among the best in the country last season. The Irish switched up their game plans and started gashing the Badgers’ defense through the air. CJ Carr looked cool, calm, and collected in the pocket the entire second half, completing pass after pass for chunk plays.

The passing attack softened up the rush defense, allowing Notre Dame to run the ball much more effectively in the second half than the first.

By the end of the game, Carr finished with a solid stat line, completing 19-for-29 for 239 yards and two touchdowns. The secondary, which I thought looked fast and capable during fall camp, had a day to forget.

The Badgers are still shooting themselves in the foot

Under Luke Fickell, back-breaking mistakes have become a common problem. Unfortunately, it was more of the same in their first game this season. The muffed kick by Harrison Bortolotti put the Irish in prime field position, giving them their first touchdown and lead of the game.

The pick-six by Joseph early in the second half was an early nail in the coffin. After a first half filled with competition and excitement, the Badgers start to fall back a bit and then make a mistake that they just can’t come back from. We’ve all seen this play out before.

“Obviously, a tale of two halves,” Fickell said. “I don’t have a great explanation for the second half. I give them a lot of credit. We held the energy and created a lot of momentum in the first half, and in the second half, we couldn’t do that. They physically got after us.

“We felt like we were in a really good place in the first half. In the second half, the energy and momentum shifted in one direction, and we could never get it back. I think that’s the most difficult thing.”

Until this team can limit the mistakes, they are going to struggle to stay in games like this or even close out games they should win.

Game Balls

P Sean West: The Wisconsin punter is back at it again, showing that he is one of the biggest weapons on the team and certainly one that nobody outside the program talks about. In the second quarter, the Badgers specialist uncorked a 70-yard punt that checked up and rolled parallel to the goal line, going out of bounds at the one-yard line.

Edge Sebastian Cheeks: It was a common occurrence during fall camp, with Sebastian Cheeks getting in the backfield and causing problems.

The senior edge rusher made his mark early in this game, getting to Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr on the first possession with a strip-sack on third down, forcing a fumble and ultimately making the Irish punt it away. He turned Notre Dame away again late in the first half, getting to Carr and forcing an incompletion to effectively end the drive before halftime. Cheeks finished with two tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup.

Stat of the night

Wisconsin held the Irish to just 1.8 yards per carry in the first half. In the second half, however, Notre Dame was averaging a massive 5.1 yards per carry.

What’s next

The Badgers (0-1) return home in Week 2 to face Western Illinois (1-1) on Saturday night at 6:15 p.m. on BTN. The Leathernecks are coming off a 41-10 loss to Illinois State.

We appreciate you taking the time to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. Your support means the world to us and has helped us become a leading independent source for Wisconsin Badgers coverage.

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The University of Wisconsin football⁠ program appears set to get one of the most important pieces of its offensive line back just in time for its biggest test.

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Wisconsin starting right tackle Kevin Heywood is expected to play against No. 4 Notre Dame on Sunday night at Lambeau Field, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Starting right guard Emerson Mandell, meanwhile, is not expected to play as he continues working his way back from a foot injury that required surgery back.

Both projected starters missed significant time during fall camp, leaving the right side of Eric Mateos’ offensive line as one of Wisconsin’s biggest questions entering Week 1.

Getting Heywood back changes that equation considerably.

The 6-foot-9, 320-pound tackle suffered a lower-body injury on the second day of fall camp and spent time in a walking boot. Heywood eventually returned to practice in some capacity, with Luke Fickell saying earlier this week that he had taken reps. Still, the Wisconsin head coach characterized Heywood’s availability as something that would likely come down to a game-time decision.

Now, barring a setback, it appears Wisconsin will have him.

And against Notre Dame, that’s a big deal.

Heywood is arguably the most naturally talented offensive lineman on Wisconsin’s roster. The former four-star recruit missed the entire 2025 season after tearing his ACL during spring practice but returned this offseason and moved to right tackle, where the Badgers envisioned him becoming a potential cornerstone of their rebuilt offensive line.

Wisconsin needs something close to that version of Heywood on Sunday.

Notre Dame presents one of the most talented defensive fronts the Badgers will see all season, including edge rusher Boubacar Traore, who recorded 6.5 sacks last season. Wisconsin’s offensive formula is expected to revolve heavily around establishing the run with Abu Sama, keeping quarterback Colton Joseph out of obvious passing situations, and using his mobility to create another number defenses have to account for.

Having Heywood, who has played just 72 career offensive snaps, available gives the Badgers a much better chance of making that work.

The question is how much he’s physically prepared to handle after missing so much of camp.

Florida State transfer Lucas Simmons handled the majority of the work at right tackle while Heywood was unavailable and gives Wisconsin another option. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Simmons still works into the rotation if Heywood isn’t ready to handle a full workload. Regardless, simply having the Pennsylvania native available is a significant step in the right direction.

Mandell’s absence leaves considerably more uncertainty next to him.

The 6-foot-5, 320-pound lineman started all 12 games last season, primarily at right tackle, before moving back inside to his more natural position at right guard this offseason. A foot injury that required surgery kept Mandell out for essentially all of fall camp, or at least the portion open to the media, and Wisconsin spent that time developing options.

Augustana transfer Stylz Blackmon and Blake Cherry, who arrived from Arkansas, have been among the primary options earning reps at right guard. Whoever gets the nod there will join PJ Wilkins, Colin Cubberly and Austin Kawecki in rounding out Wisconsin’s starting five.

Considering how little Mandell has practiced, getting him completely healthy rather than forcing him back for Week 1 makes sense.

Heywood’s situation is different.

Wisconsin already entered Sunday as a significant underdog against Notre Dame. Moving the football against this Irish defensive front was going to be difficult with everyone available.

Having Heywood available at right tackle doesn’t solve all of Wisconsin’s concerns up front, especially after the amount of practice time he missed. But if the Badgers are going to establish the run and give Joseph enough time to make this game competitive, having arguably their most talented offensive lineman back in the fold felt awfully close to a necessity.

It appears they’ll at least get that chance.

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You can also follow Site Publisher Dillon Graff at @DillonGraff on X.

After an offseason that included an infusion of cash into the program, the hiring of a new athletic director, and massive roster turnover through the transfer portal, it’s time to see what this team actually is.

And what better benchmark is there than opening the season against the No. 4 team in the country, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, at Lambeau Field on Sunday night?

The Badgers are, understandably, massive underdogs. FanDuel has the Irish as 20.5-point favorites.

No one expects Wisconsin to come out ahead in this one. Then again, no one expected unranked Wisconsin to beat No. 5 LSU at Lambeau Field 10 years ago either, and we know how that turned out.

So the new-look Badgers, led by Colton Joseph, will get a chance to show whether they can begin turning things around. A win over a title contender like Notre Dame would be a massive step in the right direction.

So how do we think Wisconsin will fare in its season opener against No. 4 Notre Dame? Here are the BadgerNotes staff predictions for Week 1.

Staff predictions

Dillon Graff

Season record: 0-0

Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame enter Week 1 at Lambeau Field looking every bit like a legitimate national championship contender.

The Irish are coming off a 10-2 season in which they rattled off 10 straight wins after an 0-2 start. Quarterback CJ Carr returns after throwing for 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns against six interceptions while completing 66.6% of his passes. Notre Dame averaged 42 points and 458.5 yards per game, returns plenty of proven production on both sides of the ball, and should once again have one of the better defenses in the country.

Wisconsin enters this game in a very different place.

The Badgers went 4-8 last season, finished 2-7 in Big Ten play, and Luke Fickell is now 17-21 entering Year 4. The offense was among the worst in college football, averaging 12.8 points and 253.1 yards per game.

That said, there are legitimate reasons to believe this roster is better.

Wisconsin added more than 30 players through the transfer portal, invested considerably more resources into the roster, brought in Colton Joseph from Old Dominion to provide a dynamic running threat at quarterback, and addressed several of the team’s obvious weaknesses.

But I’m not ready to make the leap from bad to good until Wisconsin actually puts it on film.

Three years of declining results have earned some skepticism rather than the “blind faith” Fickell has repeatedly asked for during his tenure, and turning over this much of the roster raises its own set of questions. Asking so many new pieces on both sides of the ball to come together right away against one of the most talented teams in the country is a lot to ask.

Wisconsin can make this competitive for a while.

The Badgers want to establish the run, lean on Joseph’s legs, and hopefully control the clock enough to keep Notre Dame’s offense on the sideline. Defensively, I trust Wisconsin’s front seven, but the rebuilt secondary will probably be what makes or breaks this game. A year ago, the defense was too one-dimensional, consistently stopping the run while struggling to defend the pass. If that group has legitimately improved, Wisconsin has a much better chance of making the Irish work for it.

Over four quarters, though, Notre Dame has too many advantages. The Irish have more proven talent, considerably more continuity, and enough offensive explosiveness that I have a hard time seeing Wisconsin matching them score for score unless they can force a few turnovers, which is something Mike Tressel’s defenses haven’t shown the ability to do.

Maybe Wisconsin is much better than it was a year ago. I actually think they will be. But I’m firmly in wait-and-see mode with Fickell and this program until we’re given a reason not to be. One game at Lambeau won’t define the Badgers’ season. But I’m also not going to ignore three years of evidence because the offseason provided reasons for optimism.

Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Wisconsin 13

Christian Borman

Season record: 0-0

Luke Fickell and his staff are entering a pressure-packed season where the Badgers need to turn things around and start winning football games consistently. And what better way to start that season than with a matchup with a national championship contender?

Notre Dame enters the season as the No. 4 team in the country and a legitimate title contender.

Imagine a world where Wisconsin stuns the Irish and tops them at Lambeau Field, reminiscent of when the underdog Badgers took down No. 5 LSU there just 10 years ago. That would certainly turn some Fickell doubters around, right?

The Badgers come into the matchup as a whopping 20.5-point underdog. I think it’s closer than that.

If there’s one thing I’m confident in with this Wisconsin football team, it’s the defense. I think that side of the ball has talent and depth at all three levels. I’m not saying they are going to shut down the Irish, or even contain them, but I think they will keep things close for a while and the Badgers within striking distance.

Something I’m not confident in right now? The offense.

There are just so many new players, but most of all, I don’t trust the offensive line. Having two starters miss most, or all of fall camp is not ideal. If both Emerson Mandell and Kevin Heywood can play, will they be 100%? Even if they can play, there have been few to no snaps as a unit.

If the line struggles against this impressive Notre Dame defense, it’s going to make things incredibly difficult for the offense.

I think the defense keeps things close for a little while, but there isn’t enough offense to pull off the huge upset. The Irish pull away late on their way to a double-digit victory over Wisconsin.

Prediction: Notre Dame 27, Wisconsin 13

Seamus Rohrer

Season record: 0-0

“Leave no doubt?” Let’s not forget Wisconsin should be pretty exasperated with how last season went as well.

Don’t get me wrong, the Irish have a roster that’s the envy of about 98% of college football programs. They’re as well-positioned for a run at the national title as anyone. But the whole mystique surrounding their supposed impending revenge tour, in which every unfortunate team that happens to be in their path is about to get obliterated, doesn’t move me.

With that being said, Notre Dame is a far superior team in every capacity.

If Wisconsin wants to give themselves even a sliver of hope, it’s going to have to do two things it did worse than almost every FBS team last season: create explosive plays and force turnovers.

The Badgers look like a much different team this season, both on paper and via the eye test. That doesn’t mean they’re ready to knock off a team of the Fighting Irish’s caliber.

Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Wisconsin 13

Charlie Pietz

Season record: 0-0

The Irish are hungry after being left out of the playoff, now using the motto “Leave No Doubt.” They lack the elite RBs/WRs of a typical top-five team, but should be fine behind that line and CJ Carr. The defense has NFL players everywhere and will be a major headache for the Badgers.

Notre Dame brings an elite defense and one of the best defensive back rooms in the country. They lost Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price to the draft, but Carr is back at quarterback with his top receiving threats.

Wisconsin’s defense and a Lambeau crowd should keep this close early, but the problem is the other side of the ball. Sustaining touchdown drives against Notre Dame’s defense would be a tall order for anyone. For an offense coming off one of the worst seasons in modern college football history, it’s hard to picture, especially with no proven receiving threats.

Prediction: Notre Dame 27, Wisconsin 10

We appreciate you taking the time to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. Your support means the world to us and has helped us become a leading independent source for Wisconsin Badgers coverage.

After spending weeks looking inward at the Wisconsin football program, observing practice performances, and projecting the depth chart, we can finally shift our focus to another team.

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The Badgers will open their 2026 campaign against the No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at legendary Lambeau Field on Sunday night. While it’s not your traditional cupcake start to the college football season, this matchup gives us an immediate barometer on this team.

Will they get blown out by a top five team in the country? Can they at least hang with the Irish and make it a game, or are they a program that’s capable of shocking the world and upsetting a national title contender?

Outside of knowing the Fighting Irish are one of the top teams in the country, what else do you know about the Badgers’ Week 1 opponent?

If the answer is little to none, I’ve got a quick Week 1 preview to get you up to speed ahead of the biggest matchup on the Badgers’ schedule.

Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame game info and betting odds

When: Sunday, Sept. 6 — 6:30 p.m. CT

Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wis.

How to watch: NBC/Peacock

How to listen: Badger Radio Network

Unsurprisingly, Wisconsin is a big underdog against one of the top-ranked teams in the country. Here are the lines for the Badgers’ Week 1 matchup, via FanDuel:

Spread: Wisconsin +20.5 (-105)

Moneyline: Wisconsin +1060

Over/under: 46.5 (-112)

Opposing players to know

QB CJ Carr

The opposing quarterback is the obvious answer for every matchup, but the Irish have one of the best in the country.

Carr broke out last season for the Irish, throwing for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, helping lead the Irish to a 10-2 record.

Big things are expected for the junior signal-caller, who currently has the best odds on FanDuel to win the Heisman at +700, ahead of Texas quarterback Arch Manning (+850) and Miami QB Darian Mensah (+950).

CB Leonard Moore

Like Carr, Leonard Moore is considered among the best college football players at his position. The 6-foot-2 junior cornerback is one of the top NFL prospects heading into the season and is coming off an All-American season where he had five interceptions and returned one for a touchdown.

Moore finished the 2025 season as the top-graded player in the country, according to PFF, with a 91.8 overall grade and a 92.5 coverage grade.

In his media availability this week, Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell had a ton of praise for Moore, recognizing him as one of the top players in the country, but the Badgers weren’t going to shy away from him, either.

“We’ve got to not think that we can’t go that direction,” Fickell said of Moore. “I’m not saying he’s not the best in the country. I’m not saying he’s not a top-2, 3 [NFL draft] pick in the country. But the idea is you’ve still got to be able to run your offense. The thing that I love about what it is that we do is, we make people do everything, so he’ll have a chance to prove that he’s the best in the country.”

You can expect to see and hear about Moore plenty on Sunday night.

DL Boubacar Traore

The biggest mismatch of the night for the Badgers is going to be the Wisconsin offensive line vs. the Notre Dame defensive line, specifically their edge rushers.

With offensive tackle Kevin Heywood missing significant time during fall camp and his Week 1 availability still uncertain, Boubacar Traore could be a huge problem for the Badgers. Heywood has returned to practice in some capacity, but Fickell indicated that his status will likely be determined closer to game time. The junior edge rusher is coming off a season where he tallied 6.5 sacks in 11 games with Notre Dame.

While he is known for his pass-rushing, Traore has continuously improved his run-stopping ability. Last season, he logged a run defense grade of 75.2, so running at Traore to neutralize his pass-rushing may not be the best option, either.

Matchup history

Historically, the Badgers and Fighting Irish have faced off 17 times since 1900, with Wisconsin holding a 6-9-2 record against Notre Dame. In their most recent matchup, Wisconsin fell to the Irish 41-13 at Soldier Field in 2021 in a game that was a little closer than the final score suggests.

Before that game, the two programs hadn’t met since 1964 when the Irish defeated the Badgers, 31-7, at Camp Randall Stadium.

Beyond the history of the two programs playing each other, there’s plenty of history and connections between the programs as they stand.

The most obvious connection between the two programs is Luke Fickell and Marcus Freeman. Freeman was Fickell’s defensive coordinator at Cincinnati when the Bearcats became the first Group of Five school to make the College Football Playoff in 2021. The offensive coordinator for the Irish, Mike Denbrock, held the same role at Cincinnati, too.

Notre Dame also has multiple coaches on staff with connections to the Badgers. Joe Rudolph (offensive line), Chris Ash (defensive coordinator), Mike Brown (wide receivers), Aaron Henry (co-defensive coordinator), Charlie Partridge (defensive line coach), and Gino Guidugli (quarterbacks coach) all have connections with the Wisconsin football program in the past fifteen seasons.

We appreciate you taking the time to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. Your support means the world to us and has helped us become a leading independent source for Wisconsin Badgers coverage.

You can also follow Christian Borman on X at @christianborman.

Wisconsin Badgers senior safety Matt Jung knows what it feels like when the game is moving faster than you are.

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His first taste of that came well before he arrived at Wisconsin. Jung remembers being thrown into a matchup against Alabama on the road and immediately feeling the difference.

A few years and plenty of college football later, the Neenah (Wis.) native believes those experiences are helping him play differently.

And that matters for a Wisconsin football⁠ defense counting on Jung to provide stability on the back end of a secondary that looks considerably different than it did a year ago.

“Last year when I would say I got put in against Alabama, that game felt super fast to me,” Jung told reporters. “And I’ve played in a lot of big games along with a lot of guys we’re returning. Coop, Posa.

“We’ve played in a lot of big football games. So to be able to have those under our belt and get the game speed really going allows us to anticipate plays and play fast without worrying about their speed.”

Jung now enters his second season at Wisconsin as one of the most experienced players in Mike Tressel’s secondary, two years removed from earning Division III First-Team All-America honors and the Cliff Harris Award as the nation’s top small-college defensive player at Bethel.

The 6-foot-3, 213-pound safety appeared in all 12 games and made eight starts during his first season as a Badger, stepping into the lineup after Preston Zachman went down with an injury. Jung’s 628 defensive snaps were the third-most on Wisconsin’s defense, and he finished fifth on the team with 50 total tackles.

His production increased as his role grew. Jung recorded nine tackles apiece against Michigan and Iowa, added five tackles and a tackle for loss against Ohio State, then registered a season-high 10 tackles at Oregon.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jung finished with a 64.2 overall defensive grade, including a 66.6 run-defense grade, 67.8 tackling grade and 62.2 coverage grade across those 628 snaps.

Those numbers provide a baseline. Wisconsin needs him to help provide something more important in 2026.

Wisconsin is counting on Jung’s experience in the secondary

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One of the best things about Week 1 of college football is that every team has a clean slate and a renewed sense of optimism. For the Wisconsin football team, which is coming off back-to-back losing seasons, there’s a sense of optimism and pessimism around the program as it begins its 2026 campaign.

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As Luke Fickell enters a pivotal season, fan opinions remain split between believing he is still the right guy who didn’t get enough resources early on, and ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’ skepticism.

After three weeks of fall camp observations, some trends have emerged, giving us a glimpse of what to expect from the Badgers ahead of the season opener against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field.

Before the Badgers kick off their season, let’s start the BadgerNotes stock report. Who’s trending up, and whose stock is slipping heading into Week 1?

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Cooper Catalano remembers how differently he viewed his place within the University of Wisconsin football program a year ago.

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The Germantown native arrived at Wisconsin as a true freshman simply hoping to make the travel roster. By the end of the season, Catalano had appeared in all 12 games, started five and established himself alongside Mason Posa as one of the young building blocks of the Badgers’ defense.

Now the 6-foot-1, 232-pound linebacker enters Year 2 under Luke Fickell with a starting job, considerably greater expectations and, perhaps most importantly, a different understanding of what Wisconsin needs from him.

“Last year I was kind of naive, and I was just happy to be on the team, happy to have an opportunity to play,” Catalano told reporters. “And this year I really feel like the heightened awareness, the hyper-urgency to win and perform.”

That urgency makes sense.

Wisconsin opens its season Sunday against No. 4 Notre Dame at Lambeau Field, giving a program that has spent the offseason talking about different energy, improved leadership and closing the gap an immediate opportunity to show whether any of it translates.

Catalano believes it will.

“I think it’s all the work we put in the offseason,” Catalano said. “I think it’s all of the guys who have bought into Coach Fick and this program. We’ve been saying it the whole offseason, there’s a different feeling, different energy. So I’m excited to go out on the field and see what that looks like.”

Catalano earned a larger role in Wisconsin’s defense

The confidence surrounding Catalano isn’t based solely on projection.

Catalano finished his freshman season with 56 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, four pressures and two sacks despite starting only five games.

According to Pro Football Focus, Catalano played 362 defensive snaps and earned a 69.4 overall defensive grade, a 69.6 run-defense grade, 59.9 tackling grade, 66.7 pass-rush grade and 65.2 coverage grade.

None of those numbers suggest that Catalano is a finished product. Collectively, though, they paint the picture of a remarkably steady foundation for a true freshman playing Big Ten football to build on.

That’s also what makes his partnership with Posa so intriguing.

Posa brings a little more obvious playmaking juice, while Catalano plays with an efficient, downhill physicality that complements him well. Together, they give Wisconsin two young linebackers who already look comfortable operating at the center of Mike Tressel’s defense.

Catalano believes the biggest improvement around them has been communication.

“I think overall just the communication,” Catalano said of the defense’s biggest jump as a unit since the start of fall camp. “We’re talking really well as a defense. I think we’re making a lot of checks and communication on the field, pre- and post-snap. That’s a big emphasis for us as linebackers being in the middle trying to lead that communication-wise.”

And Wisconsin believes it has more than just its two starters.

Catalano went as far as calling Wisconsin’s linebacker room “one of the best linebacker rooms in the nation,” pointing to the number of players he believes can contribute defensively and on special teams.

That’s a lofty declaration for a group that still has plenty to prove, but Kansas transfer Jon Jon Kamara and Thomas Heiberger should also rotate in behind the starters and bring unique strengths of their own.

Catalano, meanwhile, isn’t approaching this season like the freshman who was simply thrilled to get on the field anymore.

He has spent additional hours at the facility and in the film room preparing for the increased responsibility. And when the Wisconsin Badgers run onto Lambeau Field, Catalano will do so knowing exactly what comes with being one of the players expected to help lead this defense.

“The sense of urgency is up,” Catalano said. “I’m starting, so that’s a different feeling. But last year and this year I’ve tried to prepare in similar ways. And game week-wise, I think Coach Tuf [Borland] and Coach Tressel did a great job last year, kind of preparing me like I was a starter.”

For Wisconsin, that increased urgency needs to extend well beyond what Catalano brings to the field. Sunday is the first opportunity to show it.

We appreciate you taking the time to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. Your support means the world to us and has helped us become a leading independent source for Wisconsin Badgers coverage.

You can also follow Site Publisher Dillon Graff at @DillonGraff on X.

The University of Wisconsin football⁠ program has spent the better part of nine months trying to build something different.

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Now Luke Fickell is about to find out how much of that work actually translates when the games count.

Wisconsin officially shifted into Week 1 preparation ahead of its season opener against No. 4 Notre Dame at Lambeau Field, and Fickell’s first game-week availability reflected the uncertainty that comes with it.

The Badgers feel good about the progress they made during fall camp. They believe the roster is deeper, the leadership is stronger, and the pieces fit together better than they did a year ago. But Fickell also acknowledged there are things Wisconsin simply cannot know until the lights come on.

That includes how his new quarterback responds, which offensive linemen will actually be available and, perhaps most importantly, how much Wisconsin has closed the gap on one of the country’s best teams.

Here are three takeaways from Fickell’s Week 1 media availability.

Wisconsin is about to find out how much it has actually closed the gap

There has been plenty of discussion this offseason about Wisconsin’s increased investment, roster overhaul, and belief that the program is better positioned to compete.

Notre Dame provides an immediate measuring stick for all of it.

Fickell isn’t pretending otherwise.

“We’ve kind of looked at, hey, this is no better way than what we’ve talked about,” Fickell said. “We got to find a way to close a gap. Well, we’re going to find out where we are in closing that gap.”

That’s probably the most interesting part of opening against a team of Notre Dame’s caliber.

Wisconsin doesn’t get the luxury of easing into the season before learning where it stands. The Irish return a significant portion of the core from a team that won 10 straight games to close the 2025 regular season, and Fickell pointed specifically to their retention, both on the roster and coaching staff, as something increasingly uncommon in college football.

For a Wisconsin program entering Year 4 under Fickell after three consecutive seasons of declining results, there won’t be much hiding from the answer.

“If they’re really the number one team or the number two team or number three team in the country or the odds on favorite to be the national champ, whatever,” Fickell said. “I mean, we’re going to find out real quick what gaps there were and what we’ve seen and where we are.”

That doesn’t mean one game determines whether Wisconsin’s offseason overhaul worked. Fickell was careful to frame this as the beginning of a longer journey. But after an offseason spent talking about what this roster could become if everything comes together, Notre Dame gives the Badgers an immediate opportunity to put something tangible on film.

And Fickell understands the pressure surrounding that opportunity.

“I think everybody understands and recognizes, maybe that there’s a little different pressure in the world today, in particular for us,” Fickell said.

Now they get to find out what they’ve actually built.

Fickell wants Colton Joseph aggressive, but everything starts with his decisions

Few of Wisconsin’s unknowns matter more than Colton Joseph.

The Old Dominion transfer has played plenty of college football, but Fickell has never stood on the sideline with him when the games count.

That’s something no amount of fall camp can replicate.

“We got a new quarterback that we feel really good about,” Fickell said of Joseph. “But we also have never seen him truly play a game and looked in the eyes of those things. That’s what I think, us, as coaches, continues to drive us and motivate us, but also keep us up at night.”

Wisconsin doesn’t need Joseph to become something he isn’t against Notre Dame. In fact, Fickell’s message appears to be almost the opposite.

He wants Joseph, the 2025 Sun Belt Player of the Year, to trust the players around him, take what the defense gives him, and let his natural ability be part of the offense rather than feel responsible for carrying it.

“At the quarterback position in particular, it comes down to decision-making, right?” Fickell said. “I mean, it’s knowing your strengths and playing to them.”

That becomes especially important because Wisconsin isn’t planning to put restrictions on what makes Joseph dangerous. His legs are a significant reason the Badgers brought him to Madison. Fickell believes Joseph’s mobility can create outside of structure, buy additional time and even alter how aggressively defenses rush Wisconsin’s offensive line.

There is obviously risk involved whenever your quarterback gets involved in the running game. Fickell doesn’t want that reality making Joseph hesitant.

“The whole idea is there’s no plan B,” Fickell said. “We’re not trying to save things. We’ve got to be aggressive. We’ve got to be able to do the thing we need to be able to do.”

That’s the balance Wisconsin has to find.

Joseph’s running ability can change the calculation for an offense that desperately needs another dimension. But against a Notre Dame defense, Fickell expects to challenge receivers with man coverage and field one of the most talented defensive fronts Wisconsin will see all season; careless decisions with the football could turn the game quickly.

Fickell’s benchmark is relatively simple: protect the football, trust what’s around you, and don’t try to manufacture something that isn’t there.

“It’s all about making sure you trust and believe in the people that are around you, and you take what is there,” Fickell said.

Wisconsin still doesn’t know what its offensive line will look like

For all the progress Wisconsin believes it made during fall camp, its biggest unresolved personnel question hasn’t gone away.

Fickell still couldn’t say who will comprise the starting five for offensive line coach Eric Mateos against Notre Dame.

Kevin Heywood and Emerson Mandell missed significant portions of fall camp with injuries, but both have returned in some capacity. Fickell said each took reps Sunday, although their availability remains uncertain.

“That’ll be a little bit closer towards a game-time decision,” Fickell said of their status. “Both of them took some reps today. But that’s the one spot probably on the offensive line that, you know, this week is going to be a lot of determining factors.”

Wisconsin has alternatives.

Lucas Simmons, the Florida State transfer, has stepped in at right tackle with Heywood unavailable, while Stylz Blackmon and Blake Cherry have been among the Badgers’ options filling in for Mandell at right guard. PJ Wilkins, Colin Cubberly and Austin Kawecki have provided considerably more stability across the left side and middle of the offensive line.

But Notre Dame isn’t exactly an ideal opponent for an offensive line still sorting itself out.

Fickell expects the Irish to have one of the most talented defensive fronts that Wisconsin encounters all season, and he acknowledged the Badgers could use several combinations up front in the opener.

“I couldn’t tell you today, right now, who’s going to be up there up front to start, right?” Fickell admitted. “And there could be a combination. And I bet you that you will see a lot of guys play.”

That’s not necessarily the long-term plan.

Fickell made clear that Wisconsin isn’t treating the opener as a tryout. Some of the rotation is a product of circumstances, and the Badgers eventually want continuity up front. The more interesting piece is how the staff plans to compensate while that group develops.

Fickell repeatedly returned to balance, but not in the traditional sense of evenly dividing run and pass attempts. He wants Joseph’s mobility, the running backs’ ability to win one-on-one matchups, and the offensive line to complement one another so the offense doesn’t require perfect blocking.

“I think we’ve got a group of backs that are going to give us a chance that if everything isn’t perfect, they can play through imperfect,” Fickell said.

“And I think we got a guy, a group of guys up front on the offensive line that, you know, as they build their confidence, as they build their, you know, their ability to play together, that they will be able to play through imperfect a lot better than I think we have in the last couple of years.”

Against Notre Dame, Wisconsin may need exactly that.

There are still questions about the offensive line, questions about Joseph, and questions about how all the new pieces respond when the environment changes from fall camp to Lambeau Field.

Fickell has spent the offseason saying he likes where this team is. Now comes the first real test.

Wisconsin opens the season against the No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Lambeau Field on Sunday, Sept. 6, at 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC. That’s when the Badgers begin finding out whether there was reason to believe.

We appreciate you taking the time to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. Your support means the world to us and has helped us become a leading independent source for Wisconsin Badgers coverage.

You can also follow Site Publisher Dillon Graff at @DillonGraff on X.

The most important players on a college football team aren’t always the best players.

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Sometimes it’s the quarterback an offense can’t afford to lose. Sometimes it’s the offensive lineman holding together a position without an obvious replacement. Other times, it’s a defensive player whose ability to make the jump from good to great could change the ceiling of an entire unit.

That’s how I approached this list.

These aren’t necessarily the best players on Wisconsin’s roster entering 2026, although you could argue they’re all in the mix. They’re the five players I believe will have the greatest influence on whether the Badgers can finally reverse three years of declining results under Luke Fickell.

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After three weeks of fall camp for the Wisconsin football team, we are better informed about what to expect from the team heading into the 2026 season.

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We’ve discussed our thoughts on the team, its offensive and defensive expectations, and a final record prediction.

But what if everything works out? What if the Badgers catch a few breaks, avoid getting hit with the injury bug, and key players meet or exceed expectations? What is the best-case scenario for this team? On the flip side? What does the season look like if everything that can go wrong does?

Let’s explore the ceiling and the floor of the 2026 Wisconsin football team along with the most likely scenario.

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There’s only so much we can actually learn about a college football team before the games begin. But after an offseason spent listening to the Wisconsin football coaches and players, studying the roster, reviewing the numbers, and evaluating what we know from previous seasons, we’ve developed a much clearer idea of what this team could be in 2026.

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Some of these predictions will inevitably be wrong. That’s part of making judgments before we have real games to evaluate.

But with fall camp now closed and Week 1 just around the corner, it’s time to put those expectations on the record. For our preseason roundtable, the BadgerNotes staff weighed in on what we expect from Wisconsin’s offense, defense, and, ultimately, where the Badgers will finish in 2026.

How good will Wisconsin’s offense be in 2026?

Dillon: I feel considerably better about Wisconsin’s offense than I did a year ago.

That doesn’t mean I’m ready to call it good.

Colton Joseph changes the equation because of what he can do with his legs. He gives Wisconsin a legitimate running threat at quarterback, can extend plays when protection breaks down, and should force defenses to account for one more player in the run game. That alone should raise the floor of an offense that finished near the bottom of college football last season.

The Badgers also have more options around him. Abu Sama III and Darrion Dupree give Wisconsin a backfield it feels good about, with Bryan Jackson and Nate Palmer providing additional depth if healthy. The tight end room looks solid and versatile, and the receiver room has enough different pieces that Wisconsin shouldn’t have to rely on one player to carry the passing game.

If injuries strike at quarterback, Deuce Adams and Ryan Hopkins also give the staff backups with enough mobility that the offense shouldn’t have to completely reinvent itself.

That’s all encouraging.

What I’m not willing to do is take those improvements and automatically project Wisconsin into becoming a dynamic offense.

We’re talking about a unit that averaged 12.8 points and 253.1 yards per game last season. That lack of production doesn’t disappear because the roster looks better on paper. There are still legitimate questions about the passing game, and the biggest concern remains up front.

Wisconsin has spent much of fall camp without Kevin Heywood and Emerson Mandell involved in team work. PJ Wilkins, Colin Cubberly and Austin Kawecki appear settled into starting roles, but the right side remains more fluid, with Lucas Simmons working at right tackle and several players getting opportunities at right guard. Maybe everyone gets healthy, and the group comes together quickly. That’s certainly possible.

But offensive line play depends so heavily on continuity that I’m hesitant to assume it will immediately become a strength after spending the month of August constantly shuffling pieces.

That matters because I think Wisconsin’s best version offensively is still going to be built around running the football, controlling the clock, and keeping Joseph out of obvious passing situations.

Joseph doesn’t need to become an elite Big Ten passer for this offense to take a significant step. He needs to protect the football, make enough throws when defenses force him to, and stay healthy enough for his legs to remain a central part of what Jeff Grimes wants to do. If the offensive line can consistently move bodies and the running backs hold up, Wisconsin should be considerably more functional.

I just think there’s a big difference between functional and explosive.

Nothing we’ve seen during Luke Fickell’s first three seasons suggests Wisconsin deserves the benefit of the doubt offensively yet. The personnel looks better. The scheme should fit the roster better. There are more players the staff can reasonably trust.

That’s enough for me to believe Wisconsin can go from one of the worst offenses in the entire country to a competent one.

Anything beyond that, especially projecting a strong passing attack and a consistently explosive offense, feels like something Wisconsin still has to prove rather than something I’m willing to assume before Week 1.

Christian: After watching a handful of practices during fall camp, I have a much better idea about how I feel about this team heading into the season than I did three weeks ago.

First, the offense is still clearly a work in progress. Every position looks drastically different than it did a year ago. When that happens, it takes a bit for everyone to gel together. The offense looked overwhelmed at times in practice, but you could also chalk some of that up to injuries.

The Badgers were without their starting right guard and tackle, Emerson Mandell and Kevin Heywood, for most or all of camp. On top of that, running backs Bryan Jackson and Juju Pope missed a good amount of practice time with injuries.

But there were glimpses of what the offense could be. They busted a few runs with gaping holes along the line, or connected on a long pass from time to time. It gives you a little hope that as the season progresses, this side of the ball can move the ball and put up some points.

Charlie: I’ve said this a few times inside Bucky’s Burrow already, but this offense lives or dies on how well Colton Joseph runs the football. The last few years we’ve been one-dimensional. Unable to throw it, and barely able to run it either. That’s how we ended up with one of the worst statistical offenses of any Power Four team since the turn of the century.

Joseph’s legs bring a dimension Badger fans haven’t seen since Russell Wilson. And the coaching staff has a track record here. New offensive line coach Eric Mateos came from a system in which Taylen Green ran for 777 yards and eight touchdowns. Jeff Grimes at Kansas? 439 yards rushing and six scores from Jalon Daniels. Fickell’s playoff team at Cincinnati? 592 yards and 12 touchdowns from Desmond Ridder. CoJo is the perfect prototype for this scheme.

The question is whether his game translates from the Sun Belt to the Big Ten. He carried it more than 13 times a game last season, and I’d expect something close to double digits again, especially in the games that matter.

The bigger question is whether this team can move the ball through the air. There are no proven threats at receiver, and that room worries me. Tyrell Henry and a few of the tight ends feel like sleepers who could carry more of the passing game than people expect.

On the ground, outside of CoJo, I love the backs we brought in, Sama especially. And I think Darrion Dupree ends up with a bigger role than most are anticipating. If the quarterback and offensive line stay healthy, this offense is good enough to get the job done. That’s a big if.

How good will Wisconsin’s defense be in 2026?

Dillon: It goes without saying that Wisconsin invested heavily in rebuilding this roster during the offseason, and there’s nowhere I’m more interested in seeing the payoff than on the Badgers’ defense.

This is still a unit returning only three starters from a 4-8 team: Mason Posa, Cooper Catalano, and Matt Jung. But that number doesn’t tell the whole story. Wisconsin retained important pieces such as Charles Perkins and Sebastian Cheeks, then used the transfer portal to completely remake several areas of the defense and, more importantly, to stack the depth chart with players it believes can actually play and be trusted.

That’s probably what I like most about this group.

There aren’t many places where Wisconsin looks like it will be forced to survive with one or two options. This staff wants to rotate players and match their personnel to the opponent. The Badgers have different body types and skill sets off the edge, with Cheeks looking ready to take another big step. And behind all of it are Posa and Catalano, two players I already trust to make plays and set the tone in the middle of the defense.

The secondary is where I’m most interested to see whether the offseason investment pays off.

Wisconsin was too one-dimensional defensively a year ago. The Badgers could stop the run, but too often couldn’t hold up when teams attacked them through the air. They’ve essentially rebuilt the cornerback room around Javan Robinson, Jai’Mier Scott and Bryce West, with Eric Fletcher and Cai Bates providing additional options. The staff clearly feels better about its ability to play man coverage and hold up on the perimeter.

If that’s real, it changes quite a bit.

A secondary capable of surviving on its own gives Mike Tressel more freedom with everything happening in front of it. Pair that with what I expect to remain a strong run defense and enough depth along the defensive front to keep bodies fresh, and I have a hard time seeing this defense being anything worse than really good.

Whether it can become great probably comes down to takeaways.

Wisconsin created just six last season, the fewest in the country, and that’s been a recurring problem for Tressel’s defenses in Madison. The staff has made attacking the football a major emphasis throughout the offseason. Now somebody has to actually turn those opportunities into possessions when the games count.

I’m not sure how many All-Conference players this Wisconsin defense will ultimately have, but I don’t think it needs a ton of them to be effective. If a few emerge, though, that could significantly raise the ceiling of this unit.

Maybe Cheeks becomes a stud pass rusher. Maybe Marvin Burks Jr., Javan Robinson, or another member of the secondary becomes a difference-maker. Maybe Posa and Catalano build on what they showed as freshmen and establish themselves as stalwarts in the middle of the defense. With a deep defensive line keeping blockers occupied and creating opportunities for everyone behind it, there should be enough talent for playmakers to emerge.

The larger question is whether Tressel can put all of it together.

There have been shortcomings along the way during his first three seasons, but Wisconsin also appears to have a much clearer understanding of what it wants to be defensively. Tressel has now had another offseason to recruit and deploy players who fit that vision.

I’m considerably more willing to give this side of the ball the benefit of the doubt.

I think Wisconsin will have a really good defense (top 30 or better). If the rebuilt secondary holds up, the pass rush becomes disruptive, and the Badgers finally start taking the football away, great isn’t out of the question.

Christian: Defensively, I came away very impressed. The staff did a nice job of bringing in some veterans to mix with the young talent on the roster. The depth at key positions like defensive line and edge is impressive, and this is one of the fastest and most athletic secondaries I’ve seen at Wisconsin in quite a while.

They are aggressive and physical, with an edge to them. Even if the offense can’t get things going (again) this season, the defense will be enjoyable to watch.

I think this unit will give the Badgers a shot any given week, buying time for the offense to get going.

Charlie: I have high expectations for this defense and think it will be Fickell’s best at Wisconsin. After Mike Tressel’s first season as defensive coordinator, I was skeptical, but he’s proven himself since then, both with last year’s unit and with the recruiting job he’s done in finding talent.

Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano anchor things at linebacker after breakout freshman seasons. They swarm the football and should help Wisconsin field one of the better run defenses in the country. Interior transfers Hammond Russell and Junior Poyser will eat up blocks and let those two run free.

The question marks are the pass rush and the secondary. Wisconsin’s rush turned it up late last season, but much of that talent is gone.

Sebastian Cheeks returns, and I’m high on him. I think he could be a top five player on this team. They’ll need someone else to step up opposite him, and I expect Nick Clayton to claim that spot at some point. Justus Boone/Tyrese Fearbry are older guys who could also make an impact.

I’m far more confident in this secondary than last year’s. It’s a more talented and physical group of transfers than fans are used to seeing at the position. I think not only the starters, but the depth of this defense is what makes it special. Young guys all over, like Cairo Skanes, Jai’mier Scott, and Jon Jon Kamara, could all break out.

If the pass rush can generate consistent pressure, this defense has a chance to be one of the best in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin football 2026 record predictions

Dillon: You can count me among those who believe Wisconsin is headed in a better direction. The program invested significantly more money in the roster, and I think the staff legitimately feels better about its depth, competition, and the number of playable options at its disposal.

But after three years of declining results, I’m not willing to give Luke Fickell and this staff the benefit of the doubt until they earn it.

I have Wisconsin losing to Notre Dame before beating Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan. The stretch from Penn State through Iowa is where I think we’ll really learn where this program stands. Right now, I have losses at Penn State, UCLA, and Iowa, and a home loss to USC. Michigan State is closer to a toss-up for me, but I’m leaning toward a loss because they often play down to opponents. I have Wisconsin finishing with wins over Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue, and Minnesota to reclaim the Axe.

That puts me at 6-6, with 7-5 probably the highest I’m willing to go entering the season if the Badgers beat Michigan State or UCLA.

Wisconsin should return to a bowl game after a two-year absence, but given the resources poured into this roster, I view that as the absolute floor rather than something worth celebrating. I’d love to be wrong and find out that additional resources were what Fickell needed to turn this around. But after three disappointing years, I need to see some evidence that they’re finally making tangible progress before I buy anything more.

Christian: If I had to make a prediction right now for the 2026 Wisconsin football team, I would have them going 8-4. They are headed in the right direction, and with a favorable schedule, I think they will be bowl-bound again after missing out in back-to-back seasons.

I think Notre Dame is an incredibly difficult game to open the season with so many new players on the team. Going against one of the toughest defenses in all of college football is going to be one hell of a challenge for Jeff Grimes and the Badgers’ offense.

I think losses to Penn State, USC, and one more game, maybe Iowa or Michigan State, could be in the cards. But an 8-4 record with a win over Minnesota (and potentially Iowa) and a return to a bowl game will save Fickell’s job and give him a chance to continue building this program in the right direction in 2027.

Charlie: I have the Badgers finishing 7-5, struggling again against Minnesota and Iowa, with Luke Fickell ending the year back on the hot seat and plenty of people in the fanbase doubting whether he can build anything significant at Wisconsin. Ultimately, Fickell gets another year.

Colton Joseph returns for his senior season, and a strong homegrown 2027 recruiting class comes in. With another manageable schedule in 2028, that becomes the real deciding year.

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The Wisconsin football team’s defense is where I have considerably more optimism entering 2026.

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That might sound strange for a unit returning only a handful of starters, but I don’t think returning production tells the whole story here. The Badgers retained important pieces, invested heavily in the transfer portal, and appear to have built legitimate playable depth at nearly every level.

The bigger question is whether Mike Tressel can turn all of those pieces into something better than the sum of their parts. Here’s where my confidence sits with every defensive position group coming out of fall camp.

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There’s a difference between liking the direction of a position group and trusting it once the games begin. The Wisconsin football team’s offense has more playable options than it did a year ago, and I think that matters.

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The Badgers added a dynamic quarterback, rebuilt portions of the offensive line, added depth at the skill positions, and appear much better equipped to withstand injuries than they were last season.

That doesn’t mean every room deserves the same level of confidence. With fall camp complete and Week 1 approaching, here’s where I stand on every offensive position group, on a scale of 1 to 5.

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There has been no shortage of offseason optimism surrounding the University of Wisconsin football program. But after three straight years of declining results under Luke Fickell, optimism only means so much until we actually see something different on Saturdays.

So before Wisconsin opens the 2026 season against No. 4 Notre Dame at Lambeau Field on Sept. 6, we decided to get a better idea of where the Bucky’s Burrow community actually stands on this team and what it expects from the season ahead.

Readers responded to the preseason survey, weighing in on everything from Fickell’s future and Colton Joseph to Wisconsin’s strongest position groups and every game on the schedule.

The biggest takeaway? There is plenty of belief that Wisconsin is about to get significantly better, certainly more optimism than I have about the Badgers as a whole. But even for a fan base buying into the potential for a turnaround, they don’t expect UW to rejoin the Big Ten’s upper tier.

Wisconsin fans are expecting a pretty significant turnaround

If we turn the game-by-game voting into a preseason prediction, Bucky’s Burrow readers essentially landed on 8-4.

Wisconsin was overwhelmingly picked to beat Western Illinois (99.3%), Eastern Michigan (100%), Michigan State (95.9%), Rutgers (98.6%), Maryland (88.4%), Purdue (98.6%), and Minnesota (88.4%). Another 72.6% believe the Badgers will pick up a win at UCLA.

The skepticism shows up against the better teams.

Only 19.9% picked Wisconsin to upset Notre Dame, while 25.3% expect a win at Penn State. USC received the benefit of the doubt from 63% of respondents, and 69.9% expect the Badgers to lose at Iowa.

I can understand how the fan base gets there entering Year 4, even if I’m not quite ready to project Wisconsin that favorably.

Fans believe the roster overhaul and increased investment should produce considerably better results than last year’s 4-8 finish. Even so, they aren’t ready to assume Wisconsin can beat the teams it ultimately wants to compete with. Nevertheless, the majority still seems willing to pencil in wins elsewhere that I’m not ready to count on just yet. Maybe they’re onto something. I’m just not quite as high on this team.

Still, 97.3% believe Wisconsin will reach a bowl game, and 92.4% expect Fickell to remain the head coach on Jan. 1, 2027.

Given the investment in this roster, reaching a bowl game feels like the bare minimum expectation for Fickell and his staff, although I would have said the same each of the last two years. More interesting is the confidence in Fickell. For a fan base that chanted “Fire Fickell” countless times as Wisconsin lost eight of its final 10 games last season, 92.4% expecting him to make it through Year 4 is a remarkably high number.

There is real belief in Colton Joseph, but questions remain

Perhaps nothing captures the optimism better than how readers view Joseph.

A whopping 87% expect Joseph to be at least an above-average Big Ten quarterback, including 19% who believe he’ll be among the conference’s best. The other 68% expect him to be solid and above average.

Others understandably aren’t willing to buy in yet, or perhaps can’t after watching Wisconsin cycle through seven starting quarterbacks in 37 games under Fickell. At this point, some (myself included) probably just need to see the preferred starter stay healthy and on the field each week before allowing themselves to believe anything has changed.

That confidence also carries over to Wisconsin’s backfield.

Running back received 69.2% of the vote as Wisconsin’s strongest offensive position group, and Abu Sama III was the overwhelming choice at 88.3% to lead the Badgers in rushing.

Wide receiver represents the other side of the equation.

Nearly half of respondents, 49.7%, identified the receiving corps as the offensive group they trust least, followed by the offensive line at 32.7%. Eugene Hilton Jr., however, is the clear favorite among the community to emerge as Wisconsin’s leading receiver, receiving 71% of the vote.

So the expectation seems fairly clear: Joseph and the running game will have to drive this offense until the passing game proves otherwise. The catch is that Wisconsin’s ability to lean on either could depend on the offensive line, another group the fan base clearly has questions about.

Linebacker is the one thing almost everyone agrees on

If there’s one area where Bucky’s Burrow readers aren’t conflicted, it’s Wisconsin’s linebackers.

An overwhelming 93.8% selected linebacker as the defensive position group they trust most. That’s what having rising talents like Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano in the middle of your defense will do.

Sebastian Cheeks was the favorite to lead Wisconsin in sacks at 47.2%, followed by Posa at 25.4% and Nick Clayton at 19%.

The rebuilt cornerback room remains the biggest wait-and-see area.

Despite the influx of talent added through the portal, 53.8% selected cornerback as the defensive group they trust least. There’s considerably more upside in the room, though, and enough pieces in place for that skepticism to eventually look misplaced if the new-look secondary lives up to its potential.

Put everything together, and the expectations are surprisingly consistent.

Bucky’s Burrow readers aren’t predicting Wisconsin to become a College Football Playoff contender, nor should they. They’re expecting something this program desperately needs: a good football team.

After three years of waiting for Fickell’s vision to materialize in Madison, Wisconsin has instead been trending in the wrong direction, going 17-21 overall and 10-17 in Big Ten play. For a football program that has steadily gotten worse, 8-4 and a bowl game appearance would represent exactly the kind of meaningful turnaround this fan base has been waiting for.

Now Wisconsin has to prove the optimism was warranted.

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