Wisconsin football is 114 days away from kicking off its 2025 season at Camp Randall Stadium against the Miami (OH) RedHawks.

The team's schedule is a gauntlet . It visits Alabama , Michigan , Oregon , Indiana and Minnesota, plus hosts Ohio State , Iowa , Washington and Illinois. According to Bill Connelly's pre-spring SP+ rankings , all nine of those teams are within the nation's top 40, seven are in the top 25, four are in the top 13 and three are in the top six.

To put it simply, Wisconsin will need a substantial improvement on both sides of the football for it to have any chance at returning to a bowl game. On paper, it appears to have made such improvements thanks to an impressive winter transfer class and the hire of offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes. But significant questions still remain until the team's perennial offseason hype leads to on-field results, something the Luke Fickell era has yet to deliver.

With spring practice and the spring transfer portal cycle now complete, which included some notable movement from Wisconsin , it's time to revisit the Badgers ' full 2025 schedule and update our game-by-game predictions.

Week 1 vs. Miami (OH) RedHawks

SP+ Ranking: No. 99 (-9.0)

Wisconsin opens its season against a Miami (OH) team that has been among the best in the MAC over the past two seasons, with a combined 14-2 conference record. The Badgers need to start this opener better than they did against Buffalo in 2023, a game that foreshadowed struggles to come. This contest will be about Wisconsin proving to be several steps better than it was last season on both sides of the ball.

Week 2 vs. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Middle Tennessee projects to be a step down from Miami (OH). That should lead to another decisive Wisconsin victory. Any struggles would raise major red flags entering the gauntlet part of the team's schedule.

Week 3 at Alabama Crimson Tide

SP+ Ranking: No. 2 (26.1)

Wisconsin's top-ranked schedule begins with a trip to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Luke Fickell's team should be prohibitive underdogs in this matchup, even with Alabama coming off its first non-10-win season since 2007. The Badgers keeping this game close would be a big moral victory.

Week 4 vs. Maryland Terrapins

SP+ Ranking: No. 67 (-0.2)

Wisconsin gets very few breaks during its 2025 schedule. Week 4 vs. Maryland is one of the few, with the Terrapins off a 4-8 2024 season and projected to again finish near the bottom of the Big Ten. Badgers quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. should have little trouble having a big game against his former team.

Week 5: BYE

Wisconsin's first bye week precedes one of the toughest schedule stretches any team will face this season. It may be a well-timed bye, although the team's Week 6 opponent will also be idle in Week 5.

Week 6 at Michigan Wolverines

SP+ Ranking: No. 13 (17.7)

This game will mark Sherrone Moore's return from his two-game suspension . That could play against Wisconsin, with the hometown crowd again energized by a Connor Stalions-related headline. On the field, this Michigan team presents a tough matchup for the Badgers. It should again be tough on both lines of scrimmage, specifically defensively.

Week 7 vs. Iowa Hawkeyes

SP+ Ranking: No. 21 (12.5)

To be clear, this is a game Wisconsin needs to win, both for bowl eligibility and for the program's general standing. The team's 42-10 loss to the Hawkeyes last season is a major piece of evidence used by those arguing the Badgers' demise. I'm picking Wisconsin here, because the alternative would not be pretty.

Week 8 vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

SP+ Ranking: No. 1 (28.0)

Home games against the nation's top-ranked teams present a great opportunity for a statement upset. Wisconsin has had several such matchups over the last two seasons, though it has yet to claim a victory. This Ohio State team may not be as good as the team that won the national title last year. But it's still Ohio State. At times, the program feels like it's playing a different sport than Wisconsin.

Week 9 at Oregon Ducks

SP+ Ranking: No. 6 (22.6)

It's hard to know what Wisconsin did to the schedule-makers to deserve a trip to Eugene, Oregon, right after hosting Ohio State. While the Ducks project to be inferior to the Buckeyes, it's tough to see Wisconsin pulling the upset more than 2,000 miles from home.

Week 10: BYE

Wisconsin's second bye week separates the listed gauntlet and the most important stretch of the team's schedule. Even if the Badgers are sub-.500 entering this week, they have a chance at a late-season run against several beatable teams. But remember, Wisconsin regressed badly late last season. A repeat performance in 2025 would be disastrous.

Week 11 vs. Washington Huskies

SP+ Ranking: No. 38 (7.3)

Washington is an intriguing sleeper in the Big Ten this year. It made significant roster improvements during the offseason. That includes a move to promising young quarterback Demond Williams Jr. Big picture, I wouldn't be surprised if Washington made a run to the CFP. But the Badgers' rest and travel advantage may be too much to overcome in this matchup.

Week 12 at Indiana Hoosiers

SP+ Ranking: No. 24 (12.0)

Wisconsin travels to Indiana in what may be a must-win game at this late stage in the season. Indiana is unlikely to reach double-digit wins again. If the Badgers are as good as many expect them to be, this is a game the team should be able to win. That's my pick as of early May. However, it's more about a lack of belief in Indiana than anything else.

Week 13 vs. Illinois Fighting Illini

SP+ Ranking: No. 25 (11.2)

While this matchup is at home, Illinois feels like a nightmare opponent. Bret Bielema has built his team in a similar mold to his previous Wisconsin teams, with strong defense and a measured offensive approach. It's the exact formula that has given Wisconsin fits over the last two seasons.

Week 14 at Minnesota Golden Gophers

SP+ Ranking: No. 37 (7.9)

Minnesota has two major questions entering the season. The first is replacing defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, who left for Miami this offseason. The second is whether redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey can fill the shoes of 2024 starter Max Brosmer. Yes, Minnesota dominated the Badgers last season. But many are arguing that this Wisconsin is different, especially on defense. Of all games, this contest will be where the success of Fickell's scheme and personnel overhaul will be judged the most. The contest should decide how the season is viewed.