CFB analysts break down Wisconsin's schedule for 2025

The Wisconsin Badgers under Luke Fickell finished the 2024 college football season with a 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten) record after losing their last game to the Minnesota Golden Gophers 24-7. Fickell's team missed out on bowl eligibility.

The Badgers' 2025 schedule is one of the hardest in college football with several matchups against the elites of the sport including the reigning national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes and a nonconference game against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

During Friday's segment of the "Andy & Ari On3" podcast, analysts Ari Wasserman and Andy Staples ranked the 10 toughest schedules next season and the Badgers were ranked No. 5.

"I'm worried about this situation because this is a hard schedule," Staples said (23:10). "I don't know how much they've materially improved their roster. I don't like this schedule at all and I don't like the way it shakes out either. So, obviously they are going to Alabama. That's the headline of the nonconference. Having Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State (and) Oregon in four consecutive weeks.

"You get an off week and then you get Washington, Indiana, Illinois and Minnesota, all teams that can beat you. It's great that you get Iowa and Illinois at home, I think that helps."

Wasserman agreed that despite any improvements made by Fickell, the tough schedule could still spell doom for the Badgers next season.

"To play three of the big four in the same stretch is a really tough draw," Wasserman said. "Wisconsin isn't being done any favors either. They could improve and Fickell could address the things that nailed his team a year ago and they could still have a bad year."

The Wisconsin Badgers had a tough season

The Wisconsin Badgers finished the 2024 college football season on a five-game losing streak and only managed to score 42 points against the last three Big Ten rivals they faced: the Iowa Hawkeyes, Nebraska Cornhuskers and Minnesota Golden Gophers, who scored 110 points combined against them. The Badgers also did not become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2001

Luke Fickell, who has a record of 12-13 in his two-year Wisconsin Badgers tenure, hired Jeff Grimes to be his offensive coordinator to turn around a floundering offense ahead of a pivotal 2025 season. Grimes turned the Kansas Jayhawks into a top-12 rushing team (212 yards per game) in the nation last season.