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First Look at Illinois Football's Week 13 Opponent: Wisconsin Badgers

The Illini will head to Madison this week looking for their eighth win of the season against a feisty Badgers team
Pranav Hegde|
Nov 8, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers players carry American flags while jogging onto the field prior to the game against the Washington Huskies at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Nov 8, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers players carry American flags while jogging onto the field prior to the game against the Washington Huskies at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting IlliniWisconsin Badgers

Illinois football (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) has taken full advantage of a lighter second-half slate, rolling to two straight blowout victories and building some much-needed momentum. Now comes a far tougher challenge. Illinois hits the road for a primetime matchup in Madison, where Wisconsin always seems to raise its level – especially under the lights at Camp Randall (6:30 p.m. CT, BTN). Bret Bielema’s squad will try to keep its winning streak alive in one of the Big Ten’s most hostile environments. This is the kind of game that can validate the recent surge and show just how much growth this team has made over the past few weeks – or deflate it completely.

Wisconsin at a glance

The Badgers are led by third-year head coach Luke Fickell, who is still searching for a true breakthrough in Madison. Fickell has the resume – he turned Cincinnati into a College Football Playoff team during the four-team era – but translating that success to the Big Ten has been an uphill climb. Wisconsin has run into a brutal schedule this season, facing a gauntlet of heavyweights after their opening two games. They have taken losses to Alabama, Michigan, Maryland, Ohio State, Iowa, Oregon and Indiana – a stretch that would test any program.

Still, the Badgers have shown some fight. Their home upset over Washington two weeks ago proved they’re far from rolling over, and Fickell’s group continues to compete despite already being out of bowl contention. With seven losses on the board, they are now embracing the spoiler role – and they would love nothing more than to derail Illinois’ momentum on Saturday night.

Badgers on the field

Wisconsin’s biggest issue this season has been finding any sort of stability at quarterback. The situation has been so turbulent that in their upset win over Washington, the Badgers’ leading passer was – no joke – their punter, Sean West. That pretty much sums up how chaotic things have been under center.

They have cycled through multiple quarterbacks all year searching for anyone who can give them a spark. Freshman Carter Smith is expected to get the nod against Illinois after starting their most recent game versus Indiana. His outing was steady but limited: 98 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. Smith shows flashes of promise, but the Badgers’ passing game remains a major question mark heading into Saturday night.

The Badgers also lack the signature star running back that has defined their identity for decades. Instead, they have shifted to more of a committee approach in the backfield. Their leading rusher is freshman Dillin Jones, who has totaled 300 yards and two touchdowns this season. Jones shows plenty of upside – he is slippery in space, tough through contact and flashes the kind of instincts that could make him a future feature back. But right now, Wisconsin’s ground game doesn’t pack the same punch it once did, and they are still searching for consistency from this young group.

With the quarterback position in flux all season, Wisconsin’s passing game has struggled to find any real rhythm. As a result, the receivers haven’t had many chances to make a consistent impact. Their leading pass catcher is senior tight end Lance Mason, who has been the most reliable option with 24 receptions for 326 yards and four touchdowns. Right behind him is senior wideout Vinny Anthony, who has hauled in 27 passes for 299 yards and a score. Both players have been steady when targeted, but overall the Badgers’ aerial attack has lacked the volume and explosiveness needed to truly threaten defenses.

Wisconsin’s defense looked shaky to open the season, but over the past few weeks it has quietly started to find its footing. The Badgers limited Oregon to just 21 points in Eugene, held Washington to 10 in their upset win and kept Indiana in check for most of the first half before the Hoosiers finally broke through after halftime. The group plays hard and has shown real improvement, but takeaways remain a major weakness – they simply haven’t generated many momentum-changing plays. Combine that with an offense that struggles to sustain drives, and the defense has often been put in difficult positions. Even so, they are trending upward heading into Saturday night.

Illinois vs. Wisconsin matchup

Heading into Madison for a night game is never simple, no matter how Wisconsin’s record reads. The Badgers nearly stunned top-ranked Oregon in this same environment last season, and Camp Randall always brings extra juice to the home team. Add in the storyline of Bielema returning to his old stomping grounds, and Saturday night should have plenty of energy on both sides.

Still, Illinois enters with a clear talent advantage and far more stability. The Illini defense has been lights-out the past two weeks and now gets a matchup against one of the Big Ten’s weakest offenses – a combination that should tilt heavily in Illinois’ favor. Offensively, Illinois has the firepower to put up points in bunches against a defense that, while improving, has struggled to hold up for four quarters.

If the Illini play to their standard, they should handle business and walk away with their third straight win – and their eighth victory of the season.

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Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.

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