What to know about the Wisconsin Badgers ahead of Ohio State matchup

Luke Fickell’s seat has been red-hot ever since the start of the season, but the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes have the chance to be the spark that sets the fire ablaze.

The visiting Buckeyes will set their sights on a 7-0 start, while the 2-4 Badgers will try to right a ship that will likely lose its captain by the end of the season.

Wisconsin looks lost, but Ohio State head coach Ryan Day knows the kind of chip on the shoulder that struggling teams are capable of carrying.

“I’m sure they feel like their backs are against the wall a little bit,” Day said. “When you get that, you’re going to get a team that’s going to come out with their hair on fire.”

It’s a wall that all three of Wisconsin’s starting quarterbacks have been trying to inch away from all season long.

The Badgers have the seventh-lowest number of passing yards among Power Four teams with 1,082, and the second fewest in the Big Ten.

Southern Illinois transfer Hunter Simmons has handled quarterback duties for Wisconsin, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.

Sources: Wisconsin is expected to start Hunter Simmons at quarterback against No. 1 Ohio State, which will be his third-straight start. In just 11 of the 31 games during Luke Fickell’s 3 full seasons has the team’s intended starter both played and stayed healthy for entire game. pic.twitter.com/jvS0gzTBXV
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 17, 2025

Leading passer Danny O’Neil has been injured since mid-September, while Billy Edwards Jr. has been tending to an injury since the game against Maryland.

Simmons threw for 82 yards and two interceptions in their 37-0 loss to Iowa last weekend and has only passed for 329 yards in limited action this season.

Although the uncertainty at quarterback has been an issue for the Badgers, so have their eight interceptions thrown, the second most in the conference.

Day, however, earlier in the week, also talked about how Fickell prepares his team week in and week out and knows that Wisconsin plays better than its record.

“Luke Fickell is a very good coach. He knows winning football and his team plays hard,” Day said. “I know the season hasn’t gone the way they expected it to go, but at the same time, put the film on.”

The Badgers’ 15.5 points per game rank 131st out of 136 teams, and they will now face the nation’s best scoring defense in college football. Ohio State allows just 6.8 points per game.

What used to be a staple of their offensive identity, Wisconsin’s running attack ranks second to last in the conference for yards per game at 112.2, only ahead of Maryland.

Senior wide receiver Vinny Anthony paces the receiving corps with 274 yards on 24 receptions, with tight end Lance Mason close behind with 236.

Flipping over to Ohio State’s side, Day wants to continue focusing on doing the day-to-day things right.

“In a day and age when it’s all about what’s new, what’s flashy, what’s exciting, what’s the new thing, it’s the mundane, daily tasks that we have to embrace on a daily basis,” Day said.

Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin’s nation-leading 78.4 completion percentage is a mismatch for a Badgers pass defense that ranks bottom five in the Big Ten in completion percentage allowed, at 65.3.

If there is anything for the Badgers to hang their hat on this season, it is their top-five run defense in the conference, allowing 97.5 yards on the ground per game.

The Badgers’ defense overall has been an emphasis that the Buckeyes have been exhausting throughout the week.

“They have one of the better defenses in the country, and all it takes is a few big plays to get the offense in rhythm and they’re going to be in these games,” Day said.

The No. 1 Buckeyes will face the Badgers in Madison on Saturday, aiming to keep their top ranking.