Wisconsin Badgers offense reached embarrassing 30-year lows in rough 2025 season

Wisconsin Badgers fans suffered most of the season knowing that 2025 was rough, but it turned out to be historically bad for the offense in particular.

The team's 0.333 win percentage was the lowest since Barry Alvarez's first year in 1990, but the offensive ineptitude dates just as far back.

Wisconsin finished the season scoring an average of just 12.8 points per game and only nine points per game in Big Ten play.

The Badgers haven't had such little scoring since that same 1990 season.

#Badgers football nugget: UW finished at 12.8 ppg. That is the lowest mark since the 1990 team finished at 12.1 ppg.
— Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) November 30, 2025

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The same is true in the running game. Wisconsin ball-carriers averaged just 3.3 yards per carry this season. That's the lowest since 1991, when true freshman Terrell Fletcher was the team's top option in the backfield.

UW's passing struggles this season were only slightly less historic. This team rarely has a prolific air attack, but the 136.4 passing yards the Badgers averaged this season is the lowest since 1998.

The program scored only nine passing touchdowns and nine rushing touchdowns this season.

The last time Wisconsin threw fewer than 10 touchdowns in a season with 2004 with sophomore John Stocco.

The last season with single-digit rushing touchdowns was 1992, all scored by sophomore Brent Moss.

1991 was the last time Wisconsin had less than 10 in each category.

Related: Wisconsin wide receivers taking unselfish approach to Badgers passing struggles

As a team, the Badgers rushed for 1,400 yards and nine scores this season. At least 10 different Wisconsin running backs have had individual seasons with more production than that, by themselves.

UW's leading receiver this season was tight end Lance Mason with just 389 yards. The 2020 COVID-shortened season had lower marks than that, with Jake Ferguson leading the Badgers with 305 yards in in seven games.

Prior to that, you have to go back to 1991 to find a season where Wisconsin's leading receiver had under 400 yards (Lee DeRamus).

Any way you slice it, this was as bad of a Badgers offense as this team has shown in decades.

Injuries certainly play a large role in it, but that can't explain away all of the struggles they had moving the ball this season.

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