Wisconsin Football: Game-by-game predictions for Badgers 2025 season

It’s only the third year of the Luke Fickell era in Madison, but it already feels like a make-or-break season for the Badgers.

Everybody within the program is well aware that the last two seasons weren’t up to Wisconsin standards.

They will have to overcome one of the most difficult schedules in the nation and be quick to adapt to a new offensive system in order to get back on track in 2025.

The Badgers need to overcome adversity and reinvigorate a fanbase that has grown tired of coming up short.

Here’s how each game on Wisconsin’s 2025 schedule could shake out:

Week 1: vs. Miami (OH)

The Redhawks have made back-to-back MAC Championship games and have an excellent coaching staff. However, they lost nearly all of their starters on both sides of the football, including the entire first-team offensive line.

Wisconsin should have no issues dominating the line of scrimmage and are the far better team.

Prediction: Wisconsin 31, Miami (OH) 13

Week 2: vs. Middle Tennessee State

MTSU had its worst season since 2011 in Derek Mason’s first year at the helm. They’ve added some nice pieces from the portal and return some key defensive contributors, but they don’t have enough weapons to keep up with the Badgers.

Prediction: Wisconsin 42, MTSU 17

Week 3: at Alabama

We’ll learn a lot about the Badgers in Week 3. They’ve preached toughness and resiliency all offseason, and they’ll need both to knock off the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama will likely be without starting running back Jam Miller, who will miss multiple games with a collarbone injury, and their quarterback will be first-year starter Ty Simpson.

Wisconsin should be much more competitive than its 42-10 defeat at Camp Randall in 2024, but it will still be tough to get over the hump.

Prediction: Alabama 34, Wisconsin 21

Week 4: vs. Maryland

Maryland will be an exciting watch in 2025, with four-star freshman Justyn Washington seemingly the frontrunner to start at quarterback.

This is a can’t-lose game for Luke Fickell and staff, hosting a likely inferior team in Madison. Plus, it's a revenge game for Billy Edwards Jr.

They’ll get the job done.

Prediction: Wisconsin 45, Maryland 13

Week 6: at Michigan

This game could be a popular upset pick. Michigan has a lot of outgoing talent to replace and a true freshman under center. But by this point, the Wolverines are going to be battle tested, having played at Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Wisconsin will look to make this one ugly, and they’ll succeed in that aspect, but it won’t be enough to win.

Prediction: Michigan 17, Wisconsin 10

Week 7: vs. Iowa

The Badgers want this one. Nobody has forgotten about the 42-10 drubbing a season ago, and those who weren’t around for it have been made aware.

That, combined with the Camp Randall crowd, throwback jerseys and a lack of faith in Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski, leads to a bounceback victory for Wisconsin.

Prediction: Wisconsin 20, Iowa 10

Week 8: vs. Ohio State

Fire up your favorite Star Wars meme because this one reeks of a trap.

The Badgers are sandwiched between Illinois and Penn State on the Buckeyes’ schedule, and Wisconsin has shown it can hold up against elite teams at home.

If UW is going to get a big one this season, it’ll be here against OSU, but that's too much to expect right now

Prediction: Ohio State 28, Wisconsin 17

Week 9: at Oregon

The light at the end of the tunnel starts here, ending a ridiculous six-game stretch, but that light remains out of reach against the Ducks.

Despite their close matchup last year, Oregon still has a plethora of talent on both sides of the ball, and they will be too much for Wisconsin to overcome.

Prediction: Oregon 35, Wisconsin 13

Week 11: vs. Washington

Washington is getting slept on ahead of the 2025 season.

By the time Week 11 rolls around, public perception of this game may be different, but right now, Wisconsin might be the favorite.

Demond Williams looked great in the closing moments of 2024 and should have a significantly improved line in front of him. Better performance in the trenches should allow for some of the elite skill players in the offense and secondary to shine through.

Wisconsin drops a tough one and remains at four wins with three games to go

Prediction: Washington 28, Wisconsin 21

Week 12: vs. Indiana

Their record may not reflect it, but the 2025 Hoosiers can and should be better than their 2024 team. They have very few holes in their roster and plenty of upside left to be achieved.

Wisconsin competes, but doesn’t have enough in the tank to pull off the upset against a CFP-bound Indiana squad.

Prediction: Indiana 31, Wisconsin 17

Week 13: vs. Illinois

Illinois might be overrated at this point based on their 2024 season, needing overtime to beat Nebraska and Purdue while struggling against the top of the Big Ten.

Still, they have a ton of experience and one of the conference’s top quarterbacks.

This will be tight, but with Bret Bielema in town, the Badgers’ run game will carry them to a W.

Prediction: Wisconsin 27, Illinois 24

Week 14: at Minnesota

It feels like deja vu: Wisconsin comes into the Axe Game with bowl eligibility on the line. In classic Wisconsin vs Minnesota fashion, this will be a gritty, physical game that’s going to be neck-and-neck for all 60 minutes.

When it comes down to it, though, a veteran QB like Billy Edwards should be more reliable than Gophers' redshirt freshman Drake Lindsay.

Prediction: Wisconsin 17, Minnesota 10

FINAL RECORD: 6-6

Considering the ridiculous schedule, a .500 record is a reasonably strong outcome for the 2025 Badgers. '

They get back to the postseason and show more than enough signs of life to keep Fickell off the hot seat ahead of a much softer 2026 slate.

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