Why Wisconsin Football is a 'Dark Horse' Heading into 2026

Listen to head coach Luke FIckell talk at Big Ten Media Days, and his increased optimism and belief is palpable.

Now, internal optimism in Madison hasn't translated to Wisconsin getting much love nationally. In fact, it's been quite the opposite.

The Badgers are still slept on by just about every major publication and writer, and quite honestly, for good reason. Fickell has lost the benefit of the doubt; he needs to prove it on the field before we give him his flowers in the preseason.

Maybe it was the reinvigorated manner with which Fickell took the podium on Tuesday or maybe it wasn't, but CBS Sports' national college football writer Tom Fornelli is apparently more bullish on the Badgers than his peers.

Fornelli offered up a spicy take on the Cover Three Podcast at Big Ten Media Days, naming Wisconsin his Big Ten "Dark Horse."

A dark horse in the Big Ten? @TomFornelli is going with Wisconsin. @Cover3Podcast pic.twitter.com/HO2XKxCNCD
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) July 29, 2026

"I'm telling you, if you look at this team the last few years, they've been crushed by injuries more so than most other programs have had to deal with which has derailed their seasons. Defensively last year, that team was great. They were one of the best defenses in the country; they just couldn't score any points because they were down to their third-string quarterback, their fourth-string running back, their third-string offensive tackle," Fornelli said.

"I like what they have at running back. I think Colton Joseph, and his legs, add another dimension to that offense to kind of give them a little cheat code in the running game," he continued. "But the one reason, the primary reason I'm taking Wisconsin — have you seen that schedule, guys?"

First of all, the reaction of Fornelli's co-hosts when he takes Wisconsin as his Big Ten dark horse tells you everything you need to know about where national perception of this program is currently at. But does his take hold any water?

Why Wisconsin is a "Dark Horse"

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell at spring practice. | Christian Borman.

There's a couple interesting aspects of Fornelli's take here. Number one, he flat-out said the Badgers had one of the best defenses in the country last year. I haven't heard any national college football voice even come close to making a declaration like that.

That might be something of a stretch. The Badgers were the No. 24 total defense, the No. 15 run defense and the No. 62 passing defense. They were tied for 12th in the nation in total sacks, but mustered just six turnovers which ranked dead last in the entire country.

Was Wisconsin an above-average, very solid defense last fall? Absolutely. Was it one of the best in the country? I wouldn't go that far.

Still, Fornelli is right in the sense that their defense kept them in games, and if they can continue to improve under Tressel, this could feasibly be a top-15 defense in the country. I wouldn't say that it is right now, on paper, but that's not outside the realm of possibility.

Fornelli also loves the Badgers' ground game; he shouted out Darrion Dupree and Abu Sama in addition to asserting that Joseph's legs are going to open things up. It is Wisconsin football, after all; this offense will go how the running game goes.

I still don't expect the Badgers to be an offense that lights up the scoreboard this fall. But if they can possess the football, pound opponents into submission with the running game and play good defense once again, they might not need to be in order to win seven or eight ballgames.

There's still a lot of projection with this team, but Fornelli is right — all of the ingredients for Wisconsin to be a dark horse this fall are in the pantry. We'll see what Fickell and company manage to cook up this fall.

Add us as a preferred source on Google