Wisconsin Badgers vs. Miami (OH) betting lines and odds for Week 1

The oddsmakers aren’t leaving much mystery about how they see the Wisconsin football team's season opener at Camp Randall playing out.

On FanDuel, the Badgers are listed as a 17.5-point favorite against Miami (OH), with the over/under set at 39.5 points. The moneyline sits at Wisconsin -1250 and Miami (OH) +760, a spread that shows just how wide the gap looks on paper between these two programs heading into Week 1.

But here’s the part that Wisconsin fans know all too well at this point: the Badgers haven’t exactly been quick starters under Luke Fickell. In 2023, they led Buffalo just 14–10 at halftime. Last year, they were trailing Western Michigan in the fourth quarter. Both games ended in wins, but both also raised questions about why this team has struggled to hit the ground running and find its footing in early-season matchups.

That’s why this opener matters. Not because Wisconsin's staff needs to prove it can cover a 17.5-point spread, but because it needs to show from the jump that this year has a chance to look and feel different.

What to know about Miami (OH)

Miami is no pushover in the MAC. Under head coach Chuck Martin, the Redhawks won 11 games and a league title in 2023 and then followed it with nine wins and a league championship game berth last fall.

They’ve also punched above their weight at times, knocking off Northwestern in 2022 and Cincinnati in 2023. But the 2025 roster is a shell of what it used to be. The Redhawks lost their top two running backs, top four receivers, all five starting offensive linemen, their best defensive lineman, both starting linebackers, and their top cornerback.

That’s a staggering amount of attrition, even by portal-era standards.

The biggest storyline is quarterback Dequan Finn, a 7th-year player who once starred at Toledo as the 2023 MAC MVP before transferring to Baylor. He brings playmaking ability and over 2,600 yards passing and 563 rushing in his last full season at Toledo, but he’ll be working behind an offensive line with just three combined career starts, the lowest total in FBS. Notably, this Wisconsin staff took a long look at Finn as a potential option out of the portal before choosing Tyler Van Dyke.

Defensively, the Redhawks return only five starters and must replace All-MAC players across the entire front seven. They’ve added portal help from Louisville, Kansas, and Ohio State, but whether that gels quickly enough remains to be seen. If there’s one strength, it’s the secondary. Phil Steele tabbed Miami’s group as the best in the MAC, and it features transfers from Mississippi State and Purdue to bolster the returning core.

Why it matters for Wisconsin

For Wisconsin, the focus is less on Miami (OH), which was picked to finish second in the MAC in 2025, and more on itself.

This is Year 3 for Fickell, and the Badgers have made significant changes take place this offseason: a rebuilt defensive line, more size across the front seven, and coordinator Jeff Grimes bringing his wide-zone offensive scheme to Madison with transfer QB Billy Edwards Jr. at the helm. The pieces are there, but cohesion has to show up sooner rather than later.

This isn’t Alabama or Michigan. Nor is this an Ohio State or Oregon level opponent. But it is the kind of game where Wisconsin can either send a message that things are improving or open the door to more questions about where this program is headed should they end up in a rock fight.

History says the Badgers should be just fine. They’re 23-0 all-time against MAC opponents and handled Miami 58–0 the last time the two schools met in 2015. But in a season where the spotlight will be shining bright from Week 1, it’s not about padding that record. It’s about finally delivering a clean, convincing start in front of the Camp Randall crowd.

The line tells you what Vegas thinks: Wisconsin by nearly three scores. The real question is whether this team looks ready to rise above the slow-starting habits that have defined the Fickell era so far.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call .