Wisconsin Football is Undefeated vs. FCS Teams—But How Many Close Calls Have There Been?

Wisconsin football will play one of its token buy games Saturday night, as it hosts the Western Illinois Leathernecks from the Football Championship Subdivision, or FCS.

Teams from the second-highest level of American college football are routinely invited to come get blown out by bigger FBS programs for a hefty paycheck, national exposure and the slightest chance at a program-defining victory.

While these games are often nothing more than tune-up games for the FBS program, it's not at all uncommon for FCS schools pull off the upset. In fact, it already happened three times in Week 1, with Tarleton State taking down Bowling Green, The Citadel upsetting Charlotte and Idaho State toppling Utah State.

Wisconsin football has never fallen victim to an FCS school; the Badgers are a perfect 14-0 against FCS competition. Still, Wisconsin has gotten dangerously close to a few heinous losses at the hands of an FCS program.

As the Badgers get set to host Western Illinois on Saturday, Badgers On SI takes a look at Wisconsin's history versus the FCS, including the Badgers' narrowest escapes from crushing upset defeat.

The largest margin of victory

In 2010, the Badgers absolutely blew the doors off Austin Peay, 70-3. Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien had more touchdown passes (three) than incompletions (two), and the Badgers ran for 346 yards. James White had four touchdowns, while he and John Clay each surpassed 100 yards. These kinds of results are what fans expect against an overmatched FCS opponent, but that 2010 Badgers team was elite, going 11-2 with a loss in the Rose Bowl.

The most recent games

Wisconsin running back Chez Mellusi as Wisconsin beats Illinois State 38-0 in 2022. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Wisconsin has only played one FCS opponent in the Luke Fickell tenure, and it was far from a convincing victory. The Badgers beat South Dakota 27-13 in 2024, and were only up by seven points heading into the fourth quarter. That was very much a competitive game, although it wasn't as nail-bitingly close as some of Wisconsin's previous FCS escapes.

In 2022, the last season of the Paul Chryst era got off to a good start with a 38-0 beatdown over Illinois State.

The closest calls

The Badgers' closest call against an FCS team came in 2008 against Cal Poly. A Wisconsin team that wasn't all that good and would go on to finish 7-6 needed overtime to put away the Mustangs, 36-35. Cal Poly actually scored first in overtime but didn't convert the extra point, and the Badgers escaped with a one-point win.

In 2007, Wisconsin still beat The Citadel by two touchdowns, but the Bulldogs refused to go away and competed with the Badgers for four quarters; the final score was 45-31, Wisconsin.

In 2012, Wisconsin hung on against Northern Iowa despite a late push and a 14-point fourth quarter from the Panthers, ultimately winning 26-21.

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