2026 Wisconsin Football Preview
Jake Wimberly
Abby Boyd Contributing-
What’s to like:
Luke Fickell continues to build Wisconsin's roster, and recruiting has improved since his arrival. The Badgers have added more talent while maintaining the physical style of football the program has been known for over the years. That combination gives Wisconsin a solid foundation moving forward.
The defense also continues to play fundamentally sound football. Wisconsin has consistently been one of the better tackling teams in the conference, limiting missed tackles and forcing opponents to earn their yards. That discipline should once again be one of the team's biggest strengths throughout the season.
What’s not to like:
The Badgers need to create more takeaways. While the defense has generally been solid, it hasn't consistently produced the turnovers that can change the momentum of games. Finding ways to create extra possessions would help take pressure off the offense.
Wisconsin also needs to improve its running game. The Badgers have traditionally been at their best when they control the line of scrimmage and consistently run the football, but that hasn't been the case in recent seasons. Re-establishing that identity will be one of the biggest priorities heading into 2026.
What does the Hourglass say?
Wisconsin- Big Ten (8-4)
Power ranking 52.88.
2026 Wisconsin Analytics
National recruiting rating (three year metric): #34- outside the boundary of a National Championship Roster.
National Coaching Ranking:
Luke Fickell- 24th in Power 5 and 8th in the Big Ten.
2026 coaching value= 25.8 (average 2026 Power 5 coaching value=21.93) Luke Fickell is ranked higher of the pack for coaches in the Power 5.
Quarterback Play: Colton Joseph- ranked 66th in the Power 4, 18th in the Big Ten; 2026 QB value= 13.5 (Power 4 average- 26.43).
Impact Ball Catcher Metric: Wisconsin has an Impact Ball Catcher Metric of 2. This puts the Badgers at the lower tier for the Big Ten in this metric.
Final Thoughts:
Wisconsin continues to build under Luke Fickell, and the program appears to be moving in the right direction. Recruiting has improved, and the defense remains fundamentally sound, but the Badgers need to generate more turnovers and establish a more consistent running game. If those areas improve, Wisconsin should once again be competing for one of the better spots in the Big Ten.
2026 Schedule analysis:
Projected Hourglass W/L record: Games in red denote games that could be a one possession game or even a different outcome than projection.
9/6/26 At Notre Dame- Loss
9/12/26 Western Illinois- Win
9/19/26 Eastern Michigan- Win
9/26/26 At Penn State- Loss
10/3/26 Michigan State- Win
10/17/26 At UCLA- Loss
10/24/26 USC- Loss
10/31/26 At Iowa- Win
11/7/26 Rutgers- Win
11/14/26 At Maryland- Win
11/21/26 At Purdue- Win
11/27/26 Minnesota- Win
