The 2024 Badgers had one of the worst seasons in the last 20 years, but will 2025 be any different? The team will looking completely different on the field and on the sidelines, so there's certainly reasons to feel better about this year's squad. Let's get into some early predictions for the 2025 season.
1. New tight end Tanner Koziol will be the Badgers' best player
The Ball State transfer was one of the most coveted tight ends in the portal, and he will immediately elevate a position group that severely lacked talent in 2024 for the Badgers. He reeled in 94 catches for 830 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and without a true No. 1 receiver, could do it again in the Big Ten in 2025.
While new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes won't throw the ball 30 times a game, Koziol is sure to get his share of targets and his 6-foot-7 frame will be a huge red zone threat. He's a matchup nightmare and already one of the best tight ends in the conference.
2. QB Billy Edwards Jr. ends up being what fans hoped Tyler Van Dyke could be
Another transfer, the Maryland signal-caller is the favorite to win the starting job over Danny O'Neil, and true freshman Carter Smith, altough the battle could be closer than some think. But Edwards Jr. is an athletic quarterback who can run when needed, and throw the ball with accuracy. In other words, he should be the ideal fit for new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes' system.
Even before his injury, the Van Dyke experiment in Phil Longo's Air Raid wasn't exactly blowing anyone away. The system didn't work in Wisconsin, and there was probably never a quarterback on the roster who could run it the way Longo needed it. Edwards Jr. looks to fit the scheme and system for 2025.
3. The brutal schedule will overwhelm Luke Fickell
After a disappointing 5-7 season, head coach Luke Fickell probably needs a minimum of seven wins in 2025 to keep his seat from boiling. Unfortuneatly, the schedule won't do him any favors. According to 247Sports, it's the fifth hardest in the entire country and hardest in the Big Ten. Of their 12 opponents, six are projected to be ranked, including the likes of Alabama, Oregon and Ohio State.
It's hard to see seven or more wins here and anything less could spell doom for Fickell, who has had a rough transition from Cincinnati. Another .500 or worse season will probably be the last straw for Badger fans. It's not his fault the brutal schedule falls in his most important year, but you play the teams in front of you.