We all knew Wisconsin had a tough schedule for 2025, but it may be even more brutal than first glance. Joel Klatt, a college football analyst for Fox, released his most recent Top 25, and things aren't looking good for the Badgers.
In Klatt's rankings, Wisconsin will play No. 3,4,9,10,12, 21 and 23. For those keeping score at home that's four of the top 10 and seven of the top 25 teams in the country, meaning over half the Badgers games this season could be against ranked opponents.
Can Wisconsin get it done against one of the hardest schedules in the country?
On top of one of the hardest Big Ten Schedules, Wisconsin will also face Alabama, making this possibly the most difficult schedule in America. At least to start the season, the Badgers could be underdogs in eight or nine of their 12 games.
It's a crucial year for head coach Luke Fickell, and this schedule certainly makes things complicated. He hasn't shown he can win at Wisconsin yet, and this season will be the hardest so far, at least on paper. If he does win, he's solidified himself as the man for the foreseeable future. If he doesn't win, does the difficult schedule save his job, or take it?
Ultimately it probably depends on how competitive the games are. A 6-6 record in normal years would probably be the final push for Fickell to be kicked to the curb after two subpar seasons. But in 2025, a .500 record may be enough to save him for at least another year.
Early rankings could certainly change, but for now, it looks like Badger fans could be in for some tough sledding in 2025. Playing top competition can be fun, but only if the games are winnable. At this point, it's hard to pick seven games this Badger team wins, but maybe Fickell has a few surprises up his sleeve.