Conference realignment has thrown a wrench in many historic rivalries across college football. Though the Big Ten stands at the center of the conference shakeup, Wisconsin's greatest rivalries have gone untouched. Here are some of the most historically significant conference games in the Badgers' 2024 season.
Week 6 vs Purdue
The Boilermakers and the Badgers have been going at it since 1892, and while Wisconsin's all-time record is 53-29-8 against Purdue, the football team in Madison has come out on top in 17 consecutive games.
The Badgers have been especially dominant lately, averaging 39 points per game during the last five meetings and winning by an average of 17 points during the last four.
Week 7 at Rutgers
The first meeting between these two teams came in 2014 when the Scarlet Knights joined the Big 10. Wisconsin has taken the win in each of the five contests since, averaging 38.4 points per game and winning by an average of 29.8 points.
Somehow, the Badgers have been even more dominant in Piscataway, winning 37-0 in 2014 and 52-3 in 2021. However, Rutgers is shaping up to be a tougher test in 2024.
Week 9 vs Penn State
A Week 9 bout with the Nittany Lions stands to be the biggest get-right spot for the Badgers, who've dropped five straight to Penn State. Four of those losses have been decided by one score, including a 2021 meeting in Madison where Graham Mertz threw a costly red zone interception on the would-be game winning drive.
Additionally, Penn State bested the Badgers in the 2016 Big 10 Championship, 38-31. Wisconsin has scored 10 points in back-to-back games against the Nittany Lions.
Week 10 at Iowa
Wisconsin has lost two straight to the Hawkeyes, combining to score 16 points in the two games against Iowa's annually stout defense. A two-game losing streak isn't anything to be concerned about, but it has allowed Iowa to sneak back into the all-time record. Dating back to their initial meeting in 1894 -- which Wisconsin won 44-0 -- the Badgers are 49-46-2.
Week 12 vs Oregon
Despite being a new addition to the conference, Wisconsin and Oregon have gotten plenty familiar with one another since 2011, meeting twice in the Rose Bowl. Both contests were heartbreaking losses for the Badgers, losing 28-27 to end the 2019 season and dropping 45-38 to close the 2011 campaign.
Altogether, the series is tied 3-3, with Wisconsin taking the first three games and the Ducks taking the most recent trio of matches. Wisconsin is 2-0 at Camp Randall, though the pair of havent squared off in Madison since 2000. The average margin of victory in the series is five.
Week 13 at Nebraska
The Badgers will take a 10-game win streak to Lincoln this season. However, Wisconsin hasn't fared well on the road against the Cornhuskers. The Cardinal and White are just 4-3 in Nebraska, compared to an 8-1 record at home. Wisconsin's last loss to Nebraska came in 2012 by a score of 30-27.
Week 14 vs Minnesota
The most-played rivalry in college football, the battle for Paul Bunyan's axe comes to Madison in 2024. This year's contest holds plenty of historical ramifications, with Wisconsin holding the all-time lead and a 63-62-8 record against the Golden Gophers.
The Axe is already in Madison after the Badgers trounced Minnesota 28-14 on the road in 2023. However, the series is split evenly in the past six games. Prior to those six games, Wisconsin won 14 straight spanning 2004 to 2017.