Can Wisconsin get back to winning ways of old?
In the 14 years from 2009 to 2022, Wisconsin football won 10 or more games eight times and are 9th in the FBS in total wins (132) and winning percentage (72.5%).
Despite eight mostly successful seasons under Paul Chryst, Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh brings in former Ohio State and Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell to bring the Badgers back to their winning ways.
Since becoming a head coach in 2017, only Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Central Florida have more wins than Fickell.
The Badgers will likely be favored in their first 7 games and face one of the more manageable schedules in football based on our schedule rankings.
Despite this Draftkings currently has Wisconsin’s season win total at 8.5 games with over juiced to -145, while Circa has 9 wins posted with under a small favorite (-125).
The Badgers may end the season being favored in as many as 10 games, but will likely play as many as 6 games with one possession spreads.
Former Cougar quarterback Tanner Mordecai will team up with former North Carolina offensive coordinator Phil Longo to form a formidable passing attack that should mesh well with a backfield duo of Chez Mellusi and Braelon Allen and one of the Big Ten’s most reliable offensive line units.
The Wisconsin defense should be fine and no one in the Big Ten returns as many starters as this team (18).
After opening up with Buffalo as 25 point favorites, Fickell and Co. will travel to Pullman, WA where our model has Wisconsin as 3.5 point road favorites over Washington State.
Georgia Southern should be a comfortable win, before a week 4 date with Purdue.
Wisconsin could enter October 4-0 off a bye week before facing off with Rutgers as north of 2 TD favorites.
The Iowa game could determine whether this team has a chance to get to 10 wins in Fickell’s first year.
At home, the Odds Culture model has Wisconsin a 3 point favorite, before traveling to face off with former coach Brett Bielema.
The Badgers first game as a considerable underdog will come on October 28th at home versus Ohio State.
While Fickell will have the luxury of facing off with his former team in Madison, both oddsmakers and our model see this game as a loss.
The Buckeyes are currently 9.5 to 10 point favorites at most books, while our model likes Ryan Day’s team to win by 2+ scores.
If Wisky can manage to get through October with 2 losses, 10 wins will be on the table.
Road trips to Indiana and Minnesota sandwich home games with Northwestern and Nebraska.
Matt Rhule’s addition to Nebraska will help the Cornhuskers in the near future, the only possible hiccup I see coming down the stretch could come to Paul Bunyan’s axe.
Our Play: Wisconsin OVER 8.5 (-145) [DraftKings]