Wisconsin Football: Big Ten Strength of Schedule Comparison

The Wisconsin football program has been completely revamped heading into the 2023 season. After a down year, Luke Fickell was brought in, and a slew of transfers came with him.

Wisconsin will likely have some growing pains in its first season under new direction. However, if early spring practice returns are any indicator, the Badgers could be scary in 2023. 

The Badgers have a relatively easy strength of schedule for the upcoming season. Here’s how UW’s strength of schedule stacks up against other Big Ten programs.

Wisconsin Football 2023 strength of schedule

First, here’s a look at the Wisconsin football program’s 2023 schedule.

Wisconsin #Badgers 2023 football schedule:

9/2 vs. Buffalo
9/9 at Washington State
9/16 vs. Georgia Southern
9/23 at Purdue
BYE
10/7 vs. Rutgers
10/14 vs. Iowa
10/21 at Illinois
10/28 vs. Ohio State
11/4 at Indiana
11/11 vs. Northwesterm
11/18 vs. Nebraska
11/25 at Minnesota

— Badgers Ball Knower (@BadgersBallKnow) October 26, 2022

The Badgers won’t have some juggernauts such as Michigan or Penn State in their schedule. In their first year under new direction, that is a welcome sight.

According to College Football News, Wisconsin ranks No. 11 in the Big Ten in strength of schedule. Jeff Hanisch of USA Today gave his thoughts on UW’s schedule:

“There’s no reason to get into a twist over this schedule – at least, there isn’t if the Badgers can get by Washington State in Pullman. There’s no Michigan or Penn State, the date with Ohio State is at home, and there’s a nice and squishy finishing kick of at Indiana, Northwestern, and Nebraska before to get ready for the showdown at Minnesota.”

Wisconsin’s path to winning the Big Ten West seems more open than other schools in the division. For comparison, Purdue has the most challenging schedule in the Big Ten, while Minnesota comes in at No. 2. In fact, no West division team has an easier strength of schedule than the Badgers.

With UW’s path to the Big Ten title game being more open than other schools, the Badgers have a real shot at making a run in year one under Fickell. It’s very early, and plenty of questions remain to be answered in the coming months. However, Wisconsin’s outlook looks pretty favorable in the 2023 season.

We are just five months out from Wisconsin football, and it can’t come soon enough.