What stands out about Wisconsin football's 2026 schedule
It's all still just on paper, but here's what to know about Wisconsin's schedule.
The University of Wisconsin football program’s 2026 schedule, regardless if any team(s) surprises, will be lighter than what it endured last year.
The Big Ten released its 2026 conference schedule on Tuesday. Wisconsin has known which league schools it will host and where it will have to travel for the upcoming season, as it was shown online prior, though the order of the games weren’t made public until now.
Coach Luke Fickell and his team will face six schools who were among the bottom seven in the Big Ten last season. The Badgers also held the third-worst conference record and were among those bottom seven programs, but their 2026 outlook is quite the difference from 2025 where it battled eight of the top nine conference teams.
The combined win-loss totals for last season’s 12 opponents was 110-53. Ten played in bowl games, which obviously included national champion Indiana, and four earned at least 10 wins.
A lot can change for programs each offseason with how influential the transfer portal is in this current landscape of college football, but the Badgers’ opponents last year combined for 69-79. Only five —Notre Dame, Penn State, Southern Cal, Iowa and Minnesota — finished as bowl eligible.
Here are some other takeaways from how Wisconsin’s 2026 schedule is set up, along with the entire schedule below.
Wisconsin’s 2026 schedule
As a disclaimer, there could be some movement of the dates Wisconsin plays.
“As in previous seasons, select Saturday games during the 2026 season may be shifted in coordination with the Big Ten’s television partners,” the Big Ten said in a release. “Games may be moved to Fridays or other special dates, including Labor Day Sunday and Black Friday, to fit national broadcast schedules. Additional details regarding kickoff times and television designations will be announced at a later date.”
Sept. 6: vs. Notre Dame at Lambeau Field
Sept. 12 vs. Western Illinois
Sept. 19 vs. Eastern Michigan
Sept. 26 at Penn State
Oct. 3 vs. Michigan State
Oct. 10: OFF
Oct. 17: at UCLA
Oct. 24: vs. USC
Oct. 31: at Iowa
Nov. 7: vs. Rutgers
Nov. 14: at Maryland
Nov. 21: at Purdue
Nov. 28: vs. Minnesota
The easier slate also includes no College Football Playoff participants from last season
Wisconsin faced four teams — Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana — that went on to clinch berths in the 2025 College Football Playoff. It’s not quite as daunting this year.
