Will the Badgers be better in 2024? What will the early signs be?
Badgers reporter Mark Stewart discusses how the Badgers can showcase their improvements entering the 2024 season.
MADSION – Welcome to the new and bigger Big Ten, Wisconsin football fans.
After a disappointing 7-6 record in Luke Fickell’s first season at UW, the Badgers face a 2024 schedule that, at least on paper, should be challenging for coaches and players.
You want big names, big games?
UW hosts Alabama on Sept. 14, arguably the program’s biggest nonconference game since the Badgers opened the 2016 season at Lambeau Field against No. 5 LSU.
After a week off, the Badgers open Big Ten play at USC on September 28th.
Wisconsin’s most important home games take place in October and November
Penn State visits Camp Randall Stadium on October 26th and Oregon comes to Madison on November 16th.
Like before the game against USC, the Badgers have an extra week to prepare for Oregon.
Someone in the Big Ten office decided to be nice to Fickell and his staff.
In addition, the away games against Northwestern (October 19), Iowa (November 2) and Nebraska (November 23) are likely to be challenging.
UW lost to Northwestern and Iowa last season and needed overtime to stop Nebraska.
“It’s going to be fun,” said wide receiver coach Kenny Guiton. “It’s going to be really fun.”
“I love the possibilities it presents and I think it will be a lot of fun.”
Additional preparation time for USC and Oregon could be crucial for UW
After hosting Alabama on Sept. 14, the Badgers have Sept. 21 off. Meanwhile, USC opens Big Ten play at Michigan.
Not only will the Badgers get extra time to rest and prepare for their league opener on September 28 at USC, the Trojans will also face a tough opponent after a long trip.
Advantage UW.
Now fast forward to November.
The Badgers begin the month with a road game against rival Iowa. Oregon plays at Michigan that day and then hosts Maryland on Nov. 9 before traveling to Madison for a game at Camp Randall Stadium on Nov. 16.
UW has the day off on November 9, giving the players and coaches additional preparation time before facing a strong opponent.
Advantage UW.
Penn State’s offense could look different this season
Penn State head coach James Franklin brought in two new coordinators after last season, including one with ties to Wisconsin.
Former Indiana head coach Tom Allen takes over as defensive coordinator. The new offensive coordinator is Andy Kotelnicki, a UW-River Falls graduate who worked under Lance Leipold at UW-Whitewater, Buffalo and Kansas.
Kotelnicki played a significant role in developing diverse and explosive attacking series at all three stops.
UW’s defense will be put to the test as it faces Northwestern a week before its home game against Penn State.
The Badgers’ trip to Nebraska in November could be dangerous
Wisconsin enters the 2024 season with a 10-game winning streak against Nebraska that stretches back to the 2012 Big Ten title game.
UW’s last loss in the series came in the 2012 Big Ten opener at Lincoln.
Keep in mind, however, that UW had to come back for a 24-17 overtime win over the Cornhuskers in Madison last season, and Nebraska should do better in Matt Rhule’s second season as head coach.
The biggest difference is that Nebraska could have a real quarterback in rookie Dylan Raiola.
Don’t be surprised if the Cornhuskers end their losing streak against UW on November 23rd.
The UW schedule includes seven home games and five away games
All three of UW’s non-conference games will be played at Camp Randall Stadium – Western Michigan on Aug. 30, South Dakota on Sept. 7 and Alabama on Sept. 14.
The Badgers’ Big Ten schedule includes five away games and four home games.
The away games: USC on September 28, Rutgers on October 12, Northwestern on October 19, Iowa on November 2 and Nebraska on November 23.
The home games: Purdue on October 5, Penn State on October 26, Oregon on November 16 and Minnesota on November 29.
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