# Wisconsin Badgers

Big Ten · Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI
Head coach: Luke Fickell · year 5 · 17-21 at WIS · 80-46 career over 11 seasons
Offense: Pro Style · Defense: 2-4-5, 3-4

## 2026 outlook

- 2025 record: 4-8 (2-7 in conference)
- National title odds: +125000 (#94 on the futures board)
- Season win total: 6.5 (over priced -112)
- Returning starter games: 23%
- Schedule difficulty: 55th-hardest of 138 FBS teams

## Returning production by unit

| Unit | Returning games | Games back | Depth back |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Skill offense | 17% | 10/59 | 7/16 |
| Offensive line | 45% | 23/51 | 5/12 |
| Defensive front | 15% | 12/82 | 11/21 |
| Secondary | 20% | 11/55 | 5/12 |

## Roster movement

- Key returning: Emerson Mandell (OL), Danny O'Neil (QB), Colin Cubberly (OL), Sebastian Cheeks (OLB), Mason Posa (LB)
- Key departures (with destination): Ricardo Hallman (CB), Omillio Agard (CB) – UVA, Darryl Peterson III (OLB), Joe Brunner (OL) – IND, Christian Alliegro (LB) – OSU
- Key arrivals (with previous school): Colton Joseph (QB) – ODU, Abu Sama III (RB) – ISU, Shamar Rigby (WR) – OKST, Jacob Harris (TE) – BGSU, Nate Palmer (RB) – TCU

## Depth chart

### Offense

- WR-X: Eugene Hilton Jr., Jaylon Domingeaux
- WR-Z: Chris Brooks Jr., Shamar Rigby
- WR-SL: Tyrell Henry, Zion Kearney
- LT: PJ Wilkins, Lucas Simmons-Johansson
- LG: Colin Cubberly, Blake Cherry
- C: Austin Kawecki, Ryan Cory
- RG: Emerson Mandell, Nolan Davenport
- RT: Kevin Heywood, Barrett Nelson
- TE: Jacob Harris, Grant Stec, Ryan Schwendeman
- QB: Colton Joseph, Deuce Adams, Ryan Hopkins, Carter Smith
- RB: Abu Sama III, Darrion Dupree, Bryan Jackson II, Nate Palmer

### Defense

- LOLB: Sebastian Cheeks, Justus Boone, Liam Danitz
- NT: Hammond Russell IV, Jacob Anderson, Dillan Johnson
- DT: Junior Poyser, Charles Perkins, DeNigel Cooper
- ROLB: Tyreese Fearbry, Nicolas Clayton
- WLB: Mason Posa, Aaron Witt
- MLB: Cooper Catalano, Taylor Schaefer
- SLB: Jon Jon Kamara, Thomas Heiberger
- LCB: Javan Robinson, Jai'mier Scott, Jahmare Washington
- SS: Matthew Jung, Grant Dean, Luke Emmerich
- FS: Marvin Burks Jr., Carson Van Dinter, Cairo Skanes
- RCB: Eric Fletcher Jr., Cai Bates
- NB: Bryce West, Raphael Dunn

### Special Teams

- PT: Ethan Tranel, Sean West
- PK: Gavin Lahm, Sean West
- KO: Gavin Lahm, Sean West
- LS: James Roe, Andrew Goodman
- H: Ethan Tranel, Sean West
- PR: Tyrell Henry
- KR: Gideon Ituka
- INJ: Matthew Traynor

## 2026 schedule

| Week | Opponent | Site | TV | Spread |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Notre Dame | Away | NBC/Peacock | WIS +20.5 |
| 2 | Western Illinois Leathernecks (FCS) | Home | BTN | – |
| 3 | Eastern Michigan | Home | Peacock | – |
| 4 | Penn State | Away | – | – |
| 5 | Michigan State | Home | – | – |
| 7 | UCLA | Away | – | – |
| 8 | USC | Home | – | – |
| 9 | Iowa | Away | – | – |
| 10 | Rutgers | Home | – | – |
| 11 | Maryland | Away | – | – |
| 12 | Purdue | Away | – | – |
| 13 | Minnesota | Home | NBC/Peacock | – |

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Source: SharpData OS – https://www.sharpdataos.com/cfb/teams/wisconsin
Depth chart updated 2026-08-11. Odds shown are point-in-time snapshots.