The Wisconsin Badgers football team’s 2024 season has been disappointing so far, especially for a program known for its consistent success over the past three decades. Under coach Luke Fickell, the Badgers are 2-2, with losses to both of their power conference opponents and a major setback after losing their starting quarterback, Tyler Van Dyke, to an ACL injury. The Badgers are now in a challenging situation heading into the thick of Big Ten play.
This weekend, Wisconsin faces a struggling Purdue team at home—a matchup ESPN gives the Badgers a 78.1% chance of winning. However, beyond this game, the potential outcomes for the rest of the season look bleak for the Wisconsin Badgers. According to ESPN’s analytics, the Badgers are predicted to win only one more game, against Northwestern, putting their overall season outlook in jeopardy. Achieving bowl eligibility will be no easy feat for this Badgers team, barring a drastic turnaround. If these predictions hold, Wisconsin would finish 4-8, ending a 22-year streak of consecutive winning seasons. A team that prides itself on structure and consistency has been anything but consistent this season. This situation is even more disappointing when considering the preseason expectations for Luke Fickell’s squad, which aimed to take the next step forward after finishing just above .500 last season.
The next two games with the best odds for the Badgers come on the road against an unexpectedly tough Rutgers team and a home matchup late in the season with Minnesota. ESPN’s analytics give them a 30% chance of knocking off Rutgers on the road and a 45.9% chance of victory at home against the Gophers.
After a 7-6 record in Fickell’s first season, Wisconsin has shown several signs of struggle, with few signs of optimism, except for a strong first-half performance against the Trojans. Their wins against Western Michigan and South Dakota were tougher than expected, and they were dominated in losses to No. 2 Alabama and No. 15 USC. If the team doesn’t turn things around soon, this could be Wisconsin’s worst season since 1990. After starting the season with the mindset of contending for a Big Ten Title Game, the Badgers now must focus on what they can salvage and identify positive takeaways moving forward.
Entering Purdue week, an early spread favors the Badgers in what feels like a must-win game. All odds and spreads below are via BetMGM:
- Spread: Wisconsin -13.5, Purdue +13.5
- Moneyline: Wisconsin -550, Purdue +400
- Over/Under: 46.
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