The Wisconsin Badgers had a disappointing 2023 college football season with Luke Fickell’s first year at the helm. Wisconsin is looking to improve big time in 2024 in a much tougher BIG10 Conference than it was a season ago. The Oregon Ducks, the USC Trojans, the UCLA Bruins, and the Washington Huskies all come over to the conference this season from the PAC-12.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will no doubt be the top team in the conference and maybe the country this season, but the Oregon Ducks, the Michigan Wolverines, and the Penn State Nittany Lions can not be slept on. Wisconsin will no longer be in the east-west alignment in the conference. The Wisconsin Badgers could benefit from it or maybe they won’t benefit from it.
They finished with a 7-6 record last season and went to a bowl game before they lost to the LSU Tigers. Wisconsin could have an outside shot at making the college football playoff this season depending on how things go.
Athlon Sports Writer Steve Lassan Has the Wisconsin Badgers Ranked 8th In His Preseason Poll In the BIG10 Conference
Lassan made his preseason predictions for the BIG10 Conference entering the 2024 season. In his BIG10 Conference rankings, he has the Wisconsin Badgers ranked 8th before the start of the 2024 season. Athlon Sports Writer Steve Lassan said:
“For the Badgers to take a step forward in coach Luke Fickell’s second year, priority No. 1 is settling the quarterback battle between Tyler Van Dyke and Braedyn Locke. The transition to the Air Raid attack wasn’t smooth last season, but coordinator Phil Longo should have optimism for ’24 with an experienced offensive line, a good group of skill talent at running back and receiver, along with another year to develop in this system. Wisconsin is thin along the defensive line, but transfers should boost the linebacker unit, while All-Big Ten performers in Ricardo Hallman and safety Hunter Wohler are back in the secondary.”
Tyler Van Dyke transferred from the Miami Hurricanes. We will see if Van Dyke can be better this season than he was last season. Tanner Mordecai was the Wisconsin Badgers quarterback last season and it didn’t go as planned for them after he transferred from SMU.
Losing Braelon Allen in the backfield will be a big loss for this offense. Chez Mellusi and Tawee Walker will be the running back tandem for Wisconsin this season. Will Pauling could be the top wide receiver in this offense and the defense will need to be better than it was a season ago. They don’t have the kind of talent like the other top-tier teams in the conference, but this is where the Badgers will be.
