​Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Cooper Catalano (44) makes a defensive stop against the Washington Huskies at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, on November 8, 2025. (Photo by Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty Images) The Badgers faced a brutal slate in 2025, with eight opponents either ranked or finishing the season ranked, including Alabama, Oregon, Indiana, and Ohio State, all of whom made the College Football Playoff. In 2026, the schedule appears more favorable on paper, yet several tough tests remain. In Part 1 of this series, I looked at the easiest games on Wisconsin’s schedule. Now, in Part 2, I’m projecting how challenging various games will be this fall. This edition highlights several must-win scenarios against four opponents the Badgers could go 0-4 against or 4-0 against, depending on how things shake out. Let’s dive in.
8th: @ Maryland
Although the game is in November, it will serve as a critical bellwether to gauge how much Wisconsin has progressed since the 2025 collapse, which Maryland helped accelerate at Camp Randall. Malik Washington will return to direct the Terps’ offense, and the matchup is in College Park. Maryland hasn’t done enough in the offseason to convincingly show they’ll be markedly better this fall. Early projections place Mike Locksley’s team near the bottom of the conference, though typically a notch above Wisconsin. If Maryland has improved meaningfully, this could be a gritty win for them; otherwise, Wisconsin should be able to handle it.
7th: vs. Michigan State
I’m openly optimistic that Pat Fitzgerald will turn the Spartans around. They should be a tougher, more disciplined team than in recent years, but expectations for Fitzgerald will be higher than they were at Northwestern, adding pressure in his first year. Sophomore Alessio Milivojevic has been entrusted with the Spartans’ offense and appears to be a solid Big Ten starter, but if Wisconsin’s defense performs as hoped, they’ll slow the Spartan attack. Put simply, this is a must-win early in conference play for Luke Fickell, especially after the tough battles Wisconsin faced against Notre Dame in Green Bay and Penn State in Happy Valley.
6th: @ UCLA
Some Wisconsin fans may assume this is an easy win, but they’d be in for a wake-up call. Predicting the Rose Bowl outcome is inherently uncertain, and UCLA has brought in a confident new figure in Bob Chesney, who led James Madison to the College Football Playoff last season with a 21-6 record over two seasons after replacing Curt Cignetti. As Badger fans know, success against non-Power Five programs doesn’t automatically translate to the Big Ten, and UCLA’s ascent under Chesney could pose a real test for Wisconsin.