MADISON – Wisconsin scored what can be considered the biggest win of the Luke Fickell era Oct. 24.
The Badgers defeated USC, the No. 15 team in the USA Today US LBM coaches poll, 24-7, at Camp Randall Stadium. It was UW’s highest-ranked win since a 35-14 win over No. 11 Michigan Sept. 21, 2019.
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It’s hard to imagine a better springboard into the Badgers‘ trip to Iowa City on Oct. 31 to face the 14th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes.
What did you learn about the Badgers from the victory?
Send us your comments and questions about the team and Journal SentinelBadgersbeat reporterMark Stewartwill answer a selection of them in the coming days.
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame
Date: Sunday, Sept. 6
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Lambeau Field; Green Bay, Wisconsin
The Badgers open the season with a marquee matchup in a historic NFL venue against a team with unfinished business.
Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish finished 10-2 in 2025 and ended the year on a 10-game winning streak but withdrew from bowl consideration after landing on the outside of the College Football Playoff bracket.
This game is part between the Badgers and Fighting Irish is part of the Shamrock Series that was originally supposed to be played in 2020 at Lambeau Field. But that game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two teams met a year later at Soldier Field.
This is the first college game at Lambeau Field since Wisconsin played LSU in 2016.
(Michael Caterina, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame
Date: Sunday, Sept. 6
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Lambeau Field; Green Bay, Wisconsin
The Badgers open the season with a marquee matchup in a historic NFL venue against a team with unfinished business.
Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish finished 10-2 in 2025 and ended the year on a 10-game winning streak but withdrew from bowl consideration after landing on the outside of the College Football Playoff bracket.
This game is part between the Badgers and Fighting Irish is part of the Shamrock Series that was originally supposed to be played in 2020 at Lambeau Field. But that game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two teams met a year later at Soldier Field.
This is the first college game at Lambeau Field since Wisconsin played LSU in 2016.
(Michael Caterina, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. Western Illiniois
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: 6:15 p.m.
Location: Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin
Western Illinois is part of the Football Championship Subdivision. The Leathernecks have finished 4-8 in each of the last two years. Before that, they were 0-11 in consecutive seasons in 2022 and 2023. The team’s last winning season came in 2017.
Western Illinois, coached by Joe Davis, will play the Big Ten for a second straight season. The Leathernecks lost to Illinois, 52-3, and Northwestern, 42-7, to open the 2025 season.
(Ron Johnson, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. Eastern Michigan
Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Location: Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin
Wisconsin wraps up its non conference schedule against Eastern Michigan, which finished 4-8 overall and 1-5 away from home in 2025.
The Eagles are part of the Mid-American Conference and coached by Chris Creighton, who is in his 13th year leading the program.
(Jordan Prather, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. Penn State
Date: Saturday, Sept. 26
Time: TBD
Location: Beaver Stadium; University Park, Pennsylvania
Wisconsin opens Big Ten play against the new-look Penn State program now led by Matt Campbell.
He’s replacing James Franklin, who was fired during a disappointing 2025 that saw the Nittany Lions finish 7-6 overall and 3-6 in conference play.
Campbell, 46, comes to Penn State after 10 years at Iowa State. He won Big 12 Coach of the Year three times.
The Nittany Lions’ starting quarterback, Rocco Bech, transferred from Iowa State as well.
(Matthew O’Haren, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. Michigan State
Date: Saturday, Oct. 3
Time: TBD
Location: Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin
Pat Fitzgerald has rejoined the Big Ten to take over a struggling Michigan State program.
The Spartans’ last winning season came five years ago. MSU finished 4-8 overall, 1-8 in the Big Ten and winless on the road in 2025.
Fitzgerald spent 17 years at Northwestern from 2006-22, has the 14th most wins all time for a Big Ten coach and earned Coach of the Year in 2018.
(Kamil Krzaczynski, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. UCLA
Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
Time: TBD
Location: Rose Bowl; Los Angeles, California
After a bye, the Badgers play a third straight opponent that has a head coach in 2026. Bob Chesney comes to UCLA after two years at James Madison. Last season, Chesney was the Sun Belt Coach of the Year and led JMU to the College Football Playoff.
UCLA has finished 3-6 in conference play in each of its first two years in the Big Ten.
(Kirby Lee, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. USC
Date: Saturday, Oct. 24
Time: TBD
Location: Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin
Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans are now in Year 3 as members of the Big Ten and look to take the next step in competing for a championship.
USC enters the season ranked 14th in the country after finishing 9-4 overall and 7-2 in the Big Ten in 2025.
Wisconsin last played USC in 2024, the Trojans’ first year in the Big Ten. The Trojans scored 28 unanswered second-half points to roll to a 38-21 win over the Badgers.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. Iowa
Date: Saturday, Oct. 31
Time: TBD
Location: Kinnick Stadium; Iowa City, Iowa
Wisconsin looks to snap a four-game losing streak in the series against Kirk Ferentz and Iowa in 2026.
The last two matchups have not been competitive, losing 42-10 in 2024 and 37-0 last season. Ferentz, 71, is entering his 28th year as Iowa’s head coach. The Hawkeyes have been the model of consistency, posting 13 straight winning seasons.
The Hawkeyes are coming off a 9-4, 6-3 season with a victory over Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
(Ross Harried, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. Rutgers
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: TBD
Location: Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin
Wisconsin looks to remain perfect against Rutgers (6-0) in the all-time series with the Scarlet Knights. All of the wins have been by double figures.
Like the Badgers in 2025, Greg Schiano’s team finished 2-7 in Big Ten play.
(Ron Johnson-Imagn Images)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. Maryland
Date: Saturday, Nov. 14
Time: TBD
Location: SECU Stadium; College Park, Maryland
Wisconsin looks to avenge last season’s 27–10 loss to Michael Locksley’s Maryland Terrapins when the two teams meet in 2026.
It was Wisconsin’s first loss to Maryland in the series (4-1).
The win was also Maryland’s only Big Ten victory all season. The Terrapins finished 4-8 overall and 1-8 in conference play.
(Kamil Krzaczynski, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. Purdue
Date: Saturday, Nov. 21
Time: TBD
Location: Ross–Ade Stadium; West Lafayette, Indiana
Purdue has fallen on extremely hard times, going winless in the Big Ten in each of the last two years and 3-22 overall.
Barry Odom is in his second season as Purdue’s head coach.
(David Banks, Imagn Images)
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Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers’ opponents, game dates
Wisconsin vs. Minnesota
Date: Friday, Nov. 27
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin
Wisconsin ends the 2026 season on Black Friday as the Badgers renew their rivalry with Minnesota in the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe.
P.J. Fleck and Minnesota have gotten the better of Wisconsin of late, beating the Badgers the last two years and four of the last five seasons.
Minnesota went 8-5 overall and 5-4 in Big Ten play in each of the last two seasons.
(Mark J. Rebilas, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Got a question about Wisconsin football after USC game? Ask our beat writer
