The 3-1 Michigan Wolverines face the 2-2 Wisconsin Badgers at Michigan Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Here’s a look at Wisconsin ahead of the matchup.
Wisconsin’s season so far
- 17-0 win vs Miami (Ohio)
- 42-10 win vs Middle Tennessee
- 38-14 loss to Alabama
- 27-10 loss to Maryland
A coach that’s on the hot seat
Things haven’t gone exactly smoothly for head coach Luke Fickell, who’s now in his third full season with the program. Fickell went 7-6 his first season, 5-7 last year, and is 2-2 thus far in ‘25. Fickell was expected to put Wisconsin in a position to compete for the Big Ten Championship, and the reality is the Badgers may be a long way off from doing
so and fans are likely missing the Paul Chryst era right about now. If Wisconsin loses to Michigan the calls for Fickell to be fired will only intensify.
Offensive rankings
- Total offense: No. 115
- Rushing offense: No. 109
- Passing offense: No. 87
- Scoring offense: No. 87
- 3rd down %: No. 69
- First downs: No. 102
- Red Zone offense: No. 93
- Time of possession: No. 5
Defensive rankings
- Total defense: No. 23
- Rushing defense: No. 1
- Passing yards allowed: No. 89
- Scoring defense: No. 37
- Team sacks: No. 39
- First downs: No. 10
- Passes intercepted: No. 58
- Red zone defense: No. 119
- 3rd down defense: No. 12
- Tackles for loss: No. 103
Lackluster quarterback play
Wisconsin quarterback Danny O’Neil is inconsistent and turnover prone and he will have his hands full against a talented Michigan defense. O’Neill has a Total QBR of 34.7, which ranks No. 117 in the nation. O’Neill has thrown for 640 yards this season with five touchdowns and five interceptions with a 70.6 completion rate.
Clock milkers
Wisconsin doesn’t have a good offense, but they sure know how to take time off the clock, ranking No. 5 in time of possession.
Run stuffing specialists
Wisconsin’s bread and butter is stopping the run this season. Their pass defense is mediocre, but they can at least thwart a rushing attack. Something will have to give, as Michigan has the No. 8 rushing offense.
Michigan vs Wisconsin head to head
Michigan is 49-15-1 all-time against Wisconsin. The Wolverines won the last matchup back in 2021, a 38-17 win at Wisconsin. However, the Badgers have played Michigan tough this century. Michigan has a 5-8 record versus Wisconsin since 2005.
