The 2026 Wisconsin Badgers football team represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers are led by fourth-year head coach Luke Fickell and play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium located in Madison, Wisconsin.
With a Week 5 win over Michigan State, the Badgers have already equaled their win total from last season.
Offseason 2026 NFL draft
For the first time since 1978, the Badgers did not have a player get selected in the NFL Draft, a streak of 47 seasons. UndraftedJackson AckerFB/TEBuffalo BillsVinny Anthony IIWRAtlanta FalconsBen BartenDTNew York GiantsAustin BrownSIndianapolis ColtsNyzier FourqureanCBLos Angeles RamsRicardo HallmanCBDenver BroncosRiley MahlmanOTAtlanta FalconsLance MasonTESeattle SeahawksParker PetersenDLCarolina PanthersDarryl Peterson IIILBLos Angeles RamsMason ReigerLBMiami DolphinsJay'viar SuggsDTNew Orleans Saints
Coaching changes + 2026 Wisconsin Badgers coaching staff changes Position Previous coach(es) Vacancy reason Replacement(s) Source(s)Special teams coordinatorMatt Mitchell, 2023–2025Promoted to Associate head coachBob LigasheskyOffensive line coachA. J. Blazek, 2024–2025Mutual agreementEric MateosRunning backs coachDevon Spalding, 2023–2025Hired by Michigan StateJayden EverettWide receivers coachJordan Reid, 2025Hired by Atlanta FalconsAri Confesor Insider linebackers coachMike Tressel, 2023–2025Title removedTuf BorlandCornerbacks coachPaul Haynes, 2023–2025Promoted to Secondary coachRobert SteeplesAssistant wide receivers coachBlake Rolan, 2025Hired as Assistant quarterbacks coachCam OdomAssistant defensive backs coachScott Power, 2025Hired by Central WashingtonChris Worley
Transfer portal Departures Wisconsin outgoing transfersNameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownTransfer toSourceChristian Alliegro #0 LB 6'4" 247 Junior Darien, CT Ohio State Geimere Latimer II #1 CB 5'10" 191 Junior Fairburn, GA West Virginia Trech Kekahuna #2 WR 5'10" 185 Sophomore Honolulu, HI North Carolina Tackett Curtis #4 LB 6'2" 235 Junior Many, LA UCF Omillio Agard #6 CB 5'11" 185 Freshman Philadelphia, PA Virginia Dilin Jones #7 RB 6'0" 208 Freshman Pittsburgh, PA LSU Billy Edwards Jr. #9 QB 6'3" 228 Graduate Student Springfield, VA North Carolina Tucker Ashcraft #11 TE 6'5" 257 Junior Seattle, WA USC Joseph Griffin Jr. #12 WR 6'4" 210 Junior Springfield, MA UMass Preston Zachman #14 S 6'1" 212 Graduate Student Elysburg, PA Indiana Kyan Berry-Johnson #22 WR 5'10" 160 Freshman Bolingbrook, IL Sam Houston Cade Yacamelli #25 RB 6'0" 219 Junior Trafford, PA Miami (OH) Antarron Turner #28 LB 6'2" 241 Junior Ocala, FL Colorado State Remington Moss #32 S 6'1" 194 Freshman Dumfries, VA Elon Angel Toombs #36 LB 6'5" 200 Sophomore Milwaukee, WI Jacksonville State Atticus Bertrams #49 P 6'3" 233 Junior Sydney, Australia UCF Joe Brunner #56 G 6'5" 317 Junior Whitefish Bay, WI Indiana Cody Raymond #56 LB 6'4" 234 Freshman Shelby, MI Ohio Jake Renfro #57 C 6'4" 313 Graduate Student Mokena, IL Illinois Leyton Nelson #66 G 6'6" 311 Junior Orlando, FL Jamel Howard Jr. #91 DL 6'2" 311 Sophomore Chicago, IL UConn Ernest Willor Jr. #93 DL 6'4" 250 Freshman Baltimore, MD James Madison
Incoming Wisconsin incoming transfersNameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious teamSource Justus Boone #0 LB 6'4 275 Graduate Student Sumter, SC Arkansas Eric Fletcher Jr. #1 CB 6'1 180 Sophomore Fort Myers, FL Oklahoma State Colton Joseph #1 QB 6'2 200 Junior Newport Beach, CA Old Dominion Javan Robinson #2 CB 5'11 180 Senior Winter Garden, FL Arizona State Cai Bates #3 CB 6'2 190 Sophomore Orlando, FL Florida State Abu Sama #3 RB 5'11 210 Senior Des Moines, IA Iowa State Marvin Burks Jr. #4 S 6'1 200 Senior St. Louis, MO Missouri Bryce West #5 CB 5'11 200 Sophomore Cleveland, OH Ohio State Shamar Rigby #7 WR 6'3 190 Junior St. Petersburg, FL Oklahoma State Deuce Adams #8 QB 6'2 190 Sophomore Austin, TX Louisville Jaylon Domingeaux #9 WR 6'2 210 Senior Lafayette, LA Southeastern Louisiana Carson Van Dinter #11 S 6'3 210 Sophomore Kaukauna, WI Iowa State Zion Kearney #12 WR 6'1 207 Junior Fresno, TX Oklahoma Liam Danitz #14 LB 6'5 232 Graduate Student West Branch, MI Hope College Nate Palmer #15 RB 6'0 195 Sophomore Decatur, TX TCU Malachi Coleman #16 WR 6'4 200 Junior Lincoln, NE Minnesota Bryan Jackson II #21 RB 6'0 230 Junior McKinney, TX USC Eli Adams #26 WR 6'0 190 Sophomore Austin, TX Louisville Jon Jon Kamara #28 LB 6'4 230 Sophomore Goodyear, AZ Kansas Jayden Loftin #39 LB 6'4 255 Freshman Somerville, NJ Tennessee Taylor Schaefer #43 LB 6'4 230 Junior Sturgeon Bay, WI Iowa Central Community College James Roe #46 LS 5'11 195 Junior Kennesaw, GA Toldeo Austin Kawecki #51 OL 6'4 300 Senior Frisco, TX Oklahoma State P.J. Wilkins #71 OL 6'5 340 Junior Atlanta, GA Ole Miss Lucas Simmons-Johnson #72 OL 6'8 308 Junior Stockholm, Sweden Florida State Blake Cherry #73 OL 6'5 315 Sophomore Claremore, OK Arkansas Stylz Blackmon #76 OL 6'4 300 Junior Grain Valley, MO Augustana (SD) Ryan Schwendeman #84 TE 6'5 245 Senior O'Fallon, MO Southern Illinois Jacob Harris #89 TE 6'4 225 Junior Westerville, OH Bowling Green Hammond Russell IV #91 DL 6'3 312 Graduate Student Columbus, OH West Virginia DeNigel Cooper #93 DL 6'3 260 Sophomore Kingsland, GA Appalachian State Jake Anderson #95 DL 6'5 295 Senior Davis, IL Illinois State Ethan Tranel #98 P 6'2 200 Junior Blue Mounds, WI Wisconsin–La Crosse Junior Poyser #99 DL 6'1 310 Junior Brampton, ON Buffalo
Recruiting class
Recruiting class rankings 247Sports 65 17 0 0 15 15 ESPN — — 0 2 13 15 Rivals 68 14 0 0 15 15
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries vs No. 4 Notre Dame
Statistics WISCND First downs 16 20 Plays–yards 61–284 61–350 Rushes–yards 31–67 32–111 Passing yards 217 239 Passing: –– 19–30–1 19–29–0 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 28:24 31:36 Team Category Player Statistics Wisconsin Passing Colton Joseph 19/30, 217 yards, TD, INT RushingAbu Sama 19 carries, 50 yards Receiving Malachi Coleman 4 receptions, 76 yards, TD Notre Dame Passing CJ Carr 19/29, 239 yards, 2 TD Rushing Aneyas Williams 20 carries, 90 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jordan Faison 4 receptions, 81 yards
vs Western Illinois (FCS)
Statistics WIUWISC First downs 15 16 Plays–yards 62–302 53–406 Rushes–yards 38–154 31–233 Passing yards 148 173 Passing: –– 15–24–0 12–22–0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 34:57 25:03 Team Category Player Statistics Western Illinois Passing Kennedy McGill 13/22, 139 yards Rushing Kennedy McGill 18 carries, 88 yards Receiving Jacob Kania 2 receptions, 58 yards Wisconsin Passing Colton Joseph 12/22, 173 yards, TD Rushing Abu Sama 8 carries, 112 yards, TD Receiving Tyrell Henry 4 receptions, 91 yards
vs Eastern Michigan
Statistics EMUWISC First downs 15 23 Plays–yards 60–216 63–479 Rushes–yards 30–62 30–117 Passing yards 154 362 Passing: –– 18–30–2 23–33–1 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 28:43 31:17 Team Category Player Statistics Eastern Michigan Passing Noah Kim 16/28, 140 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Joey Mattord 9 carries, 37 yards Receiving Nick Devereaux 3 receptions, 38 yards, TD Wisconsin Passing Colton Joseph 23/33, 362 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Colton Joseph 9 carries, 50 yards, TD Receiving Tyrell Henry 14 receptions, 160 yards, TD
at No. 13 Penn State
Statistics WISCPSU First downs 18 12 Plays–yards 66–355 65–233 Rushes–yards 28–120 36–119 Passing yards 235 114 Passing: –– 18–38–3 12–29–1 Time of possession 29:34 30:26 Team Category Player Statistics Wisconsin Passing Colton Joseph 18/38, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing Darrion Dupree 8 carries, 52 yards Receiving Jacob Harris 5 receptions, 105 yards, TD Penn State Passing Rocco Becht 12/29, 114 yards, INT Rushing James Peoples 14 carries, 72 yards Receiving Chase Sowell 6 receptions, 70 yards
vs Michigan State
Statistics MSUWISC First downs 19 17 Plays–yards 79–235 62–373 Rushes–yards 45–127 42–228 Passing yards 108 145 Passing: –– 16–34–0 9–20–0 Time of possession 31:10 28:50 Team Category Player Statistics Michigan State Passing Alessio Milivojevic 15/31, 108 yards Rushing Jaziun Patterson 18 carries, 62 yards Receiving Jayden Savoury 4 receptions, 26 yards Wisconsin Passing Colton Joseph 9/20, 145 yards, 3 TD Rushing Colton Joseph 13 carries, 141 yards, TD Receiving Malachi Coleman 1 reception, 46 yards, TD
at UCLA
Statistics WISCUCLA First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Wisconsin Passing Rushing Receiving UCLA Passing Rushing Receiving
vs USC
Statistics USCWISC First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics USC Passing Rushing Receiving Wisconsin Passing Rushing Receiving
at Iowa (Heartland Trophy)
Statistics WISCIOWA First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Wisconsin Passing Rushing Receiving Iowa Passing Rushing Receiving
vs Rutgers
Statistics RUTGWISC First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Rutgers Passing Rushing Receiving Wisconsin Passing Rushing Receiving
at Maryland
Statistics WISCMD First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Wisconsin Passing Rushing Receiving Maryland Passing Rushing Receiving
at Purdue
Statistics WISCPUR First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Wisconsin Passing Rushing Receiving Purdue Passing Rushing Receiving
vs Minnesota (Paul Bunyan's Axe)
Statistics MINNWISC First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Minnesota Passing Rushing Receiving Wisconsin Passing Rushing Receiving
Personnel Roster
References