Wisconsin's 2025 schedule labeled as 'Murderers' Row' by David Pollack

The 2025 season is going to be important for head coach Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers. After missing a bowl for the first time since 2001, the Badgers want to bounce back in Fickell’s third season. The problem standing in their way is a very difficult schedule.

Analyst David Pollack believes that schedule might be too much to overcome. On his show, See Ball Get Ball, he explained that Wisconsin doesn’t just have the toughest schedule in the Big Ten. The Badgers might just have the toughest schedule in the country.

“Oh my God, this is easy,” David Pollack said. “This is murderers’ row. This is the worst schedule in all of college football. I’m not going to tell you the team, and you can just listen to this schedule and go, ‘Ooh, I’m not winning very many games.'”

Playing in the Big Ten, Wisconsin had nine conference games. That takes away one, likely more winnable, non-conference game. Then, the Badgers add a non-conference game against Alabama, which looks to be one of the best teams in the country. That goes with a tough draw in conference play. In total, Wisconsin plays six teams that made the College Football Playoff in 2023 or 2024.

“Miami (Ohio), yes, love you. Middle Tennessee, love you. Now, let’s get real. Let’s get dirty. Listen to this schedule, at Bama, host Maryland — not too bad,” Pollack said. “At Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State, at Oregon, Washington, at Indiana, Illinois, at Minnesota, when it’s three degrees outside, which will be really, really fun. That is absolutely ridiculous. You’ve got two guaranteed wins. You’ve got a couple toss ups with Maryland, with Washington, with Minnesota. It’s only one, at least is at Minnesota. But you’re talking about at Oregon, at Bama, at Michigan, playing Ohio State. Golly, bro. I do not want to be Wisconsin.”

Wisconsin went 5-7 last season, which brought the Badgers to 13-13 under Fickell. When he was hired, expectations were that he’d lead the Badgers to the top of the Big Ten. That’s still the expectation, but one that might be difficult to get to in 2025.

“The over-under for them is like, I think 5.5. I think that was their over/under that I read. Ain’t no way. If that’s the case, if it’s 5.5, I don’t gamble, but I’m gladly taking the under. I will dive in that pool in a heartbeat to stay underwater. That ain’t happening. I think you’ll coast. You’re gonna get up 2-0 and you’re gonna be like, ‘God, they only gotta find three more,'” Pollack said. “Well, go find them. They’re gonna start happy, and then it’s gonna be man, oh, man. I’ve got to find some dubs.”

Wisconsin opens the season on August 28th against Miami (Ohio). That’s one of those games where the Badgers can’t afford to get upset.