2024 NCAAF Cheat Sheet: Wisconsin Badgers Stats & Odds
Will Arrival Of Former Miami QB Van Dyke Impact the 2024 Badgers Stats?
Is Luke Fickell Ready to Turn Things Around At Wisconsin?
With four losses by nine points or less, Luke Fickell’s first season at the helm of the Wisconsin football program didn’t always go smoothly. With another recruiting class and a group of transfers arriving in Madison, Wisconsin, the Badgers could be a better team in 2024.
After losing five home games in the previous two seasons, Wisconsin was just 4-3 at home in 2023 so keep that in mind when looking at the potential 2024 Wisconsin Badgers stats. Wisconsin was about as mediocre as it gets with a 6-6-1 record against the spread last season and that included a 2-4-1 mark at home and a 1-4-1 record as the home favorite.
When Wisconsin lost to Ohio State last season, it was the first time the Badgers were an underdog at ohome since a 2016 matchup against the Buckeyes. Wisconsin lost both of those games but covered each time as a double-digit underdog.
Only five Wisconsin games finished over the total a season ago as only Ohio State and Iowa had fewer games go under the total among Big Ten teams. Just two of the seven home games went over the total.
At A Glance
| Odds to Win | Opening Odds | Current Odds |
| Championship | +12500 | +20000 |
| Conference | +8000 | +8000 |
| Regular Season Win Total | 6.5 (o -144, u- +118) | 6.5 (o -144, u- +118) |
| To Make Playoffs | Yes N/A, No N/A | Yes N/A, No N/A |
Can Van Dyke Lead the Badgers Back to Prominence
The days of Wisconsin’s quarterback being little more than a game manager as the power running game takes over is a thing of the past. Luke Fickell brought an up-tempo offensive system with him from Cincinnati. There were some predictable growing pains in changing offensive systems with most of the players recruited by the previous regime.
While many of the top incoming transfers came on the defensive side of the ball, the Badgers did sign former Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. There should be an improvement in the passing games when it comes to the 2024 Wisconsin Badgers stats.
After having 25 touchdown passes and just six interceptions in 10 games as a freshman, Van Dyke threw 17 interceptions over the last two seasons.
LSU tight end Jackson McGohan and Michigan State receiver Tyrell Henry are among the new pass catchers for the Badgers. Losing offensive lineman Nolan Rucci to Penn State was not ideal. Leading receiver Will Pauling is back but star running back Braelon Allen is now in the NFL.
Linebackers Tackett Curtis, Leon Lowery, and Jaheim Thomas come in from USC, Syracuse, and Arkansas while the return of top tackler Hunter Wohler should help as Wisconsin went from leading the Big Ten in total defense in 2021 to finishing ninth last season.
On the prowl 🦡@HunterWohler is on the @jimthorpeaward watch list for 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 in college football. pic.twitter.com/HZ5Z0s4jsV
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) July 31, 2024
Championship Odds: There’s Plenty of Work To Do
It shouldn’t take long to figure out where this Wisconsin team stands with a Sept. 14 home game against perennial national title contender Alabama followed two weeks later with a trip out to meet Big Ten newcomer USC. Those games will determine whether Wisconsin will be a contender or a pretender when looking at the CFP predictions.
There will be multiple teams from the Big Ten in the College Football Playoff field as it expands from four to 12 teams. It might be a reach to expect Wisconsin to be one of those teams.
Perhaps Fickell will return Wisconsin to prominence but it will take some time. Wisconsin has never played in the College Football Playoffs and the college football odds are not projecting that to change in 2024.
The premise? 𝙃𝙐𝙉𝙏 or be 𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙. ⚒️@CoachFick’s full presser | https://t.co/Hi9fUBtpJu pic.twitter.com/0Ha1jpWCkI
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) July 30, 2024
Conference Odds: Can the Badgers Join the Heavyweights
The addition of Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington from the Pac-12 has resulted in the end of the two-division format in the Big Ten. That is not good news for the Badgers. With Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State playing in the East Division, the winner of the West Division was often times the fourth-best team in the conference and still got to play in the Big Ten championship game. That is not the case any longer.
Wisconsin doesn’t meet either Michigan or Ohio State so that is fortunate. It might help that the Penn State and Oregon matchups are at home. It still feels like Wisconsin will be a team destined to finish in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten.
Regular Season Wins: Can the Wolverines Hit Double Digits?
Before meeting up with Alabama, Wisconsin should be 2-0 thanks to non-conference against Western Michigan and South Dakota.
Wisconsin’s quest to go over 6.5 wins during the regular season could come down to a three-game stretch in October against Purdue, Rutgers, and Northwestern.
Wisconsin has won 17 games in a row against Purdue and hasn’t lost to Rutgers since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten. The Northwestern series has been more competitive. If the Badgers win all three of those games, they would be either 5-2 or 6-1 going into the Penn State game.
The regular season wraps up with Nebraska and Minnesota and those are games that the Badgers could win as well so going over 6.5 wins would be a solid bet.
To Make Playoffs: Don’t Expect to See The Badgers In The Field
Wisconsin has played in a bowl game in each of the last 22 seasons and look for that streak to reach 23. However, when it comes to the college football predictions , it might be asking a bit much for Wisconsin’s bowl game to come as part of the College Football Playoff field.
Ohio State, defending national champion Michigan, Penn State, and Oregon are all ahead of Wisconsin in the Big Ten pecking order and perhaps 2023 CFP finalist Washington could be in front of the Badgers as well.
Side Bets
Van Dyke would occasionally pop up on the Heisman Trophy odds during his time at Miami. However, it remains to be seen what the 2024 Wisconsin Badgers stats will look like. There are other Big Ten quarterbacks who will go into the season on the radar of Heisman voters but Van Dyke probably needs to air it out early in the season to join them. A big showing against Alabama would be a huge help.
Take a look at Wisconsin being favored by the NCAA football lines by 24.5 points against Western Michigan in the season opener. The Badgers haven’t lost as a 20-point home favorite since 2019.
For NCAAF betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
