Illinois football AT Wisconsin Badgers – Saturday, November 22 (No time set)
At this point in the season, Illinois should be feeling pretty good. With two games left, we have to travel up to Wisconsin to take on the tough Badgers.
Wisconsin is actually coming off a rocky season where they were only 5-7 and missed a bowl game. This was a shocker, as the Badgers are usually competitive. Opening starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is now with SMU. Braedyn Locke stepped in and threw for 1,936 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He transferred out and is now with Arizona.
I mentioned in a previous slide that Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. transferred to Wisconsin. He is going to be their starting quarterback, which is great for Illinois. There is a ton of tape on him, and he only threw for 2,881 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 2024.
Edwards is definitely turnover-prone. Illinois’ defensive backs should be able to force at least one interception. This should help turn the game. Wisconsin’s offense should struggle greatly, as their top running back is gone from last season, too.
While the Badgers did have a lockdown pass defense in 2024, their run defense was atrocious. They gave up 168.8 yards per game on the ground, which ranked No. 90 in the country. It is never good when your leading tackler is a safety, who is now in the NFL. They also lost one of their leaders in sacks. This could be the end of Luke Fickell in Wisconsin.
Final score: Illinois 27 – Wisconsin 7