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Four weeks into the season, Wisconsin’s schedule no longer looks as manageable as it did in August. A rising Iowa and an unexpectedly strong UCLA have reshaped the Badgers’ outlook, while USC’s slide has made one late-October date appear more winnable — at least on paper.
The October 31 trip to Iowa was expected to be tough from the start. The Hawkeyes have dominated recent meetings and Kinnick Stadium is notoriously hostile. Their 4-0 start and a road win over Michigan have the program sitting at No. 14, which only raises the stakes for Wisconsin if Iowa keeps rolling.
At UCLA (Oct. 17)
What once looked like a feasible test in Westwood has become one of the Badgers’ trickier matchups. UCLA’s offseason hire of coach Bob Chesney from James Madison has produced an immediate turnaround. The Bruins are 4-0, already have three wins over Power Four opponents and returned to the AP poll at No. 23 for the first time since 2023.
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UCLA’s offense has been built on the ground. Through four games the Bruins rank among the national leaders in rushing, averaging about 281.5 yards per game. Transfer running back Wayne Knight has been a major factor, totaling 445 yards on the ground with a 9.1-yard average and nine rushing touchdowns.
Defensively, UCLA has been stout against the run as well, allowing roughly 91.3 rushing yards per game and collecting pressure and takeaways — nine sacks and eight interceptions so far. The balance on both sides of the ball helped produce a 52-3 win over Maryland, a sign of growing depth compared with recent seasons in Westwood.
The Bruins’ upcoming trip to No. 15 Oregon will be an important measuring game. Prior opponents so far include a struggling California team, San Diego State, Maryland and Purdue, which tempers how definitive the early results are. Still, in the current landscape, UCLA is no longer an easy date for Wisconsin.
Vs. USC (Oct. 24)
A week after facing UCLA in Los Angeles, Wisconsin returns home to host USC. Unlike the Bruins, the Trojans have underperformed relative to expectations this fall.
Lincoln Riley’s program entered the season with high hopes after a 9-4 campaign and the return of quarterback Jayden Maiava. Instead, USC suffered a lopsided loss to Oregon at the Coliseum and has not produced a signature win since joining the Big Ten.
Offensively the Trojans still rank among the nation’s leaders in total and passing yards. But their defense has allowed unexpected points: San Jose State, Louisiana-Lafayette and Rutgers posted 26, 30 and 35 points against USC, respectively. Those results expose a unit that has struggled to stop opponents despite offensive firepower.
The program also faced a controversial moment after a dangerous hit by linebacker Desman Stephens II on Oregon’s quarterback Dante Moore. Media scrutiny intensified when the team’s initial public response drew criticism. Stephens was later suspended for a game, but the episode added reputational pressure on the staff and raised questions about culture in the locker room.
USC’s schedule does not ease after Madison: matchups with Washington and Penn State precede the Badgers game, and the Trojans then face Ohio State and Indiana in consecutive weeks. Given those challenges and the team’s inconsistent play, the October meeting in Madison looks markedly different today than it did at the season’s start.
