College football analyst believes Wisconsin can be ‘dark horse’ contender in Big Ten this year
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It’s safe to say that things haven’t run smoothly for Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers over the last couple of years. But after a vote of confidence last offseason and an infusion of resources into the program this offseason, Wisconsin looks like a much different team heading into 2026.
The Badgers added talent at nearly every position on the roster and are projected to have new starters at potentially quarterback, running back, wide receiver, left tackle, center, defensive tackle, edge, cornerback, and safety this year. That’s quite a lot of new players.
The major domino is Colton Joseph, whom the Badgers pried from Old Dominion in the offseason. Joseph, a redshirt junior in 2026, provides a dual-threat option at quarterback for Wisconsin, potentially unlocking the next part of offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes’s offense.
Currently, the Badgers’ win total is set at 6.5 wins. But one college football analyst is buying the offseason hype from Wisconsin.
CBS Sports’s Tom Fornelli listed the Badgers as his ‘dark horse’ team this year on a recent episode of the Cover 3 podcast, citing injuries in previous years, the team’s defense, and the new additions.
“This is a very dark, dark horse, especially the way the last few years have gone for this program. But I’m going to take Wisconsin,” Fornelli said. “I’m telling you, if you look at this team the last few years, they’ve been crushed by injuries more so than other programs have had to deal with, which have derailed their seasons. Defensively last year, that team was great. They were one of the best defenses in the country. They just couldn’t score any points because they were down to like their third-string quarterback, their fourth-string running back, their third-string offensive tackle.
“But they’ve got Darrion Dupree, they brought in Abu Sama, the running back from Iowa State that was very successful for the Cyclones. I like what they have at running back. I think Colton Joseph and his legs add another dimension to that offense at quarterback to kind of give him a little cheat code in the run game. They’ve revamped their run game there. If you remember what Baylor was running a few years ago with [offensive coordinator Jeff] Grimes, that’s what they’re going to be bringing in this year. And I think that defense, while they’ve got some guys to replace, is still going to be very good.
“But the one reason, the primary reason I’m taking Wisconsin- have you seen that schedule, guys?”
Wisconsin’s offenses have been ugly over the last few years. But there’s no doubt they’ve been crushed by injuries, especially at quarterback. Wisconsin has lost its top signal-caller for at least four games in every season that Luke Fickell has been at the helm. In two of those years, that quarterback was lost for the season (Billy Edwards, Tyler Van Dyke).
The Badgers have also been hit with injuries along the offensive line, which has slowed down their run game, while running backs have also faced injuries. Now, Wisconsin is hoping for a fully healthy season, while also replenishing their depth at those positions.
If there’s something trending up offensively this year, it’s the run game, as Wisconsin brought in several new backs to pair with Dupree alongside Joseph. The team’s defense should also be strong once again, with the linebacker core returning alongside a ton of new surrounding players.
Wisconsin’s schedule is another factor. The toughest games in 2026 figure to be Notre Dame, Penn State, USC, and Iowa. Wisconsin could be favored, or close to it, in most of the other games, assuming they play to expectation.
So, the cards are there for the Badgers to have a good season. Whether that ultimately occurs or not remains to be seen.
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