Updated bowl projections for the Badgers through five weeks

Updated bowl projections for the Badgers through five weeks

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Updated bowl projections for the Badgers through five weeks
Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell leads his team onto the field before the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, on October 3, 2026. (Photo by Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images

Much has changed for the Wisconsin Badgers in a couple of weeks. After their loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and uninspiring win over Western Illinois in Week 2, some bowl projections didn’t include the Badgers.

But after a stretch of four consecutive wins, Wisconsin has not only gotten into bowl projections, but have gotten some favorable projections as well, sitting at 4-1 entering their bye week.

Where do experts have the Badgers projected in the latest bowl predictions?

ESPN: Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl, ReliaQuest Bowl

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach has the Badgers projected to the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl, where they’d face Wake Forest. The game, played at Yankee Stadium, has been between a Big Ten and ACC team for over the past decade.

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura had the Badgers with a better projection, placing them in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve against the Florida Gators. Wisconsin played against LSU in the ReliaQuest bowl three seasons ago when they last made a bowl game.

On3: Music City Bowl

On3’s Brett McMurphy, who didn’t have the Badgers in a bowl game three weeks ago, projected them to the Music City Bowl vs. the Texas A&M Aggies this week.

Wisconsin hasn’t played in the bowl game since 2003, and this would be a fun matchup against a reeling A&M team that has really struggled this year, especially at quarterback.

USA Today: Cactus Bowl

USA Today’s Erick Smith projected the Badgers to the Cactus Bowl, formerly known as the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.

Wisconsin played in it back in 2022, beating Oklahoma State 24-17. It was their last win in a bowl game. Smith projects them to play the Baylor Bears.

CBS Sports: Duke’s Mayo Bowl

CBS Sports’s Brad Crawford has the Badgers going to the Duke’s Maye Bowl against, coincidentally, Duke. This game would be played on December 26th in Charlotte, North Carolina, essentially serving as a home game for the Blue Devils.

“These teams are a combined 8-1 this season and both have hopes of getting to their respective conference championship games with a few breaks over the next two months,” Crawford wrote. “Wisconsin doesn’t have to play Ohio State, Indiana or Oregon in the regular season, while the unbeaten Blue Devils go to Miami on Nov. 14 in what should be a season-defining showdown.”

Wisconsin next plays in on October 17th on the road against the UCLA Bruins in a game that could end with them ranked should they pull off the victory.

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