Wisconsin Football 2024 Preview: Northwestern Wildcats

Wisconsin football will hit the road in week eight to take on the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston.

Rumors floated in the offseason that the Badgers and Wildcats would square off at Lambeau Field due to Northwestern's stadium being demolished, but those turned out to be false. Instead, UW will meet Northwestern in a temporary on-campus stadium for the week eight matchup.

Wisconsin will look to bounce back from a 24-10 loss to the Wildcats last season and get back in the winning column for the second year under Luke Fickell.

Game Info

When: Saturday, October 19th - Time TBD

Where: Lanny and Sharon Martin Athletic Facility in Evanston, IL

TV: TBD

Radio: Badger Sports Network

History

It has been a back-and-forth affair between the Badgers and the Wildcats in recent years.

Wisconsin leads the all-time series 61-39-5, but the last ten matchups between the two programs have been split at 5-5. Northwestern took home a 24-10 victory last season in a brutal home loss for UW, and if you're a fan of the Badgers, you know how the recent trips to Evanston have treated them.

In a new venue, it will be interesting to see if the Badgers can exorcise the demons that have haunted them in their recent trips to Northwestern's home turf.

Last Season

8-5 Overall; 5-4 Big Ten

22.1 points per game (104th of 133)

22.5 opp. points per game (40th of 133)

2023 SOS: 56th of 133

Northwestern outperformed expectations in 2023. After going 1-11 in the 2022 season, the Wildcats were at rock bottom under head coach Pat Fitzgerald. Things were (seemingly) made worse when Fitzgerald was fired just before the 2023 season kicked off due to a hazing investigation. David Braun, the Wildcats defensive coordinator, was moved to head coach, and it was a pretty strong season for the first-year head coach.

Under Braun's direction, the Wildcats finished 8-5, improving by seven wins from the prior season. After a strong first campaign, Braun was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year and the inaugural Paul "Bear" Bryant Newcomer Coach of the Year.

Northwestern capped off the season with a 14-7 win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.

2024 Preview

Though Northwestern had a solid year last season, the offseason did not do much to move the needle. The Wildcats brought in just six transfers while losing 12 to the portal. One of the most important portal pickups was former Mississippi State QB Mike Wright, who will provide some insurance after Brendan Sullivan transferred to Iowa in the offseason.

Northwestern will bring back some of their top contributors, including RB Cam Porter, who recorded 651 yards and four touchdowns last season, and MLB Xander Mueller, who logged 110 tackles, five sacks, three interceptions, and a forced fumble in 2023. There will also be seven returning defensive starters, which could be a decisive factor for the Wildcats season.

The Wisconsin football team's track record in Evanston in recent years hasn't been strong, so this shouldn't be a game that Badger fans look over despite Northwestern hardly moving the needle. On top of that, this game is sandwiched between a road game against Rutgers and a massive home bout against Penn State.

With such a tough schedule in 2024, this is a game Wisconsin football needs to win by any means necessary.

Related: Wisconsin Football 2024 Preview: Rutgers Scarlet Knights

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You can also follow Jake Maier at @JakeJMaier on X.