Can the Badgers win at least eight games in 2024?

The Wisconsin Badgers are entering the 2024 season with different expectations than they had last year after an up-and-down 2023 during Luke Fickell’s first year as head coach.

Still, they look like a better team from a year ago, as the Badgers hit the transfer portal to address key needs. But, that’s matched with a tougher schedule this year, as Wisconsin enters the new-look Big Ten.

So, how will they fare this season?

On Friday, Stewart Mandel of The Athletic issued his win-loss predictions for all Big Ten teams. Ohio State was predicted to go undefeated, while Michigan State and UCLA will finish tied for last at 4-8.

The Wisconsin Badgers, facing one of the strongest schedules in the nation this season, are predicted to go 8-4 along with Rutgers and Nebraska.

Mandel sees the Badgers finishing with an eight-win season for three reasons.

1. The Badgers should have solved their growing pains under Year 1 of the Luke Fickell regime.

2. Tyler Van Dyke will be a quality transfer quarterback.

3. Wisconsin’s demanding schedule features Alabama, Penn State, and Oregon at home and road trips to USC and Iowa.

While Wisconsin opens the season against Western Michigan and South Dakota, first-year Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer and returning starting quarterback Jalen Milroe enter Camp Randall Stadium for an early September test. The Crimson Tide game will gauge how close or far Wisconsin is to becoming a college football playoff team.

Then, the schedule gets interesting.

According to ESPN FPI, the Badgers are underdogs against six of the next eight opponents, including Rutgers and Nebraska, before finishing the season against Minnesota.

Wisconsin is favored to win its eighteenth straight game against the Purdue Boilermakers and take revenge against Northwestern after the Wildcats’ 24-10 beatdown of Wisconsin back on November 11th.

Stewart Mandel’s 8-4 prediction for the Badgers is perhaps the safe bet if one looks at the schedule.

If Wisconsin wants to improve from a pedestrian 7-6 record last year, it must avoid the upset bug. So, look for Tyler Van Dyke and a resurgent offensive line under AJ Blazek to lead the Badgers in the second year under head coach Luke Fickell.