Only six Saturdays separate us from the start of the 2023 college football season.
The year is among the more highly anticipated in Madison, Wisconsin, that I can remember. Not only will it be the final year of the East-West Division model in the Big Ten, but the Badgers are set up with an easy schedule and a team to capitalize on it.
Also, the program went through widespread changes this offseason and now runs an air raid offense. I’m sure the broadcasts in the fall will make it a point to hammer that fact home.
Related: Where Phil Steele ranks each of Wisconsin’s position groups entering the 2023 season
Let’s return to the easy schedule bit. Some of Wisconsin’s best seasons in recent memory have come against slates like this one, most recently in 2017 and 2019. For a new staff looking to make a mark, circumstances could not line up more perfectly.
As we inch closer to kickoff between Wisconsin and Buffalo in Week 1, here’s a look at the five toughest games on the Badgers’ schedule this season: