Tag: Schedule

Broncos will face Super Bowl champion and runner-up in 2025

The Broncos will face the Chiefs (home and away) and Eagles (away) during the 2025 NFL season.

No matter who wins the Super Bowl on Sunday, the Denver Broncos are guaranteed to face the defending champion (and runner-up) during the 2025 NFL season.

The Kansas City Chiefs (home and away) and Philadelphia Eagles (away) are both on Denver’s list of 2025 opponents for next season. The Chiefs, led by Patrick Mahomes, will face Jalen Hurts and the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Feb. 9.

Kansas City is also set to host Philadelphia next season, so that game could be a prime candidate for the NFL’s season opener in 2025.

The Broncos’ full list of 2025 opponents features the AFC West, AFC South and NFC East, plus same-place finishers from the AFC North (Cincinnati Bengals), AFC East (New York Jets) and NFC North (Green Bay Packers).

In addition to facing Mahomes and Hurts, Denver’s defense will also face a tough list of quarterbacks including Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels, Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott and C.J. Stroud.

With an unbalanced 17-game schedule, the AFC and NFC rotate having eight or nine home games each season. After playing eight games at Empower Field at Mile High in 2024, the Broncos will have nine home games in 2025.

Broncos list of 2025 opponents

Home Away
Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Chargers
Las Vegas Raiders Las Vegas Raiders
Jacksonville Jaguars Houston Texans
Tennessee Titans Indianapolis Colts
Dallas Cowboys Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants Washington Commanders
Cincinnati Bengals New York Jets
Green Bay Packers

The team’s complete 2025 NFL schedule with dates and times will be announced in the spring, likely in early May.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Saints will compete against former coaches Allen, Kubiak in 2025 road games

The Saints will go up against two of their recently-hired coaches on the road in 2025, with Klint Kubiak on the Seattle Seahawks and Dennis Allen on the Chicago Bears:

Two former New Orleans Saints coaches were recently hired to new teams in recent days. These were 2024 offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak who moves on to be the offensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks, and former head coach Dennis Allen who will become the Chicago Bears defensive coordinator. This leaves the Saints without a head coach or offensive coordinator at this point in time, as they are now the last team to hire a head coach in the 2025 head coaching cycle.

They will not have to wait long to see either of these former staffers either, as they will be playing both the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks in 2025, both of which are away games.

The last time the Saints played the Seahawks in an away game was back in 2021, which was a Monday Night Football matchup that resulted in a 13-10 Saints victory. This was a slog of a game with neither team gaining any traction on offense and being pretty much lockdown on defense the entire time.

As for when the Saints last played the Bears in an away game, that was back in 2020 which was also a Saints victory, by a score of 26-23 in overtime. Drew Brees would go 31-of-41 for 280 passing yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions in that game, and Nick Foles would go 28-for-41 for 272 passing yards and 2 touchdowns to 1 interception.

None of these three teams are the same anymore however, Pete Carroll has gone from Seattle to the Las Vegas Raiders, Caleb Williams is the quarterback of the Bears, and the Saints are now without both Brees and Sean Payton. It will be interesting to see what route the Saints go with this offseason, and whether or not they are competitive in 2025 or just choose to break things down a bit more.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Wisconsin basketball rises in USA TODAY Bracketology update

Wisconsin basketball rises in latest USA TODAY Bracketology

Wisconsin basketball rose to a No. 5 seed in USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament bracket projection following its win over Nebraska.

The Badgers were on the No. 6-seed line in USA TODAY’s last bracket reveal on Jan. 24. The team’s 83-55 triumph over the Cornhuskers proved significant, as it joined Arizona, Missouri and Louisville on the No. 5-seed line.

Related: Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings (Jan. 27): Wisconsin holds serve

Notably, Wisconsin defeated Arizona 103-88 at the Kohl Center earlier this season. The Wildcats have risen significantly since that date, bolstered by a recent home win over top-ranked Iowa State.

Wisconsin also currently sits No. 17 in the AP Poll, No. 17 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, No. 15 in KenPom, No. 22 in ESPN’s BPI and No. 18 in the NCAA NET Ranking. Those top positions follow the team’s streak of seven wins in its last eight games, five of which coming against Big Ten opponents.

The Badgers are the fifth-highest-seeded Big Ten team in USA TODAY’s updated bracket, trailing just No. 2-seed Michigan State, No. 3-seed Purdue, No. 4-seeds Illinois and Oregon.

Wisconsin returns to the court on Wednesday night against Maryland (No. 9 seed). It is looking to improve on its road record of 2-3 to date, going up against a Maryland team that has lost just once at home.

The Badgers are threatening a significant rise in NCAA Tournament seeding if they can continue their current form. A win over Maryland is a necessary first step in that regard.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

Wisconsin basketball rises in AP Poll following a 28-point win over Nebraska

Wisconsin basketball rises in AP Poll after its 28-point win over Nebraska

Wisconsin basketball (16-4, 6-3 Big Ten) rose one spot to No. 17 in the AP Poll following its 83-55 win over Nebraska.

The updated ranking reflects the Badgers’ last week of play, which included that win over Nebraska as well as a two-point road loss to UCLA.

Related: Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings (Jan. 27): Wisconsin holds serve

Wisconsin is now the fourth-highest-ranked Big Ten team in the poll, trailing just No. 7 Michigan State, No. 10 Purdue and No. 16 Oregon. It notably jumped No. 18 Illinois after the successful week.

The No. 17 mark is Wisconsin’s highest ranking since it rose to No. 11 in early December after an 8-0 start to the season. Three losses quickly followed that top ranking. The Badgers are looking for different results this time around, with big games upcoming at Maryland, at Northwestern and home against Indiana.

The Badgers are 8-1 since that mentioned three-game losing streak. That surge, which includes a 6-1 record against Big Ten teams in January, has the team up to No. 4 in the conference standings. Another string of victories is crucial to maintaining that standing.

Auburn leads the latest AP Poll after big wins over Georgia and Tennessee. It is followed by No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Iowa State, No. 4 Alabama and No. 5 Florida. How those top SEC teams perform against the Big Ten’s best in March is sure to dictate the annual argument regarding conference supremacy.

For more on where things currently stand, here is the latest AP Poll (Jan. 27):

Rank School Record Points
1 Auburn 18-1 1,550 (62)
2 Duke 17-2 1,484
3 Iowa State 17-2 1,404
4 Alabama 17-3 1,342
5 Florida 18-2 1,278
6 Houston 16-3 1,242
7 Michigan State 17-2 1,170
8 Tennessee 17-3 1,149
9 Marquette 17-3 1,068
10 Purdue 16-5 892
11 Kansas 14-5 877
12 Kentucky 14-5 858
13 Texas A&M 15-5 775
14 Mississippi State 16-4 715
15 St. John’s 17-3 588
16 Oregon 16-4 448
17 Wisconsin 16-4 440
18 Illinois 14-6 384
19 Memphis 16-4 383
20 Missouri 16-4 352
21 Louisville 15-5 346
22 Texas Tech 15-4 308
23 Ole Miss 15-5 215
24 Vanderbilt 16-4 132
25 UConn 14-6 131

Notable teams ‘receiving votes’ include Michigan (129), Maryland (126) and UCLA (1).

Wisconsin returns to the court on Wednesday night at Maryland (16-5, 6-4 Big Ten). The Badgers are looking to add another statement victory to close a successful month of January.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

Former Saints HC Dennis Allen expected to get hired as Bears DC

The Chicago Tribune reports former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is expected to become the Bears’ new defensive coordinator:

The New Orleans Saints moved on from Dennis Allen part way through last season and it does not look like it will take long for him to find a new job in the NFL.

The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs recently shared that multiple sources told him Allen will soon become the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. He held that same role for the Saints from 2015 to 2021 and excelled at it. While his time as the head coach in New Orleans did not go well (his record improved to just 26-53 after going 8-28 with the Raiders), it was not his defensive capabilities that got him fired.

The Bears are in the midst of a coaching overhaul themselves, as they hired Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to lead their team earlier this offseason. Johnson needed a smart defensive mind to take control of that side of the ball and that is what he will get. Allen will have a lot of responsibility with the Bears, so he gets an immediate chance to build his reputation back up.

Chicago’s defense ranked as the sixth-worst unit in the league, allowing 354.3 yards per games. if Allen can get them back on track while Johnson overhauls the offense, the Bears just might be a problem in 2025 and beyond. The Saints are scheduled to play a road game in Chicago this season so Allen could soon have a chance at payback against the team that fired him.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

These college programs have the most alumni on NFL conference championship rosters

Wisconsin one of nine college football programs with five alumni in NFL conference championships

Wisconsin doesn’t boast the quantity of NFL talent that leads Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State to their annual position as national championship contenders.

One list provides that context. Alabama entered the 2024 NFL season with 77 alumni on active rosters. It was followed by Ohio State (66), LSU (65), Michigan (63), Georgia (62), Notre Dame (52), Penn State (49), Washington (47), Oklahoma (46) and Florida (43).

Wisconsin, meanwhile, sat tied for 22nd with 32 alumni in the league.

Related: Power ranking all 18 Big Ten football programs after the 2024 season

Those counts describe each program’s success at the college level. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that a direct correlation exists between NFL talent and on-field winning.

While Wisconsin is far from national title contention, and far from those listed alumni totals, it does fit into a special category of NFL success: The Badgers are one of just nine programs in college football with at least five program alumni set to play on NFL conference championship Sunday.

Wisconsin, Washington, Ohio State, and Illinois each boast five players, Penn State has six, Florida has seven, Georgia and Alabama have eight, and Oklahoma leads the way with nine.

One translation: While Wisconsin doesn’t produce the same number of NFL products that other programs do, the Badgers that do make it go on to become some of the best at their position.

Former Badgers set to play on Sunday are Tyler Biadasz (Washington Commanders), Michael Deiter (Commanders), Zack Baun (Philadelphia Eagles), David Edwards (Buffalo Bills) and Leo Chenal (Kansas City Chiefs).

Biadasz has been one of the NFL’s most steady centers over the past decade, first with Dallas and now with Washington. Deiter is a well-established backup in the league. Baun was a first-team All-Pro selection after a career-best year. Edwards is off one of the best seasons of his six-year career. Chenal, finally, is one of the more important members of a defense that has led the Chiefs to consecutive Super Bowl titles.

That group doesn’t even include NFL-best pass-rushers T.J. Watt and Andrew Van Ginkel, or running back Jonathan Taylor.

Wisconsin doesn’t often sent quarterbacks, wide receivers or cornerbacks to the next level. Those who have seen the Badgers play over the last two decades may understand why. That said, a football fan would be hard-pressed to find a program with a better collection of players at linebacker, running back and offensive line.

Those five former Badgers leading teams into the conference championship round further proves that reality.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

Where Wisconsin basketball lands in first USA TODAY bracketology of 2024-25 season

Where Wisconsin lands in first USA TODAY Bracketology of 2024-25 season

Wisconsin basketball is in a strong position to make the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season and fifth time in six opportunities.

The team sits at 15-4 (5-3 Big Ten) overall, led by an 11-0 record against Quad 2, 3 and 4 opponents. It currently sits No. 21 in KenPom, No. 24 in the ESPN BPI and No. 22 in the NCAA NET Rankings. Those marks all suggest even better results to come.

Related: Updated game-by-game predictions for Wisconsin basketball after UCLA loss

The Badgers’ resume includes wins over Arizona (KenPom No. 17), Pittsburgh (No. 33) and Ohio State (No. 29). Their losses have come against Michigan (No. 12), Illinois (No. 11), Marquette (No. 13) and UCLA (No. 30).

A continuation of the team’s current pace, mixed in with another few signature wins, could result in a top-five seed in March’s NCAA Tournament bracket. Wisconsin is just outside that range, according to USA TODAY’s first bracketology of the 2024-25 season.

The Badgers are a No. 6 seed in the Midwest region. They are opposed by No. 11 seed UC Irvine (Big West Conference).

Nine Big Ten teams make the projected field. That is the second most of any conference, behind the SEC’s 13. The top Big Ten teams are Michigan State (No. 2 seed), Oregon (No. 3 seed), Purdue (No. 4 seed), Illinois (No. 4 seed), Michigan (No. 5 seed) and Wisconsin (No. 6 seed).

The Badgers have plenty of resume-building opportunities left on their schedule. The team has Quad 1 games remaining against Maryland (Jan. 29), Northwestern (Feb. 1), Iowa (Feb. 8), Purdue (Feb. 15), Illinois (Feb. 18), Oregon (Feb. 22) and Michigan State (March 2). Those contests will prove critical to the team’s quest for its first top-three seed since 2022.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

How to watch former Wisconsin Badgers in NFL conference championships

How to watch former Wisconsin Badgers in NFL conference championships

Five former Wisconsin Badgers will suit up this weekend in the NFL conference championship round.

There is at least one Wisconsin product on each of the four remaining teams, ensuring that a former Badger will hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the fourth consecutive season (Rob Havenstein in 2021, Leo Chenal in 2022-23).

In the NFC, the No. 2-seed Philadelphia Eagles (Zack Baun) will host the No. 6-seed Washington Commanders (Tyler Biadasz, Michael Deiter). Washington shocked the sport with a road win over No. 1-seed Detroit on Saturday, while Philadelphia outlasted the No. 4-seed Los Angeles Rams.

In the AFC, the No. 1-seed Kansas City Chiefs (Leo Chenal) made the consecutive conference championship game for the seventh consecutive season. They will host the No. 2-seed Buffalo Bills (David Edwards), who snuck past the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round.

Each of those five former Badgers, by no surprise, play offensive line and linebacker. Here is how to watch them in action this weekend:

Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Kick time: Sunday, Jan. 26, 3 p.m. ET, 2 p.m. CT

TV channel: Fox

Players to watch:

  • Commanders: C Tyler Biadasz, OL Michael Deiter
  • Eagles: LB Zack Baun

Baun excelled in the Eagles’ win over the Rams, totaling six tackles, one run stuff, one fumble recovery and one pass deflection. He’ll lead the heavily-favored Eagles against rookie QB Jayden Daniels and the Commanders. Former Badger and longtime Dallas Cowboy Tyler Biadasz will start at center for Washington.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Commanders vs Eagles live on Fubo” link=”https://www.fubo.tv/welcome/leagues/191261?irad=399332&irmp=1205322&subId1=SMG&subId2=NCAAF&subId3=2024″]

Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Kick time: Sunday, Jan. 26, 6:30 p.m. ET, 5:30 p.m. CT

TV channel: CBS

Players to watch:

  • Bills: G David Edwards
  • Chiefs: LB Leo Chenal

Chenal tallied four tackles and an important field-goal block in the Chiefs’ divisional round win over the Houston Texans. It’s his third NFL season and he’s already looking for his third Super Bowl title.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Ravens vs Bills live on Paramount+” link=”https://paramountplus.qflm.net/zNQ5nr”]

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

If their history is any indication, Saints head coach search could end soon

The New Orleans Saints head coaching search may come to an end soon if their previous hirings are any indication of when it may happen

The history of New Orleans Saints head coaches has been a relatively short one, with only 15 coaches ever having the opportunity to be the head coach or interim head coach in their 57-year history. Now the Saints find themselves looking for a new head coach, and if their previous history of hirings are any indication, the search could come to a conclusion in the very near future.

The last five non-interim head coach hires are as follows, as well as the exact date they were brought in to lead the Saints:

  • Dennis Allen – Feb. 8, 2022
  • Sean Payton – Jan. 18, 2006
  • Jim Haslett – Feb. 3, 2000
  • Mike Ditka – Jan. 28, 1997
  • Jim Mora – Jan. 28, 1986

Based on these dates, the mean of the previous hirings is about 29.4, meaning January 29th is roughly when a new head coach signing could be expected hypothetically. With the news surrounding their interest in second interviews, it seems a hiring may be coming in the near future. However, with the snowfall blocking their path to an interview for a few days, that may lead them right into the range of when previous hires happened.

Granted, Mickey Loomis has made it clear that their hiring process this year will differ from previous ones, and that it may take a little longer as they will be vetting their options to ensure what will hopefully be a quality coach for years to come.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Wisconsin basketball’s updated NET ranking, NCAA Tournament resume after UCLA loss

Wisconsin basketball’s updated NET ranking, NCAA Tournament resume after UCLA loss

Wisconsin basketball fell to 15-4 on the season and 5-3 in Big Ten play with an 85-83 loss to UCLA on Tuesday.

The result ensured a 1-1 split during its two-game Los Angeles road trip. While the narrow defeat ended the Badgers’ seven-game winning streak and paused their surge to the top of the conference standings, it did not negatively impact their KenPom, ESPN BPI, or NCAA NET ranking.

Related: Updated game-by-game predictions for Wisconsin basketball after UCLA loss

Wisconsin held its same No. 21 spot in KenPom, rose four spots to No. 24 in the BPI and remained at No. 21 in the NET.

That dynamic is due to UCLA‘s perceived quality — the Bruins sit No. 31 in KenPom despite recent struggles in Big Ten play. A two-point road loss to a fringe-top-30 team in the country won’t initiate a significant downgrade.

The loss to UCLA is a Quad 1 defeat. Wisconsin is now 4-4 in such games this season, compared to 11-0 against everybody else.

As a reminder, here is a reminder of how the NET classifies each game:

  • Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
  • Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
  • Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
  • Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353

The Badgers actually received a boost just before the UCLA loss, as Ohio State won on the road at Purdue and jumped to No. 30 in the NET. That pushed the Badgers’ recent home victory over the Buckeyes back into the Quad 1 category.

Wisconsin is now the mentioned 4-4 against Quad 1, 4-0 against Quad 2, 2-0 against Quad 3 and 5-0 against Quad 4. That resume is the fifth-strongest in the Big Ten, only ranked behind Illinois (No. 8), Michigan (No. 12), Purdue (No. 13) and Michigan State (No. 16). It has the team in the 5-seed range in most bracketologies.

That standing has the chance to rise considerably over the next six weeks. Wisconsin has Quad 1 games remaining against Maryland, Northwestern, Iowa, Purdue, Illinois, Oregon and Michigan State, and Quad 2 games against Nebraska, Indiana, Minnesota and Penn State. Its only remaining Quad 3 game is a home contest against Washington.

That quest begins on Sunday when Nebraska (NET No. 57) visits the Kohl Center.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion