Picking Wisconsin's football schedule by NCAA Academic Progress Rate and U.S. News ranking

USA Today

27-05-2025

Picking Wisconsin's football schedule by NCAA Academic Progress Rate and U.S. News ranking
The difficulty of Wisconsin's 2025 football schedule is well documented. As we've outlined both before and after spring practice, the slate is by far the Big Ten's toughest and among the most challenging in the entire sport.
The team hosts two clear-cut national title contenders in Ohio State and Oregon, plus travels to play another in Alabama. The schedule also includes games against College Football Playoff hopefuls Michigan, Washington and Illinois, and projected top-30 teams in Iowa and Indiana. That all doesn't include Minnesota, which has claimed Paul Bunyan's Axe in three of the last four years.
The preseason consensus is that Wisconsin would do extremely well to make a bowl game, let alone return to an eight or nine-win pace. Therefore, it may require more than just an assessment of wins and losses to evaluate the program's progress in what will be year three of the Luke Fickell era.
For more on the team's specific outlook, here are our post-spring game-by-game predictions.
That is all an on-field assessment of Wisconsin football and its upcoming opponents. Unrelated to football, how does Wisconsin compare to those schools academically?
In the last few weeks, we've outlined Wisconsin's place in the Big Ten in both the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate and the latest U.S News & World Report rankings. Those placements: No. 5 (991) and No. 6 (No. 39 nationally), respectively.
Now, how do those standings compare to the team's upcoming opponents? In other words, who is the smartest school Wisconsin football plays in 2025?
Week 1 vs. Miami (OH) RedHawks
Academic Progress Rate: 959
U.S. News Ranking: No. 136
Wisconsin has little trouble besting Miami (OH) academically and shouldn't have much trouble on the football field. The RedHawks are ESPN SP+'s No. 96-ranked team in the sport entering the season. If we were to make picks based solely on APR, U.S. News ranking, or SP+, Wisconsin is 1-0 in every scenario.
Week 2 vs. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Academic Progress Rate: 959
U.S. News Ranking: No. 273
The same blurb from the opener against Miami (OH) can apply to this contest. Wisconsin has a significantly higher standing in APR, U.S. News' ranking and SP+.
Week 3 at Alabama Crimson Tide
Academic Progress Rate: 998
U.S. News Ranking: No. 171
This is where Wisconsin's schedule begins its significant on-field challenge. Alabama is SP+'s No. 2 team entering the season, trailing another team on the Badgers' schedule. None would be surprised if this becomes the Badgers' first loss of the year. Off the field, while Wisconsin holds a much higher U.S. News ranking than Alabama, it falls short in APR.
Get more (Alabama) news, analysis, and opinions on Roll Tide Wire
Week 4 vs. Maryland Terrapins
Academic Progress Rate: 962
U.S. News Ranking: No. 44
Maryland is part of a large group of schools on Wisconsin's schedule with similar academic rankings. While the Terrapins' latest APR is significantly lower than the Badgers', only five spots separate the two schools' U.S. News ranking.
Week 6 at Michigan Wolverines
Academic Progress Rate: 996
U.S. News Ranking: No. 21
To spoil the article's title, Michigan is the top-ranked academic school on Wisconsin's 2025 schedule. It ranks just No. 3 in the Big Ten, behind UCLA (No. 15 nationally) and Northwestern (No. 6). This is one of the few matchups where Wisconsin is outperformed in all three categories — APR, U.S. News ranking, and SP+ rating.
Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire
Week 7 vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Academic Progress Rate: 982
U.S. News Ranking: No. 98
Wisconsin edges Iowa in APR and U.S. News ranking. The on-field matchup is more of a question, especially after the Hawkeyes crushed the Badgers 42-10 last season. This game will go a long way toward deciding Wisconsin's 2025 season.
Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire
Week 8 vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
Academic Progress Rate: 1000
U.S. News Ranking: No. 41
No football program in the country has a better APR than Ohio State. Additionally, none are ranked higher in ESPN SP+. Wisconsin only owns a four-spot edge over Ohio State in U.S. News' rankings. Badgers fans hope the on-field matchup is somehow just as close.
Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire
Week 9 at Oregon Ducks
Academic Progress Rate: 946
U.S. News Ranking: No. 109
Wisconsin has a prohibitive academic edge over Oregon, besting the football program's APR by 45 points and the school's U.S. News ranking by 72 spots. The same can't be said for the on-field matchup. The Ducks are No. 7 in SP+, fresh off a 13-1 2024 season that included a Big Ten title.
Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire
Week 11 vs. Washington Huskies
Academic Progress Rate: 978
U.S. News Ranking: No. 46
Wisconsin closes the season with four must-win games. Washington, which has high expectations entering year two under Jedd Fisch, is one of those critical matchups. Given that Wisconsin edges Washington in both listed academic metrics, the on-field matchup will hopefully follow suit.
Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire
Week 12 at Indiana Hoosiers
Academic Progress Rate: 982
U.S. News Ranking: No. 73
If games were picked based only on U.S. News ranking, Wisconsin would be 9-1 after its matchup against Indiana. The only loss in that scenario is to Michigan in Week 6. Of course, the word 'football' carries significant weight in the name of the sport, 'college football.'
Week 13 vs. Illinois Fighting Illini
Academic Progress Rate: 971
U.S. News Ranking: No. 33
Wisconsin dropped behind Illinois in this year's U.S. News Ranking. The program also may be falling behind on the football field, as Bret Bielema's Illini are fresh off a 10-win 2024 season and enter 2025 with expectations of a College Football Playoff breakthrough.
Week 14 at Minnesota Golden Gophers
Academic Progress Rate: 992
U.S. News Ranking: No. 54
Wisconsin closes with an all-too-familiar matchup. The program barely edges Minnesota in SP+, forecasting yet another coin-flip matchup. Given that Minnesota has won three of the last four in the series, including a 24-7 triumph at Camp Randall Stadium to close 2024, it's reasonable to call this matchup a must-win.
In summary, the Badgers would do well if games were decided in the classroom. They beat 10 of their 12 opponents in the latest U.S. News rankings, plus eight of 12 in NCAA APR. We'll now see how the on-field product compares to that projection.
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