So, if you’re looking for a badgers football score today, January 18, 2026, you won’t find one. The stadium is empty. The turf at Camp Randall is likely tucked under a layer of Madison frost.
Why? Because the Wisconsin Badgers finished a brutal 2025 campaign back in November with a 4-8 record. No bowl game. No postseason hardware. Just a lot of questions for Luke Fickell and a roster that's currently being rebuilt through the transfer portal.
Honestly, it’s been a weird winter for Wisconsin fans. Usually, we’re talking about bowl wins or at least a respectable January ranking. Instead, the "score" today is measured in portal additions and subtractions.
What really happened with the Badgers football score today?
The last time this team actually took the field was November 29, 2025. It was the season finale against Minnesota. If you were hoping for a heroic finish to save face, well, it didn't happen. The Badgers fell 17-7 to the Gophers, losing Paul Bunyan’s Axe and ending the year on a sour note.
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That 4-8 finish was the program's worst since 1995. It’s hard to wrap your head around, especially considering where this program was a decade ago.
A quick look at how the 2025 season unfolded:
- Early Hope: They started 2-0 with wins over Miami (OH) and Middle Tennessee.
- The SEC Reality Check: A 38-14 thumping at the hands of Alabama in mid-September started the slide.
- The Mid-Season Collapse: A six-game losing streak that included back-to-back shutouts against Iowa (37-0) and Ohio State (34-0).
- Small Signs of Life: They managed to upset No. 23 Washington 13-10 and beat No. 21 Illinois 27-10.
- The Bitter End: Losses to Indiana and Minnesota to close the door on any bowl eligibility.
Basically, the "score" for the season was a lack of offensive identity. The Badgers averaged just 12.8 points per game, which ranked 135th out of 136 FBS teams. That is a stat that will keep any offensive coordinator awake at night.
The Transfer Portal: The only game in town right now
Since there isn't a badgers football score today to track on a scoreboard, fans are glued to their phones for portal news. The winter window just closed on Friday, January 16, and the roster is essentially a blank slate.
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Luke Fickell is basically playing a real-life version of roster Tetris. As of this week, Wisconsin is returning only two offensive starters from the 2025 Week 1 lineup: wide receiver Chris Brooks and offensive lineman Emerson Mandell. That’s it. Everyone else? Either graduated, hit the portal, or got pushed out in the rebuild.
The Big Names Leaving
- Billy Edwards Jr. (QB): The starter from last season has moved on.
- Dilin Jones (RB): One of the more promising pieces in the backfield entered the portal.
- Leyton Nelson (OL): Entered his name just hours before the deadline on Friday.
It’s been a mass exodus, with over 20 players leaving Madison. But Fickell hasn't just been watching the door; he’s been aggressive. He’s already brought in roughly 27 new players. The most notable name is quarterback Colton Joseph, a transfer who many expect to take the reins of the "Air Raid" (or whatever this offense evolves into) in 2026.
Why the 2026 outlook feels different
Kinda feels like 2025 was the "tear it down to the studs" year. Athletics Director Chris McIntosh made it clear back in October that he’s sticking by Fickell, but the pressure is definitely mounting. You can't go 4-8 at Wisconsin twice and expect the seats to stay warm.
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The schedule for next year doesn't get any easier, but the influx of talent from the portal—including some big-bodied defensive linemen like Liam Danitz and a host of wideouts—suggests the staff knows exactly where the holes were.
If you’re craving a live Badger score right now, you’ll have to look at the hardwood. The men's basketball team just beat Rutgers 96-87 yesterday, with Nick Boyd dropping 32 points. It's a nice distraction, but we all know Madison is a football town at its core.
Real steps for Badger fans this offseason
Since we aren't checking box scores, here is what you should actually be watching over the next month:
- Spring Practice Dates: Keep an eye out for when spring ball starts in March. This will be the first time we see Colton Joseph and the new-look offense in person.
- The Remaining Portal Grabs: While the "entry" window is closed, players already in the portal can still commit. Watch for Fickell to add one more veteran tackle to protect the blindside.
- Coaching Changes: With the offensive line and other positions seeing staff shifts, seeing how the new assistants gel with the transfers will be the biggest story of the spring.
The 2025 season is buried. Now, it's just a long wait for the 2026 kickoff to see if this massive gamble on a roster overhaul actually pays off.