Schedule set for 2024 football season
November 02, 2023 | Football
Wisconsin hosts big home slate and opens Big Ten play at USC
The Big Ten Conference revealed the full 2024 football schedule on Thursday afternoon, setting the slate for a new era of Big Ten football. With Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington joining the conference, Wisconsin will travel coast-to-coast in 2024 during Big Ten play.
The Badgers host three non-conference matchups, including national powerhouse Alabama, to begin the 2024 season. After the Crimson Tide come to Camp Randall, Wisconsin starts a Big Ten schedule that kicks off with a trip to Los Angeles to play USC. During the rest of the Big Ten season, UW will host Purdue, Penn State, Oregon and Minnesota.
Wisconsin will continue to renew its rivalries with Minnesota and Iowa every season as part of the Big Ten's new Flex-Protect scheduling model.
With the Big Ten moving to a division-less structure in its 18-team format, the season will lead to the Big Ten Championship, held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 7.
vs. Western Michigan
Saturday, August 31 - Camp Randall Stadium
Wisconsin opens the 2024 season by hosting Western Michigan at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31. Wisconsin will be in search of its 17th straight win in a season opener versus a non-conference opponent.
UW and Western Michigan will square off for the sixth time. The Badgers and Broncos last met in the 2017 Cotton Bowl, which capped the 2016 season. Wisconsin claimed a 24-16 win in Arlington, Texas.
vs. South Dakota
Saturday, September 7 - Camp Randall Stadium
The Badgers will take on the South Dakota Coyotes on Saturday, Sept. 7. South Dakota, a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (FCS), will meet the Badgers for the first time since 2011. Wisconsin holds a 2-0 edge in the all-time series.
The game will be UW's first versus an FCS opponent since the Badgers opened the 2022 season with a 38-0 win over Illinois State.
vs. Alabama
Saturday, September 14 - Camp Randall Stadium
Wisconsin will host the Alabama Crimson Tide for a marquee non-conference matchup at Camp Randall on Saturday, Sept. 14. The sides meet for the first time since 2015 and for just the third time ever. Alabama has not played the Badgers in Madison since 1928.
The Crimson Tide will be the first SEC program to visit Camp Randall since Sept. 25, 1971 (LSU). This game will mark Alabama's first road game against a Big Ten opponent since traveling to State College, Pa. to take on Penn State in 2011.
at USC
Saturday, September 28 - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Badgers will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Trojans on Saturday, Sept. 28 to begin Big Ten play. Despite USC holding a 6-1 all-time edge in the series, the Badgers won the last meeting: The 2015 Holiday Bowl.
Los Angeles will be the furthest west the Badgers have traveled for a regular season game since playing at Oregon State in 2012.
Wisconsin has made two prior trips to Memorial Coliseum, but not since 1966. The other came in 1955.
vs. Purdue
Saturday, October 5 - Camp Randall Stadium
After claiming their 17th-straight win over the Boilermakers in 2023, the Badgers will welcome Purdue back to Camp Randall Stadium to begin October in 2024. Wisconsin has not lost to Purdue at home since 2003.
Wisconsin's 17-game win streak against Purdue is UW's longest run of success against a conference opponent in program history.
at Rutgers
Saturday, October 12 - SHI Stadium
Wisconsin will head to the East Coast for an Oct. 12 matchup with Rutgers. The Badgers hosted the Scarlet Knights at Camp Randall in 2023 and secured a 24-13 win.
UW is 5-0 against Rutgers all-time and the Badgers have outscored the Scarlet Knights 89-3 during their two trips to Piscataway (2014, 2021).
at Northwestern
Saturday, October 19 - Ryan Field
The Badgers will travel to Evanston, Ill. to take on Northwestern, a former West Division foe, on Oct. 19 at Ryan Field. Last season in Evanston, Wisconsin cruised past the Wildcats, 42-7.
Wisconsin holds a 62-37-5 edge in the all-time series and has won 30 of 51 meetings in Evanston.
vs. Penn State
Saturday, October 26 - Camp Randall Stadium
The Penn State Nittany Lions will visit Camp Randall on Oct. 26. Penn State visits the Badgers for the first time since 2021 when it edged UW, 16-10, in a battle of two ranked teams.
Wisconsin will be in search of its first win over Penn State since a 45-7 win in Madison in 2011. One of, or both of, the programs have been ranked in 10 of the last 11 meetings between the schools.
at Iowa
Saturday, November 2 - Kinnick Stadium
Iowa, one of the Badgers' protected rivals, will host Wisconsin to begin November in Iowa City. The Badgers and Hawkeyes will battle for the Heartland Trophy.
Wisconsin has won 8 of the last 12 meetings with Iowa since 2010. That stretch includes five wins at Kinnick Stadium.
vs. Oregon
Saturday, November 16 - Camp Randall Stadium
The Oregon Ducks will become the first new Big Ten member to visit Camp Randall Stadium when they come to town on Nov. 16. Oregon will take on Wisconsin in the regular season for the first time since 2001. Wisconsin last hosted the Ducks in 2000 and came out on top, 27-23.
UW has met Oregon in a pair of Rose Bowls over the last 15 years. The Badgers lost closely-contest affairs in Pasadena in both 2012 and 2019.
at Nebraska
Saturday, November 23 - Memorial Stadium
Despite the demolition of the Big Ten divisions, Wisconsin will match up with Nebraska again in 2024. The Badgers will enter their 2023 late-season meeting the Cornhuskers on a nine-game win streak over Nebraska.
Wisconsin has won four consecutive matchups in Lincoln in the series dating back to 2012.
vs. Minnesota
Saturday, November 30 - Camp Randall Stadium
Wisconsin and Minnesota will renew their rivalry for Paul Bunyan's Axe to cap the regular season in 2024. The meeting will be the 134th in the all-time series, college football's most-played rivalry.
Since the introduction of Paul Bunyan's Axe in 1948, Wisconsin leads the series 45-27-3.
