Michigan vs. Wisconsin 2025 Preview: Keys, Players, and Predictions

The Michigan Wolverines (3-1, 1-0) will host the Wisconsin Badgers (2-2, 0-1) in their homecoming game in Ann Arbor. Michigan aims to extend its win streak against Big Ten teams, while Wisconsin seeks a victory that could turn around the course of its season. With both Michigan and Wisconsin coming off their bye week, they will be ready to go for this critical matchup. Michigan is currently a 17.5-point favorite. With that in mind, let’s dive into this Michigan vs. Wisconsin 2025 game preview.

Michigan Wolverines vs. Wisconsin Badgers: Matchup History and Excerpts

Michigan holds an all-time record of 52-17-1 against the Badgers, and have won seven of their last 10 games versus Wisconsin in the Big House.

Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore will make his return from a self-imposed two-game suspension. Michigan was able to stay the course against Central Michigan and a strong Nebraska, but they will surely welcome Moore’s presence to the sideline and facility. The head coach won’t be looking past this Wisconsin team, particularly because of their defense.

“They’re [run defense is] No. 1 in the country,” began Moore. “So they’re stout. They’re big and stout up front. They’ve got guys that have played a lot of football, and they’ve got hard edges. They have a transfer from Louisville, No. 22, who’s really good pass rusher. They’ve got another edge guy who we actually recruited; Sebastian Cheeks, No. 15, who transferred from UNC, who was a linebacker that now is on the edge. They’ve got two guys in the middle that are about 6-foot-4, 235 [pounds], stout run guys, and the safeties and corners all hit. It’s a typical Mike Tressel defense. Plays physical, plays downhill. On normal downs, it’s going to be open cover four quarters, go to cover three, play cover one on third down, and give you a whole bunch of different looks. So we’ve got to be sound, and we’ve got to be able to go execute our game plan the way I think we can.”

Running against this Wisconsin defense will be challenging because it is the identity of the Badgers. However, running the ball is also Michigan’s identity. Moore knows they’ll need to come in with a solid game plan to create explosive plays in the run game.

On the other side, Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell is in his third season with the Badgers and has struggled to gain footing during that time. He was expected to take Wisconsin to the next level, but he has failed to win over seven games for the Badgers in each of his last two seasons. With Fickell likely on the hot seat, a win on the road versus Michigan would be huge.

“I don’t know that we’ve had by any means a test like this in the running game this year,” Fickell said regarding the Michigan matchup this weekend. “And so, we have done a good job up front. We’ve done a good job at controlling the run and giving ourselves better opportunities, obviously, to win football games when you can stop the run. But this is definitely going to be a different challenge. I think that is definitely the strength of the offense. But at times when you do that, then you also got to realize and recognize that they got opportunities to make big plays in the passing game as well, whether it’s the quarterback’s feet, the quarterback’s arm. They’ve got talented players on the outside. I think maybe what they don’t get as much credit for is the balance that they have. It’s maybe overlooked sometimes when they’ve run the ball as well as they have with the backs that they’ve got. But it’s going to be a different challenge for us defensively. That’s for sure. For our ability to eliminate the big play in the run game more so than anything else.”

This Michigan run game will be the toughest test this Wisconsin defense has to face all year. Still, Fickell is confident in his team’s ability to not only stop the Wolverines’ run game but also neutralize their balanced offense.

Michigan Wolverines vs. Wisconsin Badgers 2025 Preview: Keys and Predictions

Key Players for Michigan

This is an opportunity for Bryce Underwood to have a big game as a passer. Michigan will need to lean on him to move the chains this weekend. While Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall have settled into their roles and excelled, they may be held to their lowest yardage totals of the year against Wisconsin. Donavon McCulley, Marlin Klein, Semaj Morgan, and Channing Goodwin will all need to have big games this week.

Defensively, Michigan’s defensive line and linebackers have started to gel and create a formidable run defense. Linebacker Cole Sullivan is emerging as Michigan’s breakout player as an excellent run defender, and is solid in pass coverage. Along with him, Jaishawn Barham has been able to create key pressure for the defense off the edge alongside the more traditional and consistent Derrick Moore.

Cornerback Jyaire Hill is putting together a phenomenal junior season, only allowing 34 yards all season. And finally, safety Brandyn Hillman has been a spark plug and excellent safety for the Wolverines.

Key Players for Wisconsin

Danny O’Neil has been the Badgers’ starting quarterback, while the Week 1 starter, Billy Edwards Jr., has been nursing a knee injury. If Edwards can play, the Badgers’ offense could be dangerous. In the run game, Dilin James and Darrion Dupree have averaged over four yards per carry, and both Wisconsin quarterbacks serve as running threats. Tight end Lance Mason has been the Badgers’ best pass-catcher this year with 177 receiving yards. While the Wisconsin offensive line isn’t the same as years past, they are still an above-average pass-blocking unit.

Defensively, edge rushers Mason Reiger and Daryl Peterson have been the stars along the line, logging 27 combined pressures so far on the season. Reiger has also excelled in the run game. Wisconsin’s linebackers, Tackett Curtis and Christian Alliegro, have created huge plays for the Badgers’ rush defense this year, logging 18 tackles and nine run stops, per PFF. Stopping the run is the strength of this Wisconsin team, and they have the talent and depth to continue doing it. 

2025 Game Preview: Michigan vs. Wisconsin – Who Wins?

Wisconsin has an incredibly lackluster passing attack, ranking in the bottom half of FBS in most passing stats. The Badgers also have a below-average run-blocking offensive line, which creates massive opportunities for the Michigan defensive line, which just dominated a similar Nebraska offensive line. With the defensive line starting to play like a top-tier unit, and Michigan allowing just the eighth-fewest rushing yards per game in FBS, if the Wolverines can stop the run early, it will severely limit the Wisconsin offense. Michigan needs to prioritize stopping the run early to limit Wisconsin’s overall, below-average offense.

Wisconsin only allows 50 rushing yards per game, while Michigan has the sixth-best rushing offense in the country. The unit averages over 250 yards per game.

This contest will will be a battle of giants. Establishing the run game early will be critical, but if Michigan isn’t able to achieve the success it is used to, the passing attack and Bryce Underwood will be vital. Michigan will have to lean on Underwood, and he will have to deliver when the offense calls on him. 

This is a good opportunity for the Michigan wide receivers to work out their drop problems. The receivers have had drop issues all year, and they have dropped critical passes in key moments in all of Michigan’s games this season. The Wolverines have already charted with 11 dropped passes, with Semaj Morgan and Channing Goodwin with four drops each. With a likelihood that Michigan will have to air it out more than usual, it will be on the receivers to catch on-target throws.

For Wisconsin, Coach Fickell and his staff is looking for a major upset. This season isn’t going the way they want it to thus far. However, there’s opportunity against a tough opponent. If the Badgers can remain mistake-free, limit the Michigan rushing attack, and force Underwood to make turnovers, there’s a chance Wisconsin can play spoiler. Otherwise, it will be an incredibly long game for the Badgers.