The second year of the Luke Fickell era begins with a new quarterback and plenty of questions when Wisconsin opens the season against Western Michigan on Friday in Madison, Wis.
Wisconsin finished 7-6 overall and 5-4 in the Big Ten last year in Fickell’s first season, culminating in a 35-31 bowl game loss to LSU.
The Badgers were picked seventh in the preseason poll for the revamped 18-team Big Ten.
“That Week 1, there’s a lot buildup to it,” Fickell said. “You know, we’re getting close, we’re excited about that, but we’ve still got some work to do before we get to (Friday).”
Tyler Van Dyke, a transfer from Miami, won the preseason quarterback battle ahead of Braedyn Locke, who started three games last season after Tanner Mordecai was injured.
Van Dyke completed 65.8 percent of his passes for a team-high 2,703 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Leading rusher Braelon Allen, who ran for 3,494 yards and 35 touchdowns in three seasons, opted for the NFL. Sixth-year senior Chez Mellusi returns after playing in four games last season before suffering a leg injury. He has run for 1,595 yards in three seasons at Wisconsin.
Will Pauling, who had a team-high 74 catches last season with six touchdowns, is the top returning receiver.
The Badgers defense suffered a blow when Fickel confirmed Monday that senior defensive end James Thompson Jr. likely would miss all of 2024 with an injury. Thompson started 11 games last season.
Western Michigan was 4-8 last season, including 3-5 in the Mid-American Conference, in coach Lance Taylor’s first season.
Hayden Wolff completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 1,505 yards and eight touchdowns in eight games (four starts) last season.
Jalen Buckley was the MAC Freshman of the Year last season, rushing for 10 touchdowns on 1,003 yards while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
Kenny Womack had 76 receptions for 691 yards and one score. Anthony Sambucci had a team-high five touchdown catches.
“As we have gone through training camp, one of the things is this is a team of togetherness, not about offense or defense or special teams,” Taylor said. “They believe in each other and want to win and do whatever it takes to win.”
