Wisconsin football sits at No. 40 in ESPN’s updated SP+ rankings entering Week 2 of the 2025 season.
The Badgers are off to a 1-0 start after a 17-0 Week 1 win over Miami (Ohio). While the team’s offense took several quarters to get going, time that included an injury to starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., it rode a dominant defensive effort to the three-score victory. Mike Tressel’s unit held the RedHawks to just 117 total yards, 34 rushing yards and 1.5 yards per carry. Veteran quarterback Dequan Finn, who transferred from Baylor this offseason, finished the contest with just nine completions for 83 passing yards and 12 carries for 13 yards on the ground.
Despite the dominant defensive performance, Wisconsin dropped two spots in SP+’s sport-wide rating. The team previously sat at No. 38 overall (No. 67 offense and No. 21 defense) entering the season. It is now down to No. 40 overall, with the No. 78-ranked offense and No. 18-ranked defense.
The Badgers’ slow offensive start clearly contributed to their slight ratings dip. A complete showing vs. Middle Tennessee in Week 2 should initiate a rise.
Notably, Miami (Ohio) sits at No. 97 in the nation in SP+’s latest update. Middle Tennessee, Wisconsin’s Week 2 opponent, is all the way down at No. 131.
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