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MADISON, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 08: Mason Posa #8 of the Wisconsin Badgers recovers a fumble by Demond Williams Jr. #2 of the Washington Huskies in the third quarter at Camp Randall Stadium on November 08, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Wisconsin Badgers are expected to look far different on the field in 2026, as they brought in over 30 transfers to improve the roster, with quarterback Colton Joseph being the top newcomer.
But, even with the amount of change across the board, it’s not the offense that’s expected to lead the way for the Badgers in 2026; it’s the defense. While a 4-8 record may not show it, Wisconsin’s defense quietly played like one of the best in college football to end last season, with freshmen Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano breaking out as they took over at linebacker.
Wisconsin also had an elite pass rush to end the year, with Mason Reiger, Darryl Peterson, and Sebastian Cheeks being key cogs there alongside the two linebackers. That masked some of their inconsistencies in the secondary, as well as the ups and downs they had in run defense, although that area also looked far better to end the season.
Now, heading into 2026, the Badgers will have some turnover. Reiger and Peterson are out of eligibility, while other contributors such as Christian Alliegro, Austin Brown, Ricardo Hallman, Ben Barten, Jay’Viar Suggs, and Brandon Lane are also gone.
But, they do still have some key pieces in the fold, namely Posa and Catalano. Cheeks is also expected to take a step forward, while Thomas Heiberger, Charles Perkins, Tyreese Fearbry, Jai’mier Scott, and Nicolas Clayton are among the underclassmen and rotational players who should see their snaps increase in 2026.
Wisconsin did add in a big way to their defense this offseason, primarily in the secondary. They brought in two new starting cornerbacks, Javan Robinson and Bryce West, while adding adequate depth with Eric Fletcher and Cai Bates. They also added Marvin Burks and Carson Van Dinter at safety, who should both play significant roles.
In the front seven, the Badgers brought in a haul of defensive linemen once again, while getting additional depth at linebacker with Jon Jon Kamara. So, following a strong end to the 2025 season, the Badgers seem to be in a great position to grow even further in 2026.
In his Big Ten preview, ESPN’s Bill Connelly had the Badgers as a top-25 defense in the country, ranking No. 22 in his SP+ projections. For reference, the Badgers finished the 2025 season as the No. 35 defense in SP+.
Of course, these are early-season projections, and it’s hard to project how a new-look team will fare until the season starts, but that is a great sign for the Badgers, who are looking to be far better in 2026 than they’ve been in recent years under Luke Fickell.
At No. 22, the Badgers are the seventh-best defense in the Big Ten in the SP+ projections. They rank behind Ohio State (No. 1 defense), Oregon (No. 3 defense), Indiana (No. 6 defense), Michigan (No. 13 defense), Iowa (No. 17 defense), and Washington (No. 19 defense).
Notably, they’re ahead of Penn State (No. 23 defense), Minnesota (No. 24 defense), Northwestern (No. 28 defense), USC (No. 29 defense), Nebraska (No. 38 defense), and Illinois (No. 44 defense).
If the Badgers are to meet their expectations this year, it will have to come on the back of their growing defense, which could very well be one of the top units in the country again. Wisconsin’s secondary is looking better, and its younger players should continue to get better, with the main questions currently being around the Badgers’ pass rush.
Now, if the offense can finally put it all together, then the Badgers should really fare well in 2026, compared to expectations.
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