The Western Michigan Broncos'and the Wisconsin Badgers open their 2024 NCAA football seasons at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on Friday. Kickoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET (FS1). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
The Broncos fumbled their way to a 4-win season in 2023 in the 1st campaign under the leadership of coach Lane Taylor. Western Michigan showed some signs of life down the stretch, and it thrilled fans and alumni with victories over rivals Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan.
Western has QB Hayden Wolff back under center, and with TE Blake Bosma and WR Kenneth Womack at his disposal, the Broncos could actually improve offensively. RB Jalen Buckley, who went for over 1,000 rushing yards, is also back.
Expectations were super high when Luke Fickell took over at Wisconsin before the 2023 season, but the Badgers tumbled to 7-6. To make matters worse, they lost RB Braelon Allen to the NFL, so they’ll have to lean into RB Chez Mellusi, who is back from a long-term injury. Wisconsin always runs the ball well, but QB Tyler Van Dyke transfers in from Miami to give the pass game a giant bump.