Talk about a plot twist! Wisconsin is heading to Pasadena this week for a massive road game against the undefeated, No. 12 UCLA Bruins, who just knocked off the Oregon Ducks. But the real kicker dropped Monday morning: UCLA head coach Bob Chesney revealed that starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava is out indefinitely with a knee injury. So, it’s either Ty Dieffenbach or Madden Iamaleava stepping up against the Badgers on Saturday. This is HUGE for Wisconsin, sitting at 4-1 overall and a perfect 2-0 in the Big Ten, especially with UCLA at 5-0.
Road Warriors Face Ranked Foes (Again!)
This isn’t Wisconsin’s first rodeo against a top-tier opponent this season, but it feels different. They’ve already duked it out with Notre Dame on a neutral site and faced Penn State on the road. Now, they’re the top team outside the AP Top 25, literally on the verge of cracking the rankings for the first time since early 2024. A win against No. 12 UCLA on the road? That’s the ticket right there. The Big Ten even announced this one’s getting the primetime treatment: 6:30 p.m. Central (that’s 4:30 p.m. local time for us, folks) airing live on NBC. It’s the standalone evening Big Ten game, too. Nebraska vs. Oregon is on FOX later, but Saturday night belongs to the Badgers and Bruins.
Back-to-Back Primetime Brawls At Camp Randall
And the good news doesn’t stop with Week 7! The Big Ten hit us with another announcement on Monday: Wisconsin is getting another primetime slot in Week 8, this time hosting the No. 19 USC Trojans. Mark your calendars for October 24th at 6:30 p.m. Central. It’s happening at Camp Randall Stadium, once again on NBC, and guess what? Another standalone evening game. The Badgers have been must-see TV all season, racking up the evening kicks. We saw them under the lights on NBC in Week 1 against Notre Dame, a 6:15 p.m. kick on Big Ten Network in Week 2 against Western Illinois, and even a 4:00 p.m. central kickoff on Peacock against Penn State after a morning start in Week 3. Now, they’re back to back in the evening spotlight.
This is the Badgers’ moment. Two huge primetime matchups against ranked opponents, starting with a road test against a suddenly hobbled UCLA, then a home showdown with USC. This is their chance to make a real statement and jump into the rankings. Get ready for Saturday, because it’s going to be a wild one!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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