Wisconsin faces Western Illinois in second college football game

Wisconsin returns to its home field to host Western Illinois for a Week 2 matchup. The Badgers look to rebound following a 41-13 loss to Notre Dame in their season opener. While the team struggled in the second half against the Fighting Irish, staff analysts anticipate a stronger showing this week against their FCS opponent. Bill Connelly’s predictive model favors Wisconsin with a 37.5-point margin, projecting a final score of 44-7. The game serves as a tactical opportunity for the Wisconsin offense and defense to improve execution after showing inconsistent performance in the first week. A victory would put the program on a more favorable trajectory after the initial defeat. Coverage of the Badgers continues as they aim to build momentum before further conference play.

• 11:02 AMYahoo Sports — ESPN predicts Wisconsin to bounce back vs. Western Illinois in Week 2