Wisconsin defeated Miami (Ohio) 17-0, improving their record to 1-0 and boosting their ESPN Football Power Index ranking from 40 to 36.
Wisconsin’s defense excelled, preventing any third-down conversions and holding Miami to 117 total yards.
Backup quarterback Danny O’Neil performed well with 120 passing yards and two touchdowns after starter Billy Edwards Jr. suffered a lower-body injury.
Wisconsin football improved to 1-0 on the 2025 season with a 17-0 win over the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks on Thursday.
With the victory, ESPN shifted the Badgers’ place in its Football Power Index from No. 40 to No. 36. The outlet’s FPI also altered UW’s win-loss projection from 5.6-6.4 to 6.1-5.9 on Sunday.
Of note, Luke Fickell’s program is ranked ninth among all Big Ten teams ahead of Week 2. Only Ohio State (No. 3), Penn State (No. 5), USC (No. 6), Oregon (No. 7), Michigan (No. 20), Indiana (No. 29), Nebraska (No. 31) and Washington (No. 32) stand ahead of the Badgers.
Wisconsin’s triumph over the RedHawks also leapfrogged the program ahead of Illinois and Iowa, which held the No. 37 and No. 30, respectively, in FPI’s preseason rankings.
While UW only scored 17 points on Thursday, the team’s defense looked arguably as dominant as any across the nation. UW did not allow Miami to convert on a single third-down attempt and held the RedHawks to just 117 total yards of offense.
Starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.’s lower-body injury enabled No. 2 pass-thrower Danny O’Neil to take the reins. The San Diego State transfer finished with 120 yards through the air and two total touchdowns. It may not have looked as impressive as USC’s 73-point outing over Missouri State, but the Badgers leaned into their traditional strengths to establish early momentum.
Fickell’s group will now welcome Middle Tennessee State to Camp Randall on Sept. 6 for an opportunity to improve to 2-0 on the 2025 slate.
Be the first to comment