Nov 5, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Nick Herbig (19) sacks Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa (3) during the third quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK

Expert picks for Wisconsin vs Maryland: Predictions mostly favor Badgers victory

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Lorin Cox | Last updated Sep 19, 2025 5:52 PM ET

The Wisconsin Badgers are double-digit favorites against the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday.

College football experts see that as an accurate margin for an expected Wisconsin victory.

The picks are in across the media landscape, and they mostly side with the Badgers with a comfortable win that's far from a blowout.

Alright, somebody's gotta explain this to me. Maryland might not be "good" but neither is Wisconsin? pic.twitter.com/qSbwPANJLU
— John McKechnie (@johns_tailgate) September 18, 2025

The two Wisconsin beat reporters for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel both see the Badgers defense giving up only 13 points, but they disagree on how much UW will score. One predicts 24-13, the other says 27-13.

Over at CollegeFootballNews.com, publisher Pete Fiutak sees the Badgers defense holding up late, even if the offense has a slow start. He predicts a 26-16 victory for Wisconsin.

Betting expert David Racey has Wisconsin covering a 10 point spread, thanks to a stronger defense returning home against a true freshman Maryland quarterback.

The lone dissenter is Bleacher Report's David Kenyon, who is predicting the Terrapins pull off the upset. He sees a 27-21 win for Maryland, though he didn't list any analysis with his prediction.

Wisconsin has never lost to Maryland in its football history, and Luke Fickell can't afford to be the first coach to end that streak.