Namely, Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell went 7-6 in his first season. Including a 5-5 start and embarrassing losses to Indiana and Northwestern. Of great concern is that Wisconsin has shown a loss of physicality and character over the past two years. Some College Football lines handicappers will write that off to the coaching transition. The results were caused by the Badgers’ forsaking their proven formula and culture. Since taking over, Fickell is 13-13 overall and recorded a 5-7 mark last season – the program’s first losing year since ‘01.
Miami-OH RedHawks at Wisconsin Badgers NCAAF Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Thursday, August 28, 2025, 9 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI |
| TV Coverage: | BTN |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Ohio | +17½ -110 | 39½ -110 | +624 |  |
| Wisconsin | -17½ -110 | 39½ -110 | -925 | |
| ||||
Miami-OH Redhawks Team Overview
In sum, there is a team that is quiet, under-the-radar, yet typically dangerous. That is the Miami RedHawks’ offshore betting trademark in the Chuck Martin era. Martin’s loyalty and commitment to the program are never questioned. Now, at this point, one can simply assume his RedHawks will be in contention toward the end of the season. Miami owns two MAC championships under the 12th-year head coach, securing the conference crown in 2019 and 2023. The RedHawks made a return trip to Detroit for their second-straight league title last December. But like all hopeful repeat opportunities in the MAC since 2012, their attempt was thwarted.
Despite dropping the MAC Championship Game 38-3 to in-state rival Ohio, Miami’s 2024 was still a rousing success. The RedHawks finished 9-5 and routed Colorado State, 43-17, in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl. For the first time since the Ben Roethlisberger era, Miami has 20 wins across two seasons. Thus, they solidified its status as one of the MAC’s premier programs.
Of major concern is the RedHawks’ only recurring issue is slow starts. Miami is no stranger to challenging non-conference slates, and it opened 0-3 in 2024 with Northwestern, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame on the docket. But Miami often increases in power as a function of time, going 14-2 in MAC play over the last two years. Since 2015, the RedHawks haven’t finished under .500 in the MAC. And they fully expect to be in the running for another championship in 2025.
Wisconsin Badgers Team Overview
Certainly, the downfall of the Wisconsin Badgers will go down as an inside job. Badger alum and former player, athletic director Chris McIntosh, decided to go all-in on modernizing the offense. New head coach Luke Fickell arrived highly acclaimed from his College Football odds work at Cincinnati. Specifically, Fickell produced a College Football Playoff bid and was known for his strong recruiting efforts at UC. In 2024, a misguided experiment went from bad to worse for the Wisconsin Badgers. In 2025, the program will confront a 5-alarm fire.
The Badgers held Big Ten opponents to 23.1 points a game and 5.4 yards a play last season. Those numbers weren’t bad, but Fickell’s group struggled to stop the run (17th in the Big Ten). The staff landed a handful of transfers to boost the defensive line and get tougher in the trenches for ‘25. How the pieces fit and the overall play of the line remain a concern, but the secondary should be among the best in the conference with four returning starters.
Miami-OH at Wisconsin SBG Free Picks
In this situation, Miami-OH is strong enough to stay within the big number against a questionable Wisconsin team.
Miami-OH at Wisconsin SBG Best Bet: Miami-OH RedHawks.