Wisconsin's road ahead: Iowa, UCLA and USC lead the Badgers' toughest remaining tests

The hardest part of Wisconsin's season may come over a span of three weeks. In a ranking of the Badgers' remaining opponents by Badgers Wire, Connor Mardian puts the Oct. 31 trip to Iowa at the top. The road game at UCLA and a home date with USC come right behind it, and those are the three games that open the stretch.

The order of the schedule is the main point. Wisconsin goes to UCLA on Oct. 17, hosts USC on Oct. 24 and then plays at Kinnick Stadium on Halloween. The Badgers Wire piece argues that if Wisconsin gets through that run without a loss, the Badgers' chances will mostly be in their own hands from there. The outlet also calls that outcome unlikely.

Iowa is ranked first for familiar reasons. Badgers Wire says the Hawkeyes won't put up big point totals but can turn almost any game into a grind. It expects that kind of game in Iowa City.

UCLA is second, and it is the next opponent on the list. The Bruins are unbeaten so far under Bob Chesney. Badgers Wire says the cross-country trip, an unusual setting and an explosive offense make it a tough assignment for Wisconsin.

USC is third. Playing the game at Camp Randall Stadium helps Wisconsin some, according to the outlet. Still, it warns that quarterback Jayden Maiava and the Trojans' high-powered offense could give the Badgers real trouble if they get rolling.

The rest of the list covers the November games. Minnesota is fourth for the Nov. 27 regular-season finale. The Gophers are 4-1, and Badgers Wire calls them a classic PJ Fleck team. It also points out that Luke Fickell is 1-2 against Minnesota as Wisconsin's coach, which makes the rivalry game something to watch as well as a ranking.

The Nov. 21 game at Purdue is fifth. The outlet says Barry Odom has the Boilermakers moving the right way. Their record may not show it, but it expects a close game that could either wear Wisconsin down or turn into a shootout.

Maryland is sixth for the Nov. 14 road game. Badgers Wire thinks highly of quarterback Malik Washington, who it says is on track to become an elite player. It adds that the rest of the Terrapins' roster, on both sides of the ball, hasn't matched his level.

Rutgers is last. The Scarlet Knights have started 1-4, and they play at Camp Randall on Nov. 7. The outlet's verdict on that game is short: it "should result in a Wisconsin win."

The ranking adds up to an uneven second half. The toughest games are all at the front, and the November games look more manageable on paper. That means Wisconsin's late-season hopes depend mostly on how it handles the trip to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and the two games after it. Follow the Badgers all season on our Wisconsin team page.