Wisconsin plays 5 teams on Andy Katz's Final Four dark horse list

The Badgers will have one of the toughest schedules in college basketball.

Mar 2, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love (2) shoots a basket against the Oregon Ducks during the second half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary BonDurant-Imagn Images / Zachary BonDurant-Imagn Images

Wisconsin men's basketball will have one of the toughest schedules in the country this season. National college basketball analyst Andy Katz thinks five of the teams they face could be dark horses the Final Four.

Katz, whose list is very debatable, says Arizona, Indiana and Rutgers are Final Four dark horses, despite all finding themselves ranked in the preseason top 25. Ohio State and Illinois were also mentioned on the list despite both being ranked just outside the top 25. Regardless, the Badgers face all of them.

Don’t sleep 💤 @TheAndyKatz selects 🔟 Final Four Dark Horses to watch for in March 🗓️ pic.twitter.com/jSLEso5ma4

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) October 16, 2024

The Badgers' Nov. 15 non-conference game at the Kohl Center against Arizona will be one of the most important games on their schedule. The Wildcats will be ranked 10th in the country to start the season, so they won't surprise most people as they should be one of the best teams in the country.

Wisconsin will welcome Indiana on Tuesday, Feb. 4 in a pivotal Big Ten matchup. The Hoosiers might have their best roster since Mike Woodson became head coach and they're ranked 17th to start the season. They should be one of the best teams in the conference.

Rutgers will be led by star freshmen Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, who were ranked as the No. 2 and No. 3 recruits in the nation in the Class of 2024. The only recruit ranked higher by 247Sports is Duke phenom Cooper Flagg. Wisconsin will have to travel on the road to Piscataway, New Jersey on Jan. 6 in a challenging road game against the No. 25 Scarlet Knights.

The Badgers will take on Illinois on Dec. 10 and then again on Feb. 18. They're not ranked in the top 25 and therefore fit the bill of a more traditional Final Four dark horse.

Lastly, Wisconsin will welcome Ohio State on Jan. 14. The Buckeyes will be led by former interim head coach Jake Diebler and they look like one of the more underrated teams in the country.

Katz's list might've been posted simply to generate engagement, but it does show how challenging Wisconsin's schedule will be this season. They will have plenty of opportunities to build an NCAA Tournament-worthy resume.