'This is what we signed up for': Wisconsin not worried about Penn State's ranking

Penn State brings its No. 3 ranking to Madison for pime-time college football action on Saturday night.

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell is shown during the first quarter of their game against Purdue Saturday, October 5, 2024 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Wisconsin will welcome No. 3 Penn State to Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday night in a game that could completely change the Badgers' season. Head coach Luke Fickell is not focused on where the Nittany Lions are ranked, but rather on the things that matter.

Penn State is 6-0 with notable wins against West Virginia, USC and Illinois. They look like real contenders in the Big Ten and will be another serious test for the Badgers at home.

"I hope our guys don't look at what somebody is ranked and things like that," Fickell said. "Obviously, I know there's things that people talk to them about, but it's just another great opportunity for us. We knew in this league, this is what we signed up for. Week in and week out, it's going to continue to be those situations."

The Badgers have already faced Alabama, who was ranked No. 4 when they played, and USC who was ranked No. 13 at the time of their matchup. Penn State is the next team on their daunting schedule as they look to vault themselves back into contention in the Big Ten.

Saturday's pivotal showdown will kick off at 6:30 p.m. local time and will be broadcast on national TV via NBC. Wisconsin's game against Alabama was one of the biggest non-conference games in program history, but this is the biggest conference game of the season so far.

"If we start to look at it differently, it's a night game, it's later in the day. We know it's going to create an environment that's really exciting and fun," Fickell said. "That's what we need to look at. Not, what are these guys ranked? What do people think and things like that? Try to put all those things behind us and just recognize and look, this is a big game because we've had an opportunity to make it a big game. The ways that our guys have played the last few weeks make it a bigger game. Nothing else matters."

A win against the Nittany Lions would make Wisconsin 6-2 overall and 4-1 in conference play. Depending on results around the country, they would likely move into a tie for third place in the Big Ten standings.

"We talked about it last week of payback and redemption and the way we played last year," Fickell said. "You talk about those things, but once that ball is kicked off none of that matters. So people will talk about it this week in some light, but once that ball's kicked off none of that matters. We gotta continue to focus on the things that matter."

Wisconsin is listed as a 6.5-point underdog. After winning their last three games by a combined score of 117-16, the momentum is pointing towards a potential upset.