Wisconsin athletics faces huge week of ranked matchups, pivotal recruiting visits

It will be an incredibly busy weekend for fans of Badgers sports.

Wisconsin s new head football coach Luke Fickell, left is shown with athletic director Chris McIntosh at a welcome event November 28, 2022 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. He was previously head coach for six seasons at Cincinnati. / Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Chris McIntosh had big shoes to fill when he replaced Wisconsin Hall of Fame athletic director Barry Alvarez in 2021. This week will be one of the busiest and most important stretches for McIntosh's athletic department since his tenure began.

Football hosts No. 1-ranked Oregon (Sat.)

The main event of the entire week will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC as Wisconsin hosts the Oregon Ducks, the top-ranked football team in all of the land. Luke Fickell has been McIntosh's biggest hire, but he's still searching for his marquee win. An upset victory on Saturday could completely change to outlook of the entire athletic department.

Men's basketball hosts No. 10 Arizona (Fri.)

Men's basketball head coach Greg Gard was a hold-over from the Alvarez regime, but he has received his fair share of criticism through his nine-plus seasons leading the program. The Badgers will welcome No. 10-ranked Arizona to the Kohl Center on Friday night, and a win could kickstart a 2024-25 season that has begun with plenty of questions.

4-star QB Carter Smith highlights big football recruiting weekend

An early-season injury to Tyler Van Dyke and some recent struggles from Braedyn Locke has raised some questions about Wisconsin's long-term future at the quarterback position. Four-star prospect and 2023 Florida Gatorade Player of the Year Carter Smith will be on campus for an official visit this weekend. He headlines a handful of recruits visiting the school. A big-time performance on Saturday could be a trickle-down effect throughout the football program.

Women's hockey plays series at No. 2 Ohio State (Fri. and Sat.)

Under longtime head coach Mark Johnson, Wisconsin's women's hockey program has mowed through its competition this season en route to a 12-0 record. They travel on the road to face No. 2 Ohio State in a rematch of last season's national championship. It's a great opportunity for the Badgers to get some revenge.

Volleyball plays at No. 20 USC and UCLA (Thu. and Sat.)

Wisconsin's volleyball team is red-hot, winning 17 of its last 19 matches and most recently knocking off No. 3 Penn State. They will have an important Big Ten road trip this weekend, as they face No. 20 USC on Thursday and UCLA on Saturday. Now ranked sixth in the country, a pair of wins this weekend would further establish the program as one of the best in the country.