Pitt Schedules Wisconsin for 2026-27

Pitt football has scheduled a two-year, home-and-home series with Wisconsin for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

The Panthers will visit Madison, Wisconsin on Sept. 19, 2026 and host the Badgers on Sept. 11, 2027.

“In speaking with (Wisconsin athletic director) Barry Alvarez, we both felt this was a great scheduling opportunity,” Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke said in a press release. “Despite our regional proximity, we’ve rarely played each other in football. It is a challenging and compelling non-conference game that our respective teams and fans can look forward to.”

Pitt and Wisconsin have played each other just three times and have not played since 1967. Pitt is 3-0 all-time against the Badgers.

The Badgers have several Pittsburgh connections on their staff. Alvarez is a Burgettstown, Pa. native. Head coach Paul Chryst coached the Panthers from 2012 to 2014. Joe Rudolph is his offensive coordinator and held the same title at Pitt.

Pitt had previously offered Penn State a four-year, home-and-home series that would have stared in 2026, but Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour told the Central Pa. media that it’s unlikely that series will resume before 2030.

Pitt has typically played multiple Power Five non-conference opponents in the same season, so scheduling Wisconsin doesn’t outright shut the door to the Panthers scheduling Penn State or an extension of their series with West Virginia currently scheduled from 2022 to 2025.