The Wisconsin Badgers will host the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers to open the 2018 season, the school announced on Tuesday.
Wisconsin will host WKU at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on Sept. 1, 2018. The game will be only the second-ever meeting between the two schools following a 24-6 Badger win at home back in 2001.
As part of the contract, Wisconsin and WKU will also play a home-and-home series in basketball.
“You have be creative in what you’re doing with scheduling – to fill your schedule and match the open dates with someone else,” UW Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez said. “Sometimes you have to do these things to make it all work.”
The addition of Western Kentucky completes Wisconsin’s 2018 football schedule. The Badgers are also scheduled to host New Mexico (Sept. 8) and BYU (Sept. 15) in non-conference play.
In Big Ten action, Wisconsin will host Nebraska, Illinois, Rutgers, and Minnesota and will travel to Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern, Penn State, and Purdue.
“This is an exciting series for our football and men’s basketball programs,” WKU Director of Athletics Todd Stewart said. “We are actively attempting to improve our men’s basketball non-conference home games and hosting one of college basketball’s top programs will make Diddle Arena the place to be on December 12, 2018. Camp Randall Stadium is one of the nation’s best and most historic football venues, and our trips to Madison for football and basketball games present unique opportunities for our fans to see us compete against an outstanding Big Ten program in a terrific environment.”
Western Kentucky now has two non-conference games announced for the 2018 season. The Hilltoppers are also slated to visit Ball State on Sept. 22.
Football Schedules