College football programs kick off Fall camps in less than a month. With the sport returning soon, BadgerBlitz.com dives into who Wisconsin will face on the field during the 2021 season.

Each preview breaks down an upcoming opponent, including last year's stats and who's back (and not back) on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Plus, we also receive insight from those who cover the respective programs.

*Sept. 4 -- vs. Penn State

*Sept. 11 -- vs. Eastern Michigan

*Sept. 18 -- BYE

*Sept. 25 -- vs. Notre Dame (at Soldier Field)

*Oct. 2 -- vs. Michigan

*Oct. 9 -- at Illinois

*Oct. 16 -- vs. Army

*Oct. 23 -- at Purdue

*Oct. 30 -- vs. Iowa

*Nov. 6 -- at Rutgers

*Nov. 13 -- vs. Northwestern

*Nov. 20 -- vs. Nebraska

*Nov. 27 -- at Minnesota

The Freedom Trophy has been in Wisconsin's possession since its inception in 2014, a game highlighted by Melvin Gordon's 408-yard performance. Of course, the 2020 edition of the contest did not take place due to Wisconsin's COVID-19 issues after the Illinois game.

Head coach Scott Frost has not had a winning season since his arrival in Lincoln, going 12-20 in his three years at the helm. Nebraska returns its starting quarterback but will need others to emerge on offense, while the defense returns key contributors.

*Record: 3-5

*Points per game: 23.1

*Opponents points per game: 29.4

*Rushing yards per game: 201.4

*Opponents rushing yards per game: 169.5

*Passing yards per game: 190.1

*Opponents' passing yards per game: 217.0

*Third-down conversions: 36.5%

*Opponents' third-down conversions: 40.5%

*Total turnovers created: 7 (five interceptions, two fumble recoveries)

*Total turnovers given up: 18 (nine interceptions, nine fumbles)

*Sacks: 13

*Sacks allowed: 16

Quarterback Adrian Martinez returns, but there are questions to answer at running back and wide receiver. Dedrick Mills moves on to the NFL after rushing for 396 yards on 4.7 yards per carry and three touchdowns in 2020, while versatile wide out Wan'Dale Robinson (51 catches, 461 yards, one touchdown; 46 rushes, 240 yards, one touchdown) transferred to Kentucky. No other Husker caught more than 18 passes.

Martinez led the team in rushing (521 yards on 5.7 yards per carry with seven touchdowns) and completed 71.5% of his throws for 1,055 yards. However, he recorded just four touchdown passes in seven games. Can transfers running back Markese Stepp and wide receiver Samori Toure -- along with true freshman running back Gabe Ervin and returning wide outs Omar Manning and Oliver Martin -- step in and immediately help?

Key returners: TE Austin Allen, OL Bryce Benhart (2020 PFF Grade 54.0), OL Cam Jurgens (2020 PFF Grade 42.7), WR Omar Manning, WR Oliver Martin, QB Adrian Martinez

Key additions: RB Markese Stepp (USC), WR Samori Toure (Montana), RB Gabe Ervin

Key departures: OL Matt Farniok (2020 PFF Grade 62.6), OL Brendan Jaimes (2020 PFF Grade 67.4), RB Dedrick Mills, QB Luke McCaffrey, WR Wan'Dale Robinson (Kentucky)

*Transfer Tracker: Trio of Nebraska players hit the portal

*The Weekly Rundown: Who is Nebraska targeting in the transfer portal?

*Spring Look Back Series: Offensive Line

*Spring Look Back: Wide Receiver

*Spring Look Back: Defensive line

A defense that gave up nearly 30 points per contest -- and allowed at least 21 in all eight games -- returns starters at all three levels of the defense. Though inside linebacker Will Honas suffered a knee injury in the spring, fellow 'backer JoJo Domann returns to the program. Both combined to lead the team in tackles for loss (6.5 each) last season, while Domann was No. 1 in tackles (58); Honas was second (57).

Veteran Ben Stille (27 tackles, three tackles for loss in 2020) leads the defensive line, and the secondary returns with notable contributors Marquel Dismuke (47 tackles, four tackles for loss, four pass breakups), Cam Taylor-Britt (28 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions), and Deontai Williams (51 tackles, four tackles for loss, four pass breakups).

Can transfers Tyreke Johnson (Ohio State) and Chris Kolarevic (FCS program Northern Iowa) plug in and help immediately?

*Key returners: DL Damion Daniels, S Marquel Dismuke, LB JoJo Domann, LB Nick Henrich, ILB Luke Reimer, OLB Garrett Nelson, DL Ty Robinson, DL Casey Rogers, DL Ben Stille, CB Cam Taylor-Britt, S Deontai Williams

*Key additions: DB Tyreke Johnson (Ohio State), ILB Chris Kolarevic (Northern Iowa)

*Key departures: CB Dicaprio Bootle, ILB Collin Miller

Robin Washut from Husker Online of the Rivals.com network answered a few of our questions before Big Ten Media Days and fall camp begin.

What is the position to watch during fall camp?

In reality, it’s the offense in general. That side of the ball must improve for Nebraska to have any chance at getting out of its four-year rut.

But narrowing it down to one position, it’s got to be running back. They lost Dedrick Mills to graduation and now are counting on a group that played a combined 152 snaps as Huskers last season.

They brought in USC transfer Markese Stepp as the projected new No. 1, but he missed pretty much all spring with a pre-existing foot injury he suffered before even arriving on campus. So no one knows how good or healthy he’ll be once he’s finally able to practice again this fall.

Marvin Scott III and Sevion Morrison are former 2020 four-star recruits, but neither has done much of anything at Nebraska yet.

All that said is why many think true freshman Gabe Ervin, who had a great spring, has a chance to win the starting job immediately if he continues his rapid development.

Entering fall camp, who could be a surprise for the team?

Nebraska’s defense and its wealth of returning experience is the clear strength of the team. But there could be a newcomer from the FCS ranks that makes a major impact in 2021.

Chris Kolarevic, an inside linebacker and graduate transfer from Northern Iowa, emerged as not only a potential starter this season but also one of the best overall athletes on the team.

He’s the type of guy you’d normally see racking up 80-plus tackles a year at Wisconsin or Iowa. Kolarevic has a chance to put up some big numbers this year.

This season goes well if ...

Adrian Martinez can be the quarterback Nebraska has hoped he’d be for four years now and the offense finally finds its identity.

The defense is good enough to keep them in most every game on the schedule, but if the offense can’t figure out the maddening self-inflicted mistakes that have plagued them for years, nothing is going change for Nebraska.

The turnovers, costly penalties, bad snaps, and inconsistency in the passing game have to be fixed. If they are, NU might have a chance to make some progress.

This season goes off the rails if ...

All of those mistakes continue and Nebraska’s offense is the same disaster it’s been.

The defense should be good, but if it’s constantly being put in bad situations after turnovers and 90-second three-and-outs, it won’t matter.

This season, and maybe Scott Frost’s future at Nebraska, will ride almost entirely on the offense.

*Thanks to Robin Washut from Husker Online for confirming the key returners, additions and departures -- which were initially put together looking at last year's stats and PFF grades, along with the aforementioned linked articles.