| Year: | 1896 |
| Team: | Wisconsin Badgers |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Western Conference |
| Short Conf: | Western |
| Record: | 7–1–1 |
| Conf Record: | 2–0–1 |
| Head Coach: | Philip King |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Captain: | John R. Richards |
| Stadium: | Randall Field |
| Champion: | Western Conference champion |
The 1896 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin in the 1896 Western Conference football season. In their first season under head coach Philip King, the Badgers compiled a 7–1–1 record (2–0–1 against Western Conference opponents), shut out six of nine opponents, outscored all opponents by a combined total of 206 to 30, and won the first Western Conference championship.[1] [2]
Wisconsin played three conference games: a victory over Chicago (24–0) on November 7;[3] a victory over Minnesota (6–0) on November 21;[4] [5] and a tie with Northwestern (6–6) on November 26.[6] Wisconsin's sole loss was to the Carlisle Indians (18–8) in a night game played indoors and under the lights at the Chicago Coliseum before a crowd of 16,000 persons.[7] Wisconsin did not play another night game until 1953.[8]
Four Wisconsin players were selected to the 1896 All-Western football team published in the Chicago Inter Ocean: end Chester Brown, tackle J. F. A. "Sunny" Pyre, guard John E. Ryan, and halfback John "Ikey" Karel.[9] John R. Richards was the team captain.[10]