It feels like déjà vu for Wisconsin football. A year after losing its starting quarterback to injury against Alabama and watching the season collapse, the Badgers once again limped into a matchup with the Crimson Tide short-handed and walked away embarrassed. Alabama rolled to a 38-14 win, handing Luke Fickell another lopsided defeat in a high-profile game.
The result was expected. Wisconsin entered as a three-touchdown underdog, and few thought the Badgers could win in Tuscaloosa with a backup quarterback and a battered offensive line. Still, the manner of the loss and the wider picture of where the program stands under Fickell have left frustration boiling over in Madison.
Fickell’s tenure has yet to deliver on the lofty expectations that accompanied his hiring after a breakthrough run at Cincinnati. He was brought in to restore Wisconsin to a level of consistent national relevance. Instead, the Badgers are 8-13 against Power Four opponents under his leadership. That includes just three wins since the start of last season. Fickell has not beaten a ranked team in his time at Wisconsin. The program’s 22-year bowl streak ended on his watch.
A rough stretch ahead for Luke Fickell and Wisconsin
The road ahead only gets more difficult. The Badgers’ schedule still includes trips to Michigan, Oregon, and Indiana. It also has home dates against Ohio State, Washington, and Illinois. Fans who once saw Fickell as the man to modernize the program now question whether the gap between Wisconsin and the sport’s elite is widening under his watch.
Complicating matters further is the success of other Wisconsin-linked coaches. Former Badger offensive lineman Jason Eck, now at New Mexico, is quickly earning a reputation as a rising star. Eck’s trajectory has sparked speculation about whether Wisconsin could miss another chance at a homegrown option if Fickell continues to falter.
For now, Fickell insists positivity will carry his team forward, but patience is wearing thin. If Wisconsin cannot show progress in Big Ten play, the pressure on Fickell may grow too loud for administrators to ignore.
