When you think of Big 10 biggies, you’ll think of Oregon, Michigan, and Ohio State, and more. But if you go back just a few years ago, you’d also find Wisconsin in those conversations. The Luke Fickell era in Madison did not start on a big note, and this was when Oregon and Washington were yet to enter the conference. “Jesus Christ, next season could be a bloodbath,” an ardent fan expressed ahead of that 2024 season. His fears were confirmed, and the Badgers bled in the 2024 season. That makes Fickell’s upcoming season a make-or-break, determining the fate of his career.
For Fickell, it’s not just about taking the Badgers out of a bad record. The bigger responsibility is to end Wisconsin’s fall from grace. In CBS Sports’ hot seat rankings, Fickell was given a 2, meaning his role was secure, but only for now. If Fickell’s 2025 season continues his downward spiral, there’s a chance Wisconsin might plan a way out of this situation, jeopardizing his contract, which was worth at least $54.6 million for his initial contract signed in 2022. The top brass took a gamble by choosing to extend Fickell’s contract till 2031. And with the schedule they’ve got, it’s natural for Wisconsin fans to be pitied by opponent fans.
In a July 22 episode of the Andy & Ari podcast, the two discussed how dire the situation is for Fickell. “It’s not like Luke Fickell sucks as a coach. You know, a lot of it is circumstance and timing,” the latter said. “We’ve talked about this with other coaches who got hired around the same time; the whole world changed. So, the thing that made them successful might not have made, might not work anymore,” Andy Staples added. Until 2023, Fickell ruled the BIG 10 West division with Cincinnati. But the next year, the scene changed for college football. NIL became an integral part of the sport, and 4 game-changing programs entered the Big 10.
“He had to stop trying to win the West because that wasn’t going to matter anymore. And, it was about trying to compete in the Big 10,” Staples pointed out. “But they haven’t done anything. And in fact, they are worse than they were when they were trying to win the Big 10 West. So that is the issue now,” the host said. The last time Wisconsin defeated a marquee program was in 2019, when they won against a dominating Michigan under Jim Harbaugh. But as the years progressed, the record started getting worse. The Badgers used to be able to win against Nebraska. But with Dylan Raiola in the mix, and even that goes out of Wisconsin’s hands.
Fickell has to put forward a better score than 5-7 this season. However, with how brutally his schedule is set, it is going to be extremely difficult for him to do that and keep his career secure.
Luke Fickell will struggle to keep his head above the water in 2025
It seems nearly impossible for Wisconsin to pull off an impressive season. Because they have what PFF regards as the toughest schedule in FBS. The main goal for Fickell this season, according to Ari and Andy, is for him to just “survive” this season. Because he will be facing Miami, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, and Washington. These are not just coin tosses; these are games where the others will have overwhelming favorites. Ari and Andy predicted a minimum 6-6 finish for Fickell. But, that might be too improbable a reality for Wisconsin.
That also makes them the biggest underdogs this season. It’s one of two extremes for Luke Fickell in a crucial year. On3’s J.D. PicKell presented the upside of such a scenario. “Wisconsin has a lot of tough opponents, and I wonder just maybe after they play Ohio State, what if they’re used to that kind of deal and they’re tougher for an Oregon or an Indiana, or maybe they end up getting Bama early because they come out guns blazing and then Bama’s got some question marks at quarterback? Wisconsin, nobody’s accounting for them being a loss on their schedule, so if Wisconsin is a loss on their schedule, that would, I think, be a little bit chaotic,” he said.
If Fickell pulls a win over Alabama, Ohio State, and Michigan, he might become one of the most celebrated coaches in the Big 10. Because the goal was for him to just make it through. He would be awarded brownie points if he makes it to the playoffs, and can even pull a shocker if they reach a conference title game. But whatever Fickell does, he has to do it with utmost caution. Because this is a year that will define the rest of his Wisconsin stay, and he has to tread carefully.
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