Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell faces mounting pressure heading into his third season after a disappointing 5-7 campaign in 2024.
The Badgers missed bowl eligibility last season, losing their final five games after needing just one win to qualify. Wisconsin did push eventual Big Ten champion Oregon to the limit during that stretch.
Oddsmakers have set Wisconsin’s win total at just 5.5 for the upcoming season.
247Sports analyst Brad Crawford projects at least six losses for the Badgers, all against ranked opponents – Michigan, Alabama, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio State and Indiana.
CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli ranked Fickell No. 40 in his preseason list of Power Four coaches, a 23-spot drop from last year.
“That 23-spot tumble is the largest of any coach remaining at a Power Four school,” Fornelli wrote. “Simply put, the first two years in Madison haven’t gone as hoped, as he’s 13-13 overall. If we include his lone season at Ohio State, Fickell is 19-20 as a Power Four coach, including 11-15 in the Big Ten. He can still rebound in a major way if Wisconsin has a good season, but it’s tough to justify placing him higher than this right now.”
Fickell’s overall record at Wisconsin stands at 13-13, with an 11-15 mark in Big Ten play when including his interim season at Ohio State.
The Badgers face a challenging schedule that includes an early road test at Alabama on Saturday, September 13.
Wisconsin will need to show significant improvement to avoid another disappointing season in Madison.
