Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell on thin ice ahead of next season, says college football analyst

Luke Fickell has been the coach of the Wisconsin Badgers since November 2022. The program has big aspirations and aims to solidify its spot as one of the better teams in the Big Ten conference.

Ahead of the 2025 season, college football analyst Carter Bahns believes that Fickell and the Badgers must improve if the veteran coach is to avoid getting the sack. According to the Sporting News, Bahns said:

"Luke Fickell stocked up on instant-impact talent on the defensive front, then hired a new offensive coordinator and found a proven starting QB in Billy Edwards Jr."

He continued:

"That's all great, but it's important to note that Wisconsin was merely a five-win program last campaign and hasn't taken a step forward in its record since 2021. There is enough to like about the Badgers to be rather optimistic about their prospects moving forward, but Fickell must produce results very, very soon.”

The Badgers have their work cut out as they're up against the Alabama Crimson Tide, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, Illinois Fighting Illini, Oregon Ducks and more. These games are tough for any program, much less a side with a coach potentially on the hot seat.

How did Luke Fickell and Wisconsin perform in 2024?

Luke Fickell led the Wisconsin Badgers to consecutive wins to start the 2024 college football campaign. They were victorious against the Western Michigan Broncos and South Dakota Coyotes.

However, they followed those impressive wins with back-to-back losses against ranked opponents. First was the blowout loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide and then the defeat versus the USC Trojans. Fickell's side hardly put up a fight in either game and were the second-best team in consecutive weeks.

Next up was the Badgers' best run of the season. They won three straight games against Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern, all by at least 20 points.

Unfortunately for Fickell's side, that was as good as it got. The program rounded out the season with five straight losses. Penn State, Iowa, Oregon, Nebraska and Minnesota ensured a miserable end to the 2024 college football regular season for Luke Fickell's troops. The program will aim for much better performances in 2025.