On Saturday, Wisconsin failed to build up any momentum against Alabama. The Badgers appeared overpowered from the opening drive and were behind 21-0 at the half. Alabama piled up 454 yards of offense, led by Ty Simpson, while they only managed 209 total yards at the end of the game, including a pitiful 92 rushing yards. Wisconsin’s defense, which typically takes pride in its strength, was completely crushed, allowing long plays like Ryan Williams‘ 75-yard touchdown just after halftime that basically ended the game. As a result of the disappointing result, the clock is ticking for the head coach, as pointed out by Paul Finebaum.

Wisconsin’s quarterback, Danny O’Neil, had a terrible day. He threw two interceptions, one of which gave Alabama all the momentum they needed in the first quarter at the worst possible moment. Even their few defensive stars were not enough to stop the Tide’s potent offense, and the Badgers never bounced back. Wisconsin was down 21 points by the time halftime rolled around, and despite a few sporadic plays, they were unable to cut into the lead that led to their 38-14 defeat.

In the recent episode of ESPN College Football’s The Matt Barrie Show, Paul Finebaum recalled that when Luke Fickell first got the Wisconsin job, everyone was excited. He stated, “How long has it been since he was the hottest coach in the country?” Under Paul Chryst, Wisconsin had lost its edge, and Fickell’s hiring in November 2022 on a 7-year, $55 million contract appeared to be a fresh start. It’s a different story now, though. Under his leadership, the team’s record isn’t exactly promising, 0–7 against ranked opponents and 3–8 against winning teams. So it’s true that Finebaum’s question lingers.

After their 38-14 loss to Alabama on Saturday, where slips and turnovers took away any chance they had, things have only gotten worse. As the excitement has faded away, Finebaum commented, “And look at him now.” He further added, “It’s just taking so long.” Despite the team’s injury problems, the patience is running short. It’s difficult not to question whether Fickell’s plan for the team is evaporating, given the five ranked teams still on the schedule and the tough games that lie ahead.

Fans are already comparing him to others who are making a big impression, and the pressure is growing. Fickell no longer finds it hard to know what success looks like because former Badger Jason Eck is drawing attention at New Mexico. Despite his insistence that positivity will carry his team forward, the outcomes simply don’t add up. “I just don’t know how much time he has,” as Finebaum warned, and unless Wisconsin makes progress quickly, that question may become a countdown.

Fickell’s struggles mount as Wisconsin faces another blowout

For Wisconsin football, it was truly like deja vu all over again. After losing their starting quarterback, Tyler Van Dyke, to injury just last year, they were thrashed by Alabama, and now it’s happening again with Billy Edwards hurting himself in the first game. It feels even more hopeless this time around; the offense hardly played, save for a kickoff return, and they were blown out 38-14 after trailing 21-0 at halftime. Fickell was blunt after the game, stating that Alabama “was a much better team than we are right now” and that it was “not easy to swallow.” He acknowledged that while Wisconsin found it difficult to keep up, they “did everything they needed to do.”

Everyone believed that Fickell was the man who would make things better when he was hired. He appeared to be a perfect fit after Cincinnati’s playoff run. He signed that massive 7-year contract with the Badgers, which was later extended in 2024 through 2031. But fans are becoming impatient now that the team is 8-13 against Power Four teams and 0-7 against ranked opponents. Even Fickell is aware that it’s a difficult situation; he stated that it was “exactly opposite of what we did,” even though “we knew we had to come out here in the first half in particular and play solid, play poised.”

What’s going on elsewhere is adding to the pressure. Like Fickell, Jason Eck is a former Badger who is now making headlines at New Mexico, even defeating Michigan and UCLA. Fans are wondering if Wisconsin lost out on a homegrown coach who could have performed better. Whether Fickell’s time in Madison is coming to an end and whether the school might start looking at other options if losses like this continue to mount are the

questions hanging over the program with five ranked teams remaining on the schedule and not many signs of improvement.