Wisconsin Football Fans are Irate After Latest Announcement

Wisconsin Badgers football fans are irate after University of Wisconsin-Madison Athletic Director Chris McIntosh put to rest any talk of significant changes to the program coming this season or in the upcoming offseason.

It has been a downright dismal season for the Badgers football program. They sit at 2-6, second-to-last in the Big Ten Conference (ahead of only Purdue), and are in the middle of a six-game losing streak. Their only two wins are against Miami-Ohio and Middle Tennessee State, tomato cans, if you will. They were shutout in two straight games (by Iowa, thankfully, and Ohio State), and went 10 consecutive quarters without scoring a touchdown. They ended that drought when facing Oregon. They still lost 21-7.

No Wholesale Coaching Changes for the Badgers:

Despite all of that futility this year alone, Badgers Athletic Director Chris McIntosh feels comfortable bringing back head coach Luke Fickell for a fifth season. The news was confirmed by McIntosh yesterday, and suffice to say, Badgers fans are livid. Justifiably so.

The Hawkeye fan in me is more than happy with this development. The Iowa-Wisconsin rivalry has been very fun for a black and gold fan these past few years, thanks to the flailing program Fickell is spearheading up north. A once-proud program that was a shoe-in for a bowl game and often good for a playoff appearance has instead become the doormat of the Big Ten Conference.

Why Luke Fickell is Being Retained:

John Fisher, Getty Images

McIntosh told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he "sees a path forward" with Luke Fickell at the helm:

I can see a plan that we can execute and I can see a way for us to be successful and competitive in ‘26 and beyond. And so that's where my priority has been. And I think that's what my job is, to focus on those things that are within my control, within our control. And right now, I think the best path forward, the best path to allow us to be competitive is to execute the plan we have with Luke as the head coach - Chris McIntosh, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Beyond not having a Big Ten win on their resume this season (0-5), the Badgers have lost 11 straight games against power-conference opponents dating back to last season. Ten of those losses came by double digits. Fickell's record as Badgers coach is 15-19, and he's been subjected to "Fire Fickell" chants at football games as well as other Wisconsin sporting events.

Fickell's Badgers are almost guaranteed a second straight losing season with Washington coming to town this weekend. His $7.8 million salary ranks eighth in the Big Ten Conference, and with his return next season, the school doesn't have to worry about his $27 million contract buyout he would receive if he was fired.

Granted, the Badgers have had one of the toughest schedules in all of college football this season. They've faced ranked opponents like Alabama, Michigan, and Oregon, and still have Washington and Indiana on their schedule. No less, this is a move that's infuriated Badgers faithful, who admittedly deserve better than the abysmal product they've received the last two years.

Read more about Wisconsin retaining Luke Fickell as Badgers football head coach on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's website.