The Wisconsin Badgers have been a massive disappointment this season to the point where the fanbase is already looking to move on. This is Luke Fickell's 3rd season leading the Badgers, and rather than this team taking a step forward, they've regressed with a 2-6 record on the season while going 0-5 in Big Ten play.
This team losing constantly in Non-Competitive fashion brought this program to the point where every option had to be on the table from firing Fickell to overhauling other aspects of the program. The biggest hurdle for Wisconsin is the fact that Fickell has a $25 million buyout which makes moving on from him a massive investment.
Luke Fickell will return as Wisconsin's coach for 2026 season
As the fanbase has continued to call for Luke Fickell's job, the Badgers were likely never moving on with how much they owe him. On Thursday Afternoon, Athletic Director Chris McIntosh told ESPN that Luke Fickell will be returning in 2026.
NEWS: Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell will return to coach the Badgers in 2026, athletic director Chris McIntosh tells ESPN. The move comes with significant increase in financial investment. https://t.co/8S4JlAIBJH
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 6, 2025
The decision will surprise the fanbase, but at the end of the day the Badgers were never going to pull the plug and cough up the $25 Million before also buying out his staff and bringing in a whole new staff. Money is the name of the game in this current era of College Football, and it'll be cheaper for the Badgers to invest more into the program and hope that Fickell can figure out how to build this team.
In 2026, Luke Fickell is going to face more pressure than ever as the fanbase won't tolerate back-to-back seasons of embarrassing play. Fickell desperately needs to find this team an identity as they don't do anything well this season. The biggest key for Fickell will be nailing his pick at quarterback, and keeping him healthy as another season with a lifeless offense could end his time in Madison.