Wisconsin football 2026

[Strike4]

18 minutes ago, nate82 said:

One thing people are not talking about much with this team is the improved OL.  While this isn’t the best OL it is far better than what has been trotted out there in the past 5-7 years.  I don’t think there is a starting NFL player on the OL but there is possibly one or two backups on that line.

I don't know - several may be able to start with the Packers this week....

[LouisEly]

37 minutes ago, nate82 said:

One thing people are not talking about much with this team is the improved OL.  While this isn’t the best OL it is far better than what has been trotted out there in the past 5-7 years.  I don’t think there is a starting NFL player on the OL but there is possibly one or two backups on that line.

Heywood, Mandell, and Cubberly are all redshirt sophomores.  They still have some development left.

[Jim French Stepstool]

It seems like wherever they put him in the OL, PJ Wilkins has struggled. They may have figured a few things out in the absence of Kawecki at C; Stylz Blackmon moved there Saturday & seemed to be just fine while Barrett Nelson, a veteran who has been in the program a long time but has played very little, also held his own. This line has a long way to go AFA commanding the line of scrimmage the way you'd like, but I agree they're heading in the right direction. It would really help the overall depth if/when Kawecki returns.

[LouisEly]

If you go back one calendar year, over their last 12 games they are 7-5 with four of those five losses being to top-10 teams that year and none of those losses at Camp Randall.

[wildcat83]

Haven’t seen much of the Badgers this year, but you hear great things about their defense.  Iowa moving the ball at will so far in this one.

[da swedish german]

How did Jung even play varsity high school football?

[homer]

The thing about the Badgers is go Brewers.

[wildcat83]

Ironic we call a jet sweep on 4th and goal from the 1 and get stuffed, then the next possession Iowa scores on a jet sweep at the goal line.  Just when the program shows signs of life, they remind us how far from contending they really are.  

[yourout]

Wonder if we get pants by Minnesota as well as Iowa if that would be enough to send him packing.

[yfinn6]

You can't go into 2027 with Luke Fickell as the head coach. 

[homer]

6 minutes ago, wildcat83 said:

Ironic we call a jet sweep on 4th and goal from the 1 and get stuffed, then the next possession Iowa scores on a jet sweep at the goal line.  Just when the program shows signs of life, they remind us how far from contending they really are.  

That 4th down call was an homage to recently fired Phil Longo

[Jim French Stepstool]

It's not surprising to see Iowa come out & play really well after their loss last week---and they DID have an excellent first half. What's disappointing is UW responding to it so poorly. First possession of the game, 3rd & seven and Jung commits the doubler-----he gets beaten badly AND slips. Brown had a terrific half for them--it helps when you can both hand the ball off AND throw--and for the first time in a long while the UW defense was never comfortable.

Disappointing to see the O-Line take a step back with the mistakes, albeit vs a very good front seven. Phil Parker has been their defensive coordinator for about 900 years & does a really good job. Missing out on the 4th & goal play--the play call screamed "You're better than us up front, and we know it." Problem is, they ARE. Even then, you have them pinned, it's still only 10-0 & you can get the ball back with more than enough time. But a few plays later they're out beyond midfield. Down & distance was comfortable for Iowa most of the half, making things easy for Brown. OTOH, we have a return to the constant 2nd & 13; 3rd & 11. Just a poor half, probably rivaling the 2nd half vs ND.

[Jim French Stepstool]

23 minutes ago, yourout said:

Wonder if we get pants by Minnesota as well as Iowa if that would be enough to send him packing.

 

23 minutes ago, yfinn6 said:

You can't go into 2027 with Luke Fickell as the head coach. 

I think he's back in 2027, based on what I've been able to glean. Since before the season started people have talked about the possibility of 8-4, albeit vs a meh schedule. IMO anyone who wants him gone better hope for something below that, and I don't know if that'll happen.

[yfinn6]

What are you witnessing from this program that they're moving in the right direction? They're getting absolutely pantsed by Iowa, again. They've beaten bad teams and teams that are well-coached have no issues with Wisconsin. USC and PSU are trash. 

Whoops, now we about to be down 27-0. 

[adambr2]

Well this team’s stay in the top 25 is going to be brief. 

[yourout]

4 minutes ago, yfinn6 said:

What are you witnessing from this program that they're moving in the right direction? They're getting absolutely pantsed by Iowa, again. They've beaten bad teams and teams that are well-coached have no issues with Wisconsin. USC and PSU are trash. 

Whoops, now we about to be down 27-0. 

Will now be 1 and 6 against Iowa and Minnesota.

And if the gophers make it 1 and 7 that's more than enough justification for change. 

There's just not enough hope for the future to extend this.

[homer]

The guy who said Iowa would not blow out UW was pretty dumb.

[JosephC]

Ferentz absolutely owns Fickell.

[yfinn6]

31-4 average score against Iowa for Luke Fickell. 

Really elevating the program. 

[nate82]

I still like this team obviously this was a bad game.  It looks like they don’t trust Joseph to throw the ball without turning it over.  Which for today’s game was a bad idea.  Only being able to run the ball is not going to work you have to throw the ball and be able to go deep.

Joseph doesn’t look to be that guy who can consistently hit on the deep balls.  His decision making is really poor and he has an average arm.  The QB position has been a problem since Mertz was the only option at QB.

This is what happens when you don’t seriously recruit at a position for three straight years under PC.  Now Fickell also deserves some blame as the QB’s he has brought in haven’t stayed healthy or performed.  Hopefully Hopkins is a better QB next year.

[yfinn6]

4 minutes ago, nate82 said:

I still like this team obviously this was a bad game.  It looks like they don’t trust Joseph to throw the ball without turning it over.  Which for today’s game was a bad idea.  Only being able to run the ball is not going to work you have to throw the ball and be able to go deep.

Joseph doesn’t look to be that guy who can consistently hit on the deep balls.  His decision making is really poor and he has an average arm.  The QB position has been a problem since Mertz was the only option at QB.

This is what happens when you don’t seriously recruit at a position for three straight years under PC.  Now Fickell also deserves some blame as the QB’s he has brought in haven’t stayed healthy or performed.  Hopefully Hopkins is a better QB next year.

You're really still going to blame PC in year 4 of Fickell in the transfer portal era? I was shaking my head at your post in general disagreement since the ranked teams they've beat this year are generally bad teams and getting worse, and the Badgers didn't exactly blow them out but then I read the bolded sentence. 

 

[nate82]

Just now, yfinn6 said:

You're really still going to blame PC in year 4 of Fickell in the transfer portal era? I was shaking my head at your post in general disagreement since the ranked teams they've beat this year are generally bad teams and getting worse, and the Badgers didn't exactly blow them out but then I read the bolded sentence. 

 

You obviously didn’t read the next sentence.

[yfinn6]

Just now, nate82 said:

You obviously didn’t read the next sentence.

Correct, because the sentence I bolded was stupid enough to skip reading the rest of your post. 

[nate82]

Just now, yfinn6 said:

Correct, because the sentence I bolded was stupid enough to skip reading the rest of your post. 

How is it stupid?  What QB did PC have after Mertz?  Name this QB he recruited after Mertz.  

[yfinn6]

1 minute ago, nate82 said:

How is it stupid?  What QB did PC have after Mertz?  Name this QB he recruited after Mertz.  

How is it relevant in 2026? Fickell has brought in a half dozen QBs or more and while Hopkins shows some promise, the rest of them are either injured or not BIG players. I don't get why bringing up PC who was fired 4+ years ago in the transfer portal era has any bearing on Fickell failing to get this program to where he's paid to have it.