Optimism Already Gone in Wisconsin

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Mark Pszonak | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 8:35 AM ET

It only took one home game against Miami-Ohio for whatever optimism Wisconsin fans had regarding this season to disappear. And this all happened despite a victory. But that 17-0 victory was unpleasant enough for the masses to already turn the pressure on head coach Luke Fickell.

Social media has been abuzz since the game, quickly persecuting Coach Fickell for showcasing a product that left many leaving Camp Randall Stadium in disappointment.

This reaction is understandable. It has been much publicized, including by myself, that Coach Fickell has unceremoniously broken down a winning product since his hire. The mistakes have been numerous, while the positive results have been minimal.

Now the fans have to face the reality of a potentially disastrous season. This is unless the offense suddenly finds a gear that was nowhere to be seen on Thursday night. The positive news is that quarterback Billy Edwards seems to have avoided serious injury and should be ready for Alabama in a couple of weeks. The negative news is that Edwards wasn’t setting the world ablaze when he was healthy.

And if you want to be even more negative, all it takes is a look at the upcoming schedule. The trip to Alabama is looming in two weeks, which is followed by Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, Illinois and Indiana. While the defense was impressive against Miami-Ohio, if they are relied upon to carry the entire team against this schedule, they will gradually fade.

After Thursday night’s performance, is it time to say that the Luke Fickell experiment is on life support?

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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