Wisconsin has massive win on recruiting trail after Penn State upset, but Luke Fickell has work to do

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wisconsin has massive win on recruiting trail after Penn State upset, but Luke Fickell has work to do

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Oct 1, 2026 9:54 PM ET

It feels like it has been a while since the Wisconsin Badgers picked up a big recruiting win.

Heck, until recently, it felt like it had been a long time since they'd picked up a big win in general. That changed in Week 4 when the unranked Badgers walked into Happy Valley and beat the No. 13 Penn State Nittany Lions, 24-20.

It was a huge win for Luke Fickell in his fifth season with the Badgers, and as it usually does, momentum leaked over onto the recruiting trail.

On Thursday, Jalanie George, one of the top EDGE prospects in the class of 2028, committed to Wisconsin.

He chose the Badgers over Washington, Auburn and Miami.

BREAKING: Elite 2028 EDGE Jalanie George has Committed to Wisconsin, he tells me for @Rivals

The 6’4 250 EDGE chose the Badgers over Washington, Auburn, and Miami

He’s ranked as a Top 25 Recruit in the 2028 Rivals Industry Rankings

“AGTG Go Badgers ”https://t.co/Uq2s6P5Sii pic.twitter.com/Gv7S0Nlv3y
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 2, 2026

This represents a huge recruiting win for the Badgers, and they have put in the work for it. They've been working on getting George to Madison, and he came up for an unofficial visit in mid-September.

That changed everything.

"They were just telling me how they would utilize me and you know, how they can make me a better player overall and I looked into it and I'm still looking into it but the plan that they have, I'm really interested in it at this moment," George had told 247Sports after that visit.

Wisconsin Badgers must work hard to hold on to five-star EDGE Jalanie George

The five-star apparently kept looking into it, and he liked what he saw from the Badgers.

From Goodyear, Arizona, and with offers from all over the country, it's now up to Fickell and the Badgers to keep him committed. Fickell also has to keep winning games, because he absolutely entered this season on the hot seat.

For now, though, all is right in Madison.

According to the 247Sports Composite, George is the No. 7 EDGE prospect in the 2028 class.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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