Luke Fickell Owns Mistakes Following Badgers Loss to Ohio State

In a hard-fought battle, Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin football team took one on the chin at home against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes, ending with a score of 24-10 and dropping the Badgers record to 5-3.

Throughout the game, Wisconsin managed to keep the contest within striking distance, showcasing a toughness that was highly encouraging to see. It wasn’t until Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson dashed down the field for a 33-yard touchdown run with just over five minutes remaining before the Buckeyes effectively sealed the game.

While Mike Tressel and the Wisconsin Badgers defense put forth a remarkable effort, the team struggled to generate enough offense to capitalize on any of the Buckeyes’ offensive miscues. 

I’m not one for excuses, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that in-game injuries to Braelon Allen and Chimere Dike had taken a toll on the Wisconsin football team, making it even more challenging to move the ball against one of the nations top defenses. 

Wisconsin Football Head Coach Luke Fickell Shoulders Blame 

Following the game, an emotionally charged Luke Fickell took responsibility for a few key decisions, recognizing the significance of how close the game had been.

“I give them credit, they did, they got us to the fourth quarter, then we couldn’t get it done,” Fickell remarked. “We let them down a little bit. Maybe some situations I need to be more aggressive, and some other situations, we need to take advantage of some opportunities that we have just based on what kind of game it’s going to be and what we’re going to have to do to win the game.”

Fickell also acknowledged a specific instance of mismanaging a long field attempt by Nathaniel Vakos in the first half and how he should have called a timeout.

“We made the decision, or I made the decision in my head that we needed to get points,” Fickell stated, reflecting on the pivotal drive. “I put us in a bad situation, didn’t call a timeout, then we ended up with a field goal we probably don’t want to attempt at 54 yards.”

Despite the tough luck loss to the Buckeyes, Wisconsin football demonstrated resilience and determination throughout the game, keeping the contest competitive for four quarters.

However, it’s hard not to be at least somewhat disappointed that the Badgers couldn’t convert the mistakes into points — especially when it could be a while before Wisconsin gets Ohio State at home.

The losing streak to Ohio State now spans 10 games and 13 years total.

Wisconsin Football Student Section Was Embarrassing vs. Ohio State

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