Wisconsin Football Must Play the David to Ohio State’s Goliath

As the University of Wisconsin football program prepares to face off against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes, it’s hard to understate Luke Fickell and the connection he has to his alma mater. 

Fickell’s history with Ohio State runs deep, from his days as a player starting a (then) record-breaking 50 consecutive games at nose guard — to his various coaching roles with the Buckeyes spanning over a decade. 

As a coach, Fickell was on the Ohio State sidelines from 2002-2016, primarily serving as the team’s linebacker coach and co-defensive coordinator. He also had a brief stint as interim head coach in 2011 following the Jim Tressel “Tattoo-Gate” scandal. 

However, Fickell eventually left OSU after the 2016 season to become the head coach at the University of Cincinnati. As you all know, his winding road of success with the Bearcats eventually led to Chris McIntosh hiring Luke Fickell as the next head coach of the Wisconsin football program. 

It’s clear this game holds extra significance, and even though Fickell is expected to offer the usual ‘coach speak’ in his media appearances, there’s no denying this game means a little more. 

Wisconsin Football Must Pull off the Upset to Keep Pace in BIG West Division.

Besides the personal connection, this game carries significant implications for the Wisconsin football team’s Big Ten West aspirations. 

The Badgers currently find themselves at the top of their division with a 3-1 conference record. However, their head-to-head loss to Iowa, the team right behind them, means that a defeat at the hands of Ohio State would jeopardize their divisional lead. 

If that scenario unfolds, the offensively inept Hawkeyes would once more control their own fate. This would leave Wisconsin fans hoping that Iowa will stumble again to a lesser opponent down the stretch. 

In a lowly West division filled with two-loss teams, including Minnesota and Nebraska, Wisconsin football must find a way to hold firm & secure a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game for the first time in three years. 

Closing Time 

The upcoming matchup against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes at Camp Randall Stadium is gonna be a doozy. According to the odds set by Las Vegas bookies, the Badgers are considered a substantial underdog. 

Over the past decade, Wisconsin football has hosted seven top-10 teams, emerging victorious in four of those matchups. While the Buckeyes have secured wins in their most recent trips to Madison, both were by narrow margins, including an overtime win in 2016, the last time they visited.

While Ohio State has already demonstrated its road prowess with a victory over Notre Dame in South Bend, the fervent Wisconsin football crowd in Madison can’t be ignored — and is ready to Jump Around. 

For Luke Fickell and this Wisconsin team, there would be nothing more satisfying than orchestrating an upset over his alma mater this Saturday.

Do you believe in miracles? 

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