The Wisconsin Badgers brought in Luke Fickell, thinking he’d take them to the College Football Playoffs.
After being able to lead Cincinnati to the promised land, Fickell hasn’t brought that same success to Madison.
In fact, it’s been the opposite. Fickell is 17-21 overall and just 10-17 in Big Ten play heading into his fourth season with the Badgers.
A buyout has certainly been on everyone’s mind, especially with so many major schools not hesitating to fire their struggling head coach.
Heading into the 2026 season, The Athletic’s Justin Williams revealed that the 52-year-old is still under contract through March 2032. Should the Badgers decide to move on from Fickell at this point in time, the buyout “is still close to $20 million.”
New athletic director Shawn Eichorst has a big decision ahead of him, but he doesn’t seem to be rushing to replace Fickell. This is a head coach who is destined for a make-or-break season, one that will undoubtedly make Eichorst’s decision for him.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin football contract update: Luke Fickell’s buyout revealed
Reporting by Jordon Lawrenz, Badgers Wire / Badgers Wire
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By Jordon Lawrenz, Badgers Wire | USA TODAY Network
