Ahead of the Huskies’ road trip to Madison, I caught up with Rohan Chakravarthi of SB Nation’s Wisconsin site Bucky’s 5th Quarter, to get the lowdown on this year’s Badgers squad!
MS: Luke Fickell is in
his third year at the helm, and in possession of the dubious distinction of having perhaps the hottest seat in the country. He currently sits at 2-6. Where did it go wrong for Fickell and what, if anything can be done to move forward?
RC: It started off with Fickell’s coaching hires when he arrived in Madison, primarily offensive coordinator Phil Longo. The drastic offensive shift away from Wisconsin’s norms was too much to overcome, as the Badgers never had the quarterback and wide receiver talent to be a competitive offense. From there, it’s been some ugly quarterback luck with injuries and an overall issue with talent and development, also at quarterback.
MS: Jeff Grimes took the reins of the offense this year after Phil Longo was let go. What do you make of the offense this year? Who are the major playmakers on that side of the ball?
RC: The offense has been one of the worst in college football this season. That starts with the quarterback position, where starter Billy Edwards was hurt in the season opener and has only made one brief appearance since. Backups Danny O’Neil and Hunter Simmons have really struggled behind him, and Wisconsin hasn’t gotten the run game going behind a makeshift offensive line that has faced injuries all year long.
As for the playmakers, wide receiver Vinny Anthony is the leader of this offense on the boundary. Running backs Dilin Jones and Darrion Dupree both figured to be key pieces, but are hurt, which means Wisconsin will likely rely a lot on redshirt freshman running back Gideon Ituka this weekend.
MS: Mike Tressel coordinates the Badger defense, in his third season in that role. What do you think of the job he has done, and who are the major weapons on the defensive side of the ball?
RC: It’s been an up-and-down ride for Mike Tressel, as the Badgers have shown some glimpses of high-quality play over the last three years, mixed with some ugly showings. Wisconsin’s primary issue has been stopping the run against good teams. That’s gotten better this year, but it has still been an issue against some top teams. The top player on this squad defensively is outside linebacker Mason Reiger off the edge. He’s a high-effort player who transferred in from Louisville this season. Other key guys include linebacker Christian Alliegro, freshman Mason Posa, and cornerback Ricardo Hallman.
MS: It’s been a rough season for the Badgers to this point, and Fickell is on the hot seat. What do you think will happen to him, and if a change is made, is there a name that Badger fans are clamoring for?
RC: At this point, I’m expecting Fickell to return in 2026 for a fourth season. His buyout is too high and Wisconsin’s Athletic Director has made multiple statements of support with an eye on increasing the team’s budget next year. If a change is made, there are several coaches with some ties to Wisconsin, but it doesn’t seem like that will happen this year, even if the Badgers lose out and go 2-10.
(Update: Rohan has more reporting on the move to retain Fickell for 2026 here).
MS: It’s time for a score prediction! What will the score be, in an afternoon showdown between UWs in Camp Randall?
RC: Unfortunately for the Badgers, their offense leaves much to be desired and they’re playing one of my favorite teams to watch this year with the Huskies. Washington’s offense is explosive and multi-dimensional, and I think they’ll be well-rounded with the run game on Saturday. I see another tough loss for Bucky, but one where the Badgers can somewhat mitigate the Washington offense after their strong performance against Oregon.
Washington 28, Wisconsin 7
Thank you Rohan, and good luck to the Badgers the rest of the way!
