The Wisconsin Badgers had a tough day on Saturday, losing 34-0 to the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes, marking their fifth consecutive loss this season.
It was another disappointing day for head coach Luke Fickell, who remained frustrated at the lack of points after the game.
“If I said it once at the end of the game, this’ll be the fifth or sixth time I’ve said it: I’m incredibly disappointed in a lot of things. Obviously, the scoreboard is probably the most notable,” head coach Luke Fickell said after
the game. “To not find a way to put points on the board will never give us a chance. We know we have to be able to do that and we have to get a hell of a lot better at it.”
Wisconsin has now lost by 14 or more in each of its five losses this season, with the lack of competitiveness in games remaining to be a problem. Still, there seems to be confidence that things can turn around, and Athletic Director Chris McIntosh is on that boat.
For the second time this season, McIntosh addressed the fans with a statement, this time in a letter acknowledging the team’s disappointing season.
“On Saturday at Camp Randall, I was honored to join my former Rose Bowl champion teammates and coaches on the field as the University community celebrated our collective successes,” McIntosh wrote. “My years as a student-athlete at Wisconsin were among the best of my life; I loved my teammates and coaches, our passionate fans and the joy that Wisconsin Football brings to our campus and entire community.
“It is with those experiences, along with my love and deep respect for our university, that I share in the disappointment with this football season to date; it has fallen well short of our standards. At Wisconsin, we do not shy away from setting lofty expectations — for our teams, our coaches, and for myself. We embrace them and accept the responsibility of meeting those goals. While our coaches, staff and student-athletes continue to demonstrate the work ethic and values that represent UW Football, the results simply are not where any of us want them to be. Coach Fickell sees the potential in what this team can be, as do I, and he shares the same disappointment and frustration. Our student-athletes continue to stand and fight with character and pride as they battle through this moment of adversity, and they deserve all our support.”
McIntosh continued his support of Fickell, while also pointing out that the school will increase its investment into the football program to give the head coach more resources for his coaching staff and roster.
“While we still have a lot of football to play this season, with the support and significant involvement of Chancellor Mnookin, Athletics is committed to elevating the investment into our football program to position us to compete at the highest level,” McIntosh continued. “As a department, we must provide our coaches the tools necessary to succeed. That means more Athletics-funded investments into infrastructure, staffing and, most importantly, student-athlete recruiting and retention. In this new era of collegiate athletics, the clear reality is that high expectations must be matched with an equal level of support. The results of this elevated support may not be immediate, but we are confident that the impact will be positive and long-term.
“Wisconsin Football and Wisconsin Athletics are important to our campus, to our community, to our entire state and to all our loyal fans and alumni. They matter deeply to Chancellor Mnookin, who has been a strong partner since her arrival in Madison. And they matter to me. I bleed red and white, and I will not rest in the pursuit of our goals: fielding championship-caliber teams and delivering the pride and joy of success to a new generation of Badgers. You have my unrelenting commitment to do what is necessary to make that happen. Thank you for your dedication, loyalty and passion.”
While multiple Power 5 coaches were fired this weekend, including Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier, McIntosh is standing by his head coach and instead looking to increase the team’s budget for next year to compete in the Big Ten.
