The Wisconsin Badgers had a big 13-10 win over the No. 23 Washington Huskies, finding a way to win their first game since early September.
It was a much-needed win for the Badgers, who had fought hard on
several occasions over the last few weeks but failed to come out with the victory. That wasn’t the case on Saturday, as a stellar defensive performance led to Wisconsin’s third win of the year.
The victory came just a few days after Athletic Director Chris McIntosh publicly voiced his support for head coach Luke Fickell once again, declaring that he’ll be back in 2026 despite the disappointing campaign this season. That came after McIntosh talked with the players a few weeks ago to give a good understanding of what to expect with the coaching staff.
How did Fickell react to the news?
“I have an incredible appreciation and respect for Chris McIntosh and what he has had to do,” Fickell said after the win. “There’s mixed emotions on my part, to be honest with you. I don’t ever want somebody to have to fight my battles, but I understand that that’s where we are. And I can’t say thank you enough to Chris for fighting the battle that he’s fighting and for Chancellor [Jennifer] Mnookin to listen and believe.
“Yes, there is a, not to say a relief. There is a spark, an energy, a hope, a vision that this week gave us. And I can’t say that I’m speaking for the guys because even when Mac spoke to the guys and kind of told them before it came out publicly, it wasn’t like a whole emotional thing after practice on, I think it was Thursday. It wasn’t like there was this roar or anything like that. And I just reminded him that our kids, they feel everything. They know everything, they internalize everything. I’m not sure how they felt or what, like they were going to jump up for joy, but I knew deep down inside it meant something to them. Again, I’m not speaking for them, but I know that they’re committed to what it is that we’re doing. They’re committed to each other, and they’re committed to a journey that has been disappointing.
“I’m not here to tell you that this is the expectation, to win one game and to expect the people to, or our fans to rush the field. I mean, there’s a greater expectation. That’s why I came here. That’s why these guys came here. But at times, you’ve got to know that people have your back. And for me and for them, I can’t say thank you enough. Obviously, not just to Chris, but to Chancellor Mnookin, the board, and everybody that recognizes and understands that. Not accepting this, but we understand that. We got to move forward, but this is how we want to do it. I’m happy, that’s for sure.”
Wisconsin expects to have more financial support in 2026. And there certainly will need to be more consistency from the team, even after the win on Saturday. But, it was a good week for the Badgers program to respond to McIntosh’s statement with a much-needed victory.
