Wisconsin Football Hits Rock Bottom: A Disappointing End to the 2024 Season
The Wisconsin football program has hit a new low as the 2024 season comes to a close. After a shocking end to the season, the Badgers are left to pick up the pieces. Following a humiliating 24-7 loss to rival Minnesota, Wisconsin not only lost the Paul Bunyan’s Axe but also saw their 22-year bowl streak come to an end. The last time the Badgers missed a bowl game was in 2001, a season that marked their only losing record in recent history. Head coach Barry Alvarez quickly turned the program around after that, leading to successful years under subsequent coaches Bret Bielema and Paul Chryst.
When Luke Fickell was hired in 2022, hopes were high that he would return Wisconsin to prominence, but his second season has been a disappointing one. Despite a promising start at 5-2, the team fell apart, suffering a blowout loss to Iowa and a devastating defeat to Nebraska. The final blow came in the humiliating loss to Minnesota, showing glaring issues at quarterback and a concerning lack of effort against a bitter rival.
Under Fickell, the Badgers have struggled to maintain their past successes. The team failed to win any major rivalry games, finishing just 3-6 in Big Ten play with victories over weak teams like Purdue, Rutgers, and Northwestern. With players like linebacker Leon Lowery and cornerback Amare Snowden entering the transfer portal, Wisconsin’s troubles are far from over.
Though the Badgers faced a tough schedule, their inability to secure any marquee wins is troubling. Fickell has faced off against top teams like Ohio State, Alabama, Penn State, and Oregon, but Wisconsin has come up short each time. A closer look at the team reveals poor quarterback play and a defense that has fallen far below the program’s usual standard. This year’s defense ranked 12th in the Big Ten, with only eight turnovers forced.
The Badgers’ identity is unclear under Fickell, and they must find a way to compete in the new era of college football, marked by conference realignment and NIL. While Fickell has proven his ability to build programs, the new Big Ten is a much tougher challenge. If Wisconsin can’t redefine itself and adjust to the changing landscape, it risks fading into irrelevance in the college football world.
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