Will Wisconsin fire Luke Fickell? The Badgers head coach's seat got hotter following 38-14 loss to Alabama

Wisconsin football has failed to live up to expectations under head coach Luke Fickell.

Fickell, hired by Wisconsin in November 2022, lost five straight games to end the 2024 season, costing the Badgers bowl eligibility. While Wisconsin won its first two games of 2025, its first real test came against No. 19 Alabama, where they were blown out 38-14 in Tuscaloosa.

Fickell arrived in Madison after going 57-18 in six seasons at Cincinnati, including a 13-0 season and a College Football Playoff berth in 2021. Since then, however, the Badgers have struggled to remain one of the Big Ten’s premier programs.

With the loss to the Crimson Tide, Fickell’s seat continues to heat up. Here’s a closer look at his contract and what could happen if Wisconsin decides to go in a different direction.

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Will Wisconsin fire Luke Fickell?

It remains unclear if Wisconsin will fire Fickell, but his seat is definitely heating up.

Since taking the reins at Wisconsin, Fickell has a combined record of 14-14. He led the Badgers to a 7-6 season and a Reliaquest Bowl appearance in 2023, where they lost to LSU. In 2024, Wisconsin started 5-2 but then lost five straight games, finishing the season without bowl eligibility.

With the Badgers facing a tough Big Ten schedule, they could once again miss a bowl game, including five matchups against ranked opponents.

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Luke Fickell salary and buyout

Fickell signed a seven-year, $7.7 million-per-year contract with Wisconsin in November 2022. The deal was later extended in January 2024 and February 2025 to run through March 31, 2032. His initial contract averaged $7.8 million per year, making it the fifth-highest in the Big Ten in 2024.

According to USA Today, Fickell is the 18th-highest paid head coach in college football right now, putting him just below Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy.

If the Badgers decide to move on, Fickell's buyout is just over $40 million. This was last updated on December 1, 2024.

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Who can replace Luke Fickell at Wisconsin?

ESPN's Mark Schlabach highlighted Kansas head coach Lance Leipold as a potential replacement for Fickell. The 61-year-old spent three years in Madison as a graduate assistant from 1991 to 1993.

There haven’t been many rumors about potential replacements if Wisconsin decides to move on from Fickell. However, when the Badgers’ job opened in 2022, some of the candidates considered included Baylor’s Dave Aranda, NC State’s Dave Doeren, and Washington State’s Jake Dickert.

Wisconsin remaining 2025 schedule

After getting blown out by Alabama, Wisconsin will come back home to open up Big Ten play against Maryland. The Badgers have a tough conference schedule, which includes trips to No. 23 Michigan, No. 4 Oregon and No. 22 Indiana, and hosting No. 1 Ohio State and No. 9 Illinois.

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