Wisconsin's 2025 season hit a new low on Saturday, as the team fell 37-0 at home to the rival Iowa Hawkeyes.
Wisconsin's 2025 season hit a new low on Saturday, as the team fell 37-0 at home to the rival Iowa Hawkeyes.
The loss is Wisconsin's fourth straight after starting the season 2-0, all four of which have been by at least two scores. The Badgers have been outscored a combined 126-34 in those defeats; Saturday's loss to Iowa was somewhat of an exclamation point on arguably the program's worst stretch of football in 30 years.
Wisconsin now moves ahead to games against No. 1 Ohio State, No. 8 Oregon, Washington, No. 3 Indiana, Illinois and Minnesota. Given the team's current form, either a 2-10 or 3-9 finish appears likely.
Of course, that trajectory and program-worst output is increasing the temperature of head coach Luke Fickell's seat. The third-year coach has a record of 14-17 since taking over at the start of the 2023 season. That record includes an ongoing eight-game losing streak against Power Four opponents. Even more notable than the win-loss result of those games: only one loss has come by one possession. Other than a 16-13 loss to then-No. 1 Oregon last November, the Badgers have been largely noncompetitive in their last eight games against Power Four competition.
Many would agree that the current question is when Wisconsin will make a move at head coach, not if. The next question is whether the move will stop at Fickell or if it will continue into the athletic department. A buyout north of $27.5 million complicates the first question; Wisconsin is not traditionally equipped to pay large buyout figures, like Penn State just did to fire James Franklin ($50 million). Therefore, there aren't any tangible updates surrounding Fickell's status, other than the team suffering yet another historic home loss.
Working on the hypothetical that the program will make a change by the end of the season, here is an updated hot board of potential replacement candidates.
New Mexico head coach Jason Eck
Eck remains my No. 1 option to replace Fickell, if Wisconsin makes a move. While his New Mexico Lobos are just 3-2 to start the 2025 season, the fast-rising head coach has proven program-building success. He led Idaho (Football Championship Subdivision) to a 26-13 record from 2022-24, including several runs to the FCS quarterfinal. Eck also played offensive line at Wisconsin from 1995-98 and has a background coaching the position. His hire would perfectly represent a return to the program's classic culture and identity.
Former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald is one of two now-former Big Ten coaches who should be on Wisconsin's radar. The longtime Northwestern coach has shown an ability to succeed with limited financial resources and lower-ranked recruiting classes, a skill that Wisconsin should require in its next coach. The major variable here is whether Fitzgerald prefers to coach a program like Iowa, which may soon need to find a long-term answer to replace Kirk Ferentz, who can't coach forever.
Former Penn State coach James Franklin
While the timing of his inclusion may puzzle Badger fans, Franklin would be a terrific replacement option if Wisconsin makes a coaching move. The longtime Penn State head coach, who was just fired Sunday after a home loss to Northwestern, has been one of the Big Ten's winningest coaches of the last decade. Yes, his team often struggled to break through and defeat top-ranked opponents. But a coach with his track record of recent success, including a College Football Playoff semifinal trip in 2024, rarely hits the open market.
This hire would also be great news for Wisconsin fans because it would signal a significant monetary investment from both the athletic department and its donors. Franklin may only stay for a few years, if all goes well. But he'd be a great bridge to another long-term option (Jim Leonhard?).
Baylor head coach Dave Aranda
Wisconsin connections are worth including on this list, given the failure of the current regime. Aranda was a standout defensive coordinator for the Badgers from 2013-15. He is now 35-32 in five-plus years at Baylor, including a strong 8-5 2024 season and a 4-2 start to 2025. His hire would be far from a home run, but his coaching experience and program knowledge should bring some stability.
USC defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn
Lynn is one of the hottest coordinator names on the market. The longtime NFL assistant coach has helped the USC defense improve dramatically from its annual position at the bottom of the sport. He lacks head coaching experience, so his hire would be a bet on potential more than anything. That hire would also bring significant risk, as any significant success could eventually lead him to coach his alma mater, Penn State.
Syracuse coach Fran Brown
Brown is one of the rising young head coaches in college football. Wisconsin likely lacks the resources to lure him away from Syracuse. But if Brown is keen on jumping to the Big Ten, the Badgers could represent an ideal next stop. If the former Georgia defensive assistant and ace recruiter can win at Syracuse (10-3 record in 2024), he can win at Wisconsin.
Kansas coach Lance Leipold
Leipold would be a different type of hire than many other top coaches on this list. The veteran coach is a proven program builder with a long track record of success, which fits what Wisconsin should be looking for. He's also 61 years old, which makes him less likely to jump to a better job. Hopefully, Wisconsin would become a long-term stop for the remainder of his career.
Leipold's hire wouldn't make the same headlines that some others on this list would. Still, he'd be a strong hire to redirect the program's current trajectory.
Denver Broncos passing game coordinator Jim Leonhard
As noted in the first iteration of our coaching hot board, this list is not complete without Jim Leonhard. The Badger legend and current Denver Broncos pass game coordinator should still be a potential long-term option to lead the program. Since there is close to a 0% chance of him returning with Chris McIntosh as athletic director, his name would enter the conversation only if McIntosh departs. If that happens, the next AD should give Leonhard a call.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Updating Wisconsin head coach candidates if it fires Luke Fickell
Category: General Sports
