Everyone is talking about how Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell is in a pivotal year. His seat is hot and has only grown hotter without Chris McIntosh standing behind him. Yet, the fanbase has seen some behind-the-scenes progress, like recruiting (especially in-state), relations with alumni, offensive play designs, focusing on the trenches, and more. However, none of that translates to wins.
Former Badger linebacker and now Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Chris Orr says that none of that matters if Fickell can’t win. If Wisconsin can’t put together winning games, the rest is just white noise. Orr joined ESPN Madison and told them, “Nothing else really matters. The wins are what matter.” He’s not wrong, and at the end of 2026 that’s the only way Fickell will be judged. Orr breaks it down in the interview below.
“Nothing else really matters. The WINS are what matter.”
— ESPN Madison (@ESPNMadison) July 26, 2026
Should Luke Fickell and the #Badgers be judged solely by wins and losses in 2026? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/TuyMpgF21G
Former Badger Chris Orr says Luke Fickell has to win or he’s gone
Related: CBS Sports makes encouraging prediction for Luke Fickell, Wisconsin football
Orr doesn’t pull any punches. He clearly explains that you can be a jerk in this business but a winning jerk, and you’ll rise to the top. You can also be the nicest guy in the world, and if you don’t win, “see you later!” It’s just the way of football, and no matter what people think about Fickell as a person, he’s yet to find wins for Wisconsin.
In fact, each season he’s found less and less. His first year, he actually had seven wins. There was some optimism even because he was dealing with quarterback injuries. This feeling of “what could be!” And then year two for Fickell came along, and he only had a six-win season for Wisconsin. More quarterback injuries, and that’s when the fanbase started growing restless.
Last season came, and it got worse…only four wins were had, and two of them were in the non-conference. Yikes. Wisconsin fans were packing Fickell’s bags and ready to run him out of town. McIntosh stepped in and said, “He needs more time! And money!” Then McIntosh ran for a Big Ten office job.
Now Fickell has to stand on his own two feet. He’s got 2026 to prove he can win at Wisconsin or there’s no one holding back the dam of Wisconsin fans ready to burst.
Fickell will be judged on wins. FanDuel has the over/under for Wisconsin in 2026 at 6.5. If Fickell finds seven wins, that will be enough to give him another season. Six wins is pushing it; anything under six and he’s gone.
Orr is right; Fickell has to win. All the other things that Fickell is now doing right won’t matter if the product on the field isn’t good. Football isn’t a sport that takes moral victories. Only the real ones matter.
Fickell does have one good thing going for him; Wisconsin has arguably the easiest schedule in the Big Ten. Last season, Wisconsin had the hardest schedule, and now it may be the easiest. There’s a reality where Fickell wins 8 or 9 games for Wisconsin.
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