The Wisconsin Badgers pulled off a stunning upset of the No. 16 USC Trojans at Camp Randall. It's not just that Wisconsin won, but they did it with relative ease. Once the Badgers took the lead in the second quarter just before halftime, they never looked back. They also never let the Trojans score again. It was an impressive performance from the team, and it took all facets (offense, defense, special teams) to pull it off.
Luke Fickell was grabbed by NBC as fans were storming the field, and he was elated. "It's great for the guys," Fickell said with a huge smile on his face. "This whole place (Camp Randall) needs this. This is great for college football, and it's great for us."
He's not wrong; Camp Randall does need it. The program hasn't been great for a while, and it's been pretty terrible under Luke Fickell. This is the prove-it year for the beleaguered head coach. And he asked for more money; he got it; he went out and brought in a great transfer portal haul. Has dominated recruiting, and yet many were curious if he could win on the field this season.
Luke Fickell desperately needed a signature win this season and he found it against Lincoln Riley
Related: 4 thoughts on Wisconsin's much needed impressive win over No. 16 USC
Well, the Badgers are 5-2 and now have a signature win on their record, with Iowa looming and a bunch of very manageable games after that. There's a reality in which Wisconsin could finish with nine or more wins. That would be a huge jump and a resounding statement from Fickell, who simply wanted another year to prove he can be the coach that Wisconsin fans need/want.
Fickell said the team needed to be tough for the whole game. There was no letup. That Wisconsin needed to play with toughness mentally, emotionally, and, of course, physically. "That's what we did," Fickell said on Wisconsin playing tough for all four quarters. "I mean, gritty ain't pretty, but that's who we are."
Of course, there is still a lot to be desired about the Wisconsin team, but you can't be frustrated that this win came on the backs of a really stout defense and a rushing attack. That's the Wisconsin of old and something that was absolutely necessary in order to upset the Trojans.
It's a feel-good story for now, and while many fans will remain skeptical until they continue to see evidence that Fickell has turned things around, you can't help but smile a little. The Badgers are cruising, and if the refs hadn't gotten in the way of the UCLA game, there's a scenario in which Wisconsin only has a Notre Dame loss on their schedule. But alas, the two losses will remain.
It's hard not to see how the tables have turned on the two head coaches during this game. Luke Fickell and Lincoln Riley both came into the season needing to prove to their fan bases they weren't dead in the water. It was Fickell who came out on top of this one.
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