Luke Fickell knows he's running out of time and the ability to get wins in this brutal schedule. Danny O'Neil hasn't proven to have the magic to get it done. Fickell is now turning to his third-string quarterback, Hunter Simmons, versus Michigan. It was said that have was competing with O'Neil for that backup spot, but eventually O'Neil won out.
Now, a few games into the season with not much hope on the horizon, Fickell is hoping that Simmons can provide the juice that Wisconsin needs to knock off the Wolverines in Ann Arbor.
Wisconsin will start Hunter Simmons at quarterback at Michigan today, per ESPN sources. He's a grad transfer from Southern Illinois who played the final series against Maryland and threw a touchdown pass. https://t.co/m3w5CX94nr
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 4, 2025
Danny O'Neil has been benched and replaced by 3-string Hunter Simmons
Related: Luke Fickell's coaching malpractice vs. Maryland has cost Badgers dearly vs. Michigan
O'Neil isn't injured; he's not even on the availability report at all. So, it's not because Fickell is being forced into this choice; it's just time to find a different sauce. Fickell has also been talking about the need for more veteran presence on the offense. From the offensive line to now, it seems the quarterback.
O'Neil is only in his second year of college football, while Hunter Simmons is a senior and has played three years before at Southern Illinois. He doesn't have the same intangibles as O'Neil or Edwards, but in the limited action, he seems to make smarter decisions with the football.
In his four years in college football, he has only ever thrown one interception. He threw for zero last season, even though he had 73 completions. That veteran presence may be just enough for Fickell to trust him on this hostile road trip, hoping for a spark, hoping for a miracle, hoping to save his job.
Will it work? It's hard to know, but it was clear that O'Neil wasn't cutting it, and so it may be worth the risk. What do the Badgers have to lose? Besides, another game, which may have been lost anyway.