Luke Fickell finally got his signature win as the Wisconsin Badgers head coach. He took his ragtag group of Badgers into Happy Valley and knocked off the No. 13 Penn State Nittany Lions. He did this all while his quarterback gifted Penn State 14 points via terrible interceptions. Despite those interceptions and losing ground on dumb penalties, in the end it was Wisconsin on top, and Fickell had the SIGNATURE win he needed.
And then that signature win evaporated in less than a week. It turns out that Penn State is not a good football team. The Nittany Lions were blasted by Northwestern on Friday, just six days after suffering the defeat to Wisconsin. While the Wildcats look like a different team than in years past, they are still Northwestern, and even if they are better than the normal Northwestern, Penn State is way worse than their normal version, too.
Penn State put on their Halloween costume, "Iowa State," and went out there and looked like a classic 7-5 Cyclones team that Matt Campbell coaches year after year. And that's not good news for Luke Fickell.
The Wisconsin Badgers coach still has the first Wisconsin win in Happy Valley since 2003, but it's not as significant as many thought it was. It's now been tainted by a bad Matt Campbell-coached Penn State team.
What does that mean for Fickell and Wisconsin?
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Well, first and foremost, there's still more to prove. Fickell needs to be sending out a text message to all of his players about it. Don't take Michigan State for granted. Or, to use Fickell's own language, don't get "delusional" about the Penn State win. The Penn State win wasn't a signature win, so go find another one. USC and Iowa are still coming up on the schedule.
Second, the seat for Fickell actually warmed up a little, even though the Badgers are 3-1. Fans were nearly ready to say his seat grew cold after the Penn State win and then the 5-star commitment from Jalanie George. Now, it's a little warmer as the Nittany Lions win looks way less impressive.
Third, it may actually mean nothing if Fickell is able to coach Wisconsin to the season that everyone is hoping for and expecting. Eight or nine wins, no matter where they come from or which teams Wisconsin beats, that's what keeps Fickell and company employed and the fanbase from losing their minds.
That's all still in front of the Badgers. The schedule is still set up for a great Wisconsin season, and yet they can't ride the Penn State high because it turns out it wasn't that high. They didn't actually climb the mountaintop that they thought they did; it was a false summit. It was really just a speed bump, as Northwestern whopped Penn State 34-13.
It was a bitter pill to swallow after a big, incredible win to see Penn State be warmed-up trash. But, it's actually a non-factor and ultimately could be the medicine that Wisconsin players need to swallow. Go find the real signature win.
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