In a frustrating night for Wisconsin sports, with the women's hockey team losing 5-1 to No. 3 Minnesota, the volleyball team dropping three straight sets to No. 1 Nebraska, there was still a contingent of fans that wanted to make sure the discontent towards football was vocalized. During the Wisconsin vs. Minnesota women's hockey match, the crowd began chanting, "FIRE FICKELL."
While the volleyball and women's hockey teams lost on Halloween, those programs are in amazing spots. The women's hockey team is coming off a national championship, and the Badgers volleyball team is only a few years removed from their own. The football program, on the other hand, is in the dumpster, and fans are tired of it.
Fire Fickell chants have broke out in the Kohl Center. pic.twitter.com/YXK1lHfUEh
— EILERS (@ryanbeilers) October 31, 2025
Wisconsin fans were chanting for Luke Fickell to be fired even during a hockey game
Related: Wisconsin football in desperation mode as Chris McIntosh is calling recruits
The Wisconsin football program is 2-6 with not much hope for a win this season. There's a chance that they could pull off the upset against Minnesota, but all the prediction models favor the Golden Gophers in that contest, too. It's about as low as the football program has been in decades.
It's been over a year since the last conference win. They are statistically the worst Power 4 offense in the country and have already had two games without any points scored. The recruiting class is falling apart; the program is a mess right now.
The frustration is at a fever pitch for Wisconsin fans as other FBS coaches are being fired, but the one who may deserve it the most is being told he can run it back again next season. Right now, Chris McIntosh is making statements about believing in this coaching staff and the direction they are headed. Fans feel like it's a sunk-cost fallacy that will only lead to more years of terrible football.