The hopes and dreams of many Wisconsin Badgers football fans finally came to fruition, as the team announced that freshman quarterback Ryan Hopkins is expected to get his first career start Saturday, Nov. 7. Hopkins got a bit of burn throughout the year, mostly coming in as a reserve in blowouts. But against Iowa, he got his first real chance to show what he was capable of.
The game, or rather half, wasn't perfect. Just 93 yards, no touchdowns and a pick. But nonetheless, he showed enough to prove he is worthy of taking over as the team's starting quarterback against Rutgers.
Wisconsin is expected to start freshman Ryan Hopkins against Rutgers this weekend, a source confirms to ESPN. Starter Colton Joseph could potentially be available, but has been dealing with injuries and "not himself." It will be the first start for Hopkins, a highly regarded… pic.twitter.com/1n4A4QZmgv
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 6, 2026
There are obviously positive implications to this move, as fans were beyond fed up with the performance of Old Dominion transfer Colton Joseph. And now, with the Badgers' playoff hopes virtually wrapped up, throwing a highly touted freshman into an easy stretch of games seems like an easy bet for upside.
What it means for Luke Fickell
However, maybe the largest implication of all this is the job security of head coach Luke Fickell. After the USC win, it seemed as if he had all but secured his job for the foreseeable future, as he had proven he could hang with the big dogs of the Big Ten.
However, just one week later, Fickell and his crew once again rolled over, getting dominated by Iowa in a game they looked woefully unprepared for. This understandably sent fans into a craze of wanting change, and with Fickell already being on the hot seat, the finger was pointed directly at him.
Even worse for his case, there is nothing but disappointment ahead for him this season. Wisconsin will likely be favored in each of its remaining games, with a potential exception against Purdue and Minnesota, depending on circumstances that unfold by game time. Because of this, Fickell doesn't really have the chance to "shock the world" again, and his only real path to keeping his job is winning out.
Obviously, not an easy task in the Big Ten, regardless of the perceived strength of an opponent. That said, Fickell may have an out, with that out being Hopkins.
The #Badgers are turning to Ryan Hopkins at QB.
— Seamus (@seamus_rohrer) November 6, 2026
I thought he displayed good poise, looked in rhythm at times and generally made the right read/throw.
He also missed a few layups and sometimes held onto the ball too long.
Saturday will be telling — Rutgers’ defense stinks. pic.twitter.com/Q9qo4SZanu
Fans love storylines, hell, we all do, and the story of a true freshman quarterback entering when the team is at its lowest and "carrying it" to an undefeated stretch to close the year is undoubtedly something fans can get behind. Whether or not the idea of that is flawed is up to the eye of the beholder, but there is no doubt that it wouldn't hurt.
It is, of course, always possible that the Badgers fold, as after all, even the most talented of freshman QBs tend to struggle out of the gate. The hope is that Hopkins' time spent on the bench this year gave him time to acclimate his mind and body to the Power Four level through practice reps and game film, but the game itself will always be a different beast.
Nonetheless, the move was long overdue, and Hopkins' first start will undoubtedly be met with optimism from all fans in the Wisconsin space.
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