Wisconsin's Luke Fickell addresses QB situation at weekly press conference

Story by

Story by
Wisconsin's Luke Fickell addresses QB situation at weekly press conference

Wisconsin's Luke Fickell addresses QB situation at weekly press conference

Mark Stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel · Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Mon, November 2, 2026 at 9:28 PM UTC ·

3 min read

About Our Ads

MADISON – Luke Fickell is moving on.

That was the theme of the day from the Wisconsin football coach during his weekly press conference at Camp Randall Stadium . While he answered all questions that came his way, he made it clear that his message to the team following a 30-0 loss to Iowa on Oct. 31 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City was "let's flush this thing down the drain".

Up next for Wisconsin (5-3, 3-2) will be Rutgers (2-6, 1-4). The teams play Nov. 7 at Camp Randall Stadium (3:15 p.m. kickoff).

Here are the takeaways from Fickell's press conference.

No change to starting Wisconsin Badgers QB imminent after Iowa loss

Two days after pulling quarterback Colton Joseph late in the third quarter in favor of Ryan Hopkins , Fickell didn't sound like a coach itching to make a change.

"This isn't what this is about," Fickell said when asked if he decided who would start at QB this week. "It's about moving forward and finding a way for us to get better."

Joseph completed 5 of 14 passes for 90 yards in the loss. He was also limited to 6 rushing yards in 7 attempts.

Hopkins took the field with 15 seconds left in the third quarter and the Badgers down, 30-0. He led three drives that gained 107 yards. He completed eight of 13 passes for 93 yards with an interception.

"I think that we gave Ryan an opportunity at the end of the game just based on where we were in the situation of the game," Fickell said. "I wish we'd given him some more opportunities earlier in the season when we had some chances."

1 /12

Wisconsin football schedule 2026, see Badgers' opponents, game dates

Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame

Date:Sunday, Sept. 6

Time:6:30 p.m.

Location:Lambeau Field; Green Bay, Wisconsin

The Badgers open the season with a marquee matchup in a historic NFL venue against a team with unfinished business.

Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish finished 10-2 in 2025 and ended the year on a 10-game winning streak but withdrew from bowl consideration after landing on the outside of the College Football Playoff bracket.

This game is part between the Badgers and Fighting Irish is part of the Shamrock Series that was originally supposed to be played in 2020 at Lambeau Field. But that game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two teams met a year later at Soldier Field.

This is the first college game at Lambeau Field since Wisconsin played LSU in 2016.

(Michael Caterina, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

**Wisconsin vs. Western Illiniois**

**Date:**Saturday, Sept. 12

**Time:**6:15 p.m.

**Location:**Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin

Western Illinois is part of the Football Championship Subdivision. The Leathernecks have finished 4-8 in each of the last two years. Before that, they were 0-11 in consecutive seasons in 2022 and 2023. The team's last winning season came in 2017.

Western Illinois, coached by Joe Davis, will play the Big Ten for a second straight season. The Leathernecks lost to Illinois, 52-3, and Northwestern, 42-7, to open the 2025 season.

(Ron Johnson, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

**Wisconsin vs. Eastern Michigan**

**Date:**Saturday, Sept. 19

**Time:**11:30 a.m.

**Location:**Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin

Wisconsin wraps up its non conference schedule against Eastern Michigan, which finished 4-8 overall and 1-5 away from home in 2025.

The Eagles are part of the Mid-American Conference and coached by Chris Creighton, who is in his 13th year leading the program.

(Jordan Prather, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

**Wisconsin vs. Penn State**

**Date:**Saturday, Sept. 26

**Time:**TBD

**Location:**Beaver Stadium; University Park, Pennsylvania

Wisconsin opens Big Ten play against the new-look Penn State program now led by Matt Campbell.

He’s replacing James Franklin, who was fired during a disappointing 2025 that saw the Nittany Lions finish 7-6 overall and 3-6 in conference play.

Campbell, 46, comes to Penn State after 10 years at Iowa State. He won Big 12 Coach of the Year three times.

The Nittany Lions’ starting quarterback, Rocco Bech, transferred from Iowa State as well.

(Matthew O'Haren, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

**Wisconsin vs. Michigan State**

**Date:**Saturday, Oct. 3

**Time:**TBD

**Location:**Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin

Pat Fitzgerald has rejoined the Big Ten to take over a struggling Michigan State program.

The Spartans’ last winning season came five years ago. MSU finished 4-8 overall, 1-8 in the Big Ten and winless on the road in 2025.

Fitzgerald spent 17 years at Northwestern from 2006-22, has the 14th most wins all time for a Big Ten coach and earned Coach of the Year in 2018.

(Kamil Krzaczynski, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

**Wisconsin vs. UCLA**

**Date:**Saturday, Oct. 17

**Time:**TBD

**Location:**Rose Bowl; Los Angeles, California

After a bye, the Badgers play a third straight opponent that has a head coach in 2026. Bob Chesney comes to UCLA after two years at James Madison. Last season, Chesney was the Sun Belt Coach of the Year and led JMU to the College Football Playoff.

UCLA has finished 3-6 in conference play in each of its first two years in the Big Ten.

(Kirby Lee, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

**Wisconsin vs. USC**

**Date:**Saturday, Oct. 24

**Time:**TBD

**Location:**Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin

Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans are now in Year 3 as members of the Big Ten and look to take the next step in competing for a championship.

USC enters the season ranked 14th in the country after finishing 9-4 overall and 7-2 in the Big Ten in 2025.

Wisconsin last played USC in 2024, the Trojans’ first year in the Big Ten. The Trojans scored 28 unanswered second-half points to roll to a 38-21 win over the Badgers.

(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

**Wisconsin vs. Iowa**

**Date:**Saturday, Oct. 31

**Time:**TBD

**Location:**Kinnick Stadium; Iowa City, Iowa

Wisconsin looks to snap a four-game losing streak in the series against Kirk Ferentz and Iowa in 2026.

The last two matchups have not been competitive, losing 42-10 in 2024 and 37-0 last season. Ferentz, 71, is entering his 28th year as Iowa’s head coach. The Hawkeyes have been the model of consistency, posting 13 straight winning seasons.

The Hawkeyes are coming off a 9-4, 6-3 season with a victory over Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

(Ross Harried, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

**Wisconsin vs. Rutgers**

**Date:**Saturday, Nov. 7

**Time:**TBD

**Location:**Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin

Wisconsin looks to remain perfect against Rutgers (6-0) in the all-time series with the Scarlet Knights. All of the wins have been by double figures.

Like the Badgers in 2025, Greg Schiano's team finished 2-7 in Big Ten play.

(Ron Johnson-Imagn Images)

**Wisconsin vs. Maryland**

**Date:**Saturday, Nov. 14

**Time:**TBD

**Location:**SECU Stadium; College Park, Maryland

Wisconsin looks to avenge last season’s 27–10 loss to Michael Locksley’s Maryland Terrapins when the two teams meet in 2026.

It was Wisconsin’s first loss to Maryland in the series (4-1).

The win was also Maryland’s only Big Ten victory all season. The Terrapins finished 4-8 overall and 1-8 in conference play.

(Kamil Krzaczynski, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

**Wisconsin vs. Purdue**

**Date:**Saturday, Nov. 21

**Time:**TBD

**Location:**Ross–Ade Stadium; West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue has fallen on extremely hard times, going winless in the Big Ten in each of the last two years and 3-22 overall.

Barry Odom is in his second season as Purdue’s head coach.

(David Banks, Imagn Images)

**Wisconsin vs. Minnesota**

**Date:**Friday, Nov. 27

**Time:**6:30 p.m.

**Location:**Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wisconsin

Wisconsin ends the 2026 season on Black Friday as the Badgers renew their rivalry with Minnesota in the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe.

P.J. Fleck and Minnesota have gotten the better of Wisconsin of late, beating the Badgers the last two years and four of the last five seasons.

Minnesota went 8-5 overall and 5-4 in Big Ten play in each of the last two seasons.

(Mark J. Rebilas, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

Badgers may use more offensive linemen

The Iowa loss featured the most in-game shuffling of the offensive line that we've seen from the Badgers this season.

Center Stylz Blackmon was replaced with Ryan Cory for about a quarter before returning. At guard, Austin Kawecki, PJ Wilkins and Blake Cherry took snaps on the right side.

Right guard has been the more troublesome position of the two. Kawecki, who started five games at center before breaking his hand, got his first start at guard. Wilkins has played right guard or tackle this season. Cherry has been part of the second team but hadn't been getting work with the first unit in games.

That may change if UW begins to work more linemen into play during games.

"I think that we can be better," Fickell said. "Not that you're going to do it like you do as a defensive line, but we can be better by playing more guys, gaining more experience, being fresher, but it's got to be done in the right way."

Deep-dive into fixing issues that led to Iowa loss will come later

While Fickell and UW have turned their attention to Rutgers, the intent isn't to completely forget what happened at Iowa. Fickell said the time for that will be in the offseason.

He noted that adjustment needed to be made, but kept those to himself.

"You don't get back into trying to re-game plan or redo some things against an opponent you've already played," Fickell said. "That's kind of the hardest part about it. I spent a lot of time watching and would love to dive into a couple of days of saying, 'Hey, where do we have to go?', but at this point in time, that's just it's not going to help us get better for what we have to be able to do."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin's Luke Fickell addresses QB situation at weekly press conference

Mobilize your Website

View Site in Mobile | Classic

Share by: