The leadership at Wisconsin, from Luke Fickell to Chris McIntosh, seems to have thrown this year away. The offseason and in-season messaging have all been about how big a "mountain" the schedule was this year. Between that and the injuries, especially at quarterback, has been the go-to excuse for why Wisconsin football has been non-competitive this season.
It seems as if Luke Fickell and Wisconsin leadership are banking on 2026 being much easier. There's no arguing that it isn't easier on paper, but it won't be a walk in the park either, especially if the football team is as non-competitive next season as they are this season.