3 Luke Fickell Quotes That Matter Following Wisconsin's Season-Altering Upset of Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Wisconsin football head coach Luke Fickell had been in this situation before.

Surrounded by reporters after a big game against a marquee opponent, overcome with emotion. Only this time, the emotion wasn't anger or frustration; it was joy and elation.

The Badgers toppled No. 13 Penn State in Beaver Stadium on Saturday night after they looked dead in the water for much of the game, going down 17 points and trailing by multiple scores for the vast majority of the game.

This is unquestionably the biggest win of Fickell's tenure at Wisconsin, one that, if the Badgers continue to build on it, could change the entire narrative around this program.

Badgers On SI, which was on the scene in Happy Valley, breaks down the most meaningful quotes from Fickell's refreshingly jubilant post-game press conference.

On what this win means for the program

“It’s been a tough one. You guys know that. You’ve been here every day, every week with us, probably seen a little of what we saw in the first half and probably had your story written for the second half."

Fickell knows just how meaningful this win is. As I had written previously, the way the Badgers' Big Ten slate shakes out, the skipper was going to have to win as an underdog in order to stave off the throngs of fans ravenous for his firing. It's safe to say a road win against an undefeated, top-15 team in the country will significantly douse the flames of his hot seat.

On if he considered benching Colton Joseph after his third interception

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“No, we didn’t. I know there’s a time, we like some of those other guys, but some of those things you just try to get a feel for the team, too. You look in their eyes. If Colton looked rattled, I think we would have a conversion about it, but we never did. But because the way he was, the way the offensive line was…Even the defense, I thought at times, you’d start to see a little something, but they didn’t.

This was a very telling and honest remark from Fickell. It's not crazy to suggest benching your quarterback after his third interception, especially considering each one was arguably uglier than the last. But the head coach stuck with his QB1 because his team did too. That speaks volumes as to the maturity, leadership and resolve of this football team, qualities that have frankly been lacking in past seasons under Fickell.

On what this win means for him

“I don’t know if I’ve had one more special. I know I haven’t in four years. Cause I’ve had some bad nights here, in case you guys are wondering, that stick in my mind…you couldn’t write it any better.”

Fickell clarified immediately afterwards that he meant specifically here in Beaver Stadium. The former Ohio State player and coach knows just how difficult it is to win on the road against the Nittany Lions. He didn't shy away from embracing the magnitude of the environment this week leading up to the game, but it's clear that winning in this enormous, ear-shatteringly loud stadium means something special to Fickell. For the head coach to pick up his first signature win at Wisconsin while vanquishing some personal demons just makes the win even sweeter.

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