Luke Fickell wants Wisconsin football fans to give 'best effort'

Fans need 'to be just like'" the Wisconsin Badgers players and coaches, according to Luke Fickell

Spectators chant for the firing of Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell during the fourth quarter of their game Saturday, September 20, 2025 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. Maryland beat Wisconsin 27-10. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite Wisconsin Badgers fans inside Camp Randall Stadium seemingly turning against him, Wisconsin football head coach Luke Fickell shared his message to the UW faithful in a press conference on Monday. Those who have been calling for Fickell's firing will likely not be sympathetic to his pleas.

After a 37-0 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes, the ire of Wisconsin fans and program alumni is beginning to boil over. When the Badgers welcome the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes to Madison on Saturday, it will be in a last-ditch effort to avoid going a calendar year winless against power conference opponents. UW has not beaten a high-major foe from any conference, let alone a Big Ten rival, since October 19, 2024.

Luke Fickell's message to Wisconsin football fans: 'Every game's a new game'

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell is seen during the second half of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday October 11, 2025 at Camp Randall in Madison, Wisconsin. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I mean, they got to be just like us," Fickell said when asked on Monday what his message to fans frustrated with the state of his football program. "Every game's a new game."

While each game is itself new, the results over the past year have felt similar each time the Badgers have taken the field. In Wisconsin's past 11 games, it has amassed only two wins. UW opened the 2025 season with victories over the Miami Redhawks and the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.

"I know it's frustrating. I know it's disappointing, and I don't blame you," Fickell said. "But the truth of the matter is Saturday is Saturday, and we need our guys' best effort. We need our coaches' best effort, and we need our peoples' best effort, too."

Effort or not, the results have left much to be desired by Wisconsin football fans. After using UW's 2024 loss to Iowa as a rallying cry for the Badgers this offseason, there was little, if any, improvement in the year-over-year performance in that. After allowing Iowa to rush for 6.2 yards per attempt last season, Wisconsin made meager improvements while still allowing the Hawkeyes to amass 5.8 yards per carry and 210 total rushing yards.

"Regardless of whether [fans] are frustrated or not, there's gotta be a belief in the things that [players] are doing," Fickell said. "They can be mad at me. That's fine. Don't be mad at those kids. Those kids need them. They need to feel that support. They need that support, but they know what the challenge looks like, and it's got to be a challenge to all of us."

More Wisconsin Badgers News:

• Wisconsin women's hockey reclaims unanimous number-one ranking

• Luke Fickell's buyout looks easy to swallow compared to James Franklin

• Luke Fickell gives head-scratching update on Wisconsin Badgers QB Billy Edwards

• Wisconsin football alums 'crash out' after blowout loss to Iowa Hawkeyes