Where does Luke Fickell rank among Big Ten head coaches?

Where does Luke Fickell rank among Big Ten head coaches?

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Where does Luke Fickell rank among Big Ten head coaches?
MADISON, WI – NOVEMBER 08: Wisconsin Badgers Head Coach Luke Fickell leads the team out of the locker room for warm ups during a college football game between the Washington Huskies and the Wisconsin Badgers on November 8, 2025 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, WI. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell is entering a crucial year, both for himself and the program, as Wisconsin looks to bounce back from another disappointing season.

After a 57-18 record at Cincinnati, Fickell had high expectations coming into Wisconsin, as the Badgers looked to adapt to the modernized version of college football with the head coach’s recruiting and development chops. But after a 7-6 season in 2023, Wisconsin has gone 9-15 over the last two seasons, representing a major downturn for the program.

Now, after an increased investment into the team this offseason, Wisconsin and Fickell are looking to bounce back to winning ways, with potential change coming if that doesn’t happen.

Heading into the season, where does Luke Fickell rank among Big Ten coaches?

On3’s Ari Wasserman ranked all 18 Big Ten head coaches earlier this week, placing Fickell at No. 14 ahead of only Northwestern’s David Braun, Rutgers’s Greg Schiano, Purdue’s Barry Odom, and Maryland’s Mike Locksley.

“Time flies, but it doesn’t feel all that long ago that Fickell was one of the hottest commodities in coaching,” Wasserman wrote. “During his time with Cincinnati, Fickell posted a 57-18 record and became the first coach in the four-team CFP era to lead a Group of 5 team into the field.

“Fickell went to Wisconsin hoping to take the Badgers from good to great, but it has been a disaster since he stepped on campus. Part of that may be because Wisconsin hadn’t given him the resources necessary to compete up to this point. Either way, he is 15-19 with the Badgers, and the program lacks identity. Can he turn it around?”

Here’s the full ranking from 1-18:

1. Curt Cignetti (Indiana)

2. Ryan Day (Ohio State)

3. Dan Lanning (Oregon)

4. Kyle Whittingham (Michigan)

5. Kirk Ferentz (Iowa)

6. Lincoln Riley (USC)

7. Brett Bielema (Illinois)

8. Jedd Fisch (Washington)

9. Matt Campbell (Penn State)

10. Matt Rhule (Nebraska)

11. PJ Fleck (Minnesota)

12. Pat Fitzgerald (Michigan State)

13. Bob Chesney (UCLA)

14. Luke Fickell (Wisconsin)

15. David Braun (Northwestern)

16. Greg Schiano (Rutgers)

17. Barry Odom (Purdue)

18. Mike Locksley (Maryland)

Looking at the list, the top names make sense. Curt Cignetti just achieved one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history, leading Indiana to a championship this year. Ryan Day and Dan Lanning have led two of the most successful programs of the past five years.

Kyle Whittingham has a storied career at Utah, and now he will have the chance to compete with even more resources at Michigan. Ferentz has had consistency throughout his career at Iowa. Riley hasn’t lived up to expectations at USC, but is still one of the nation’s best offensive minds. I’m surprised Campbell is that low at No. 9, given what he’s accomplished as a program builder at Iowa State, but he’ll have the chance to grow up the list with more resources at Penn State.

Notably, both rival coaches, Matt Rhule and PJ Fleck, are ahead of Fickell at No. 10 and No. 11, respectively.

What do you think about the overall list? Let us know in the comments below.

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