Penn State Likely Saved Luke Fickell's Job in Loss to Wisconsin

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There was a strong argument being made that Saturday's game for Penn State against Wisconsin could have been a program-changing situation for the Badgers. 

Over the past couple of seasons, Wisconsin hasn't been able to do enough on either side of the football to suggest that Luke Fickell should stay around. 

I was actually somewhat impressed with what they were able to do a year ago, as I thought Wisconsin wasn't nearly as bad as its record indicated. However, this is college football at the end of the day, and with how much money is being spent on these guys, winning is the top priority. 

Wisconsin and Fickell weren't doing that, so it was fair to suggest that something might have had to change. 

Ultimately, there was a chance that Penn State beating Wisconsin on Saturday could have changed that, which is why some are now saying that it was the most meaningful win in his time at Wisconsin. Some have even suggested that it could have resulted in him being fired if the Badgers lost the contest.

“It’s the most meaningful win in Fickell’s much-maligned tenure, and one that could change the course of the season. Although the Badgers beat ranked Washington and Illinois teams last year, those results came amid another lost season that ended with a 4-8 record. This win at Penn State is the kind of game that shows the Badgers are a different team this year, now 3-1 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play, with a loss only to No. 3 Notre Dame,” The Athletic wrote.

It's crazy how a couple of minutes in the fourth quarter, and an absolute collapse for Penn State, can change the entire outlook of how a program feels about a coach. 

However, this was truly a good win for the Badgers and something that the program should be proud of right now. Penn State was brutal in the fourth quarter, and Wisconsin was the main reason why, as it did exactly what it had to do on both sides of the football during some tough moments.

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