Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell looks on during the first quarter against the Washington Huskies at Camp Randall Stadium. Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Wisconsin Badgers transfer portal class is under pressure to save Luke Fickell's job

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Lorin Cox | Last updated Feb 8, 2026 2:03 PM ET

Luke Fickell's job security depends on how well his Wisconsin Badgers perform this fall.

He's counting on his winter transfer portal class of over 30 new players to be the difference makers that keep him employed.

These transfers were identified by The Athletic as one of the groups under the most pressure in 2026 because of their coach's past struggles.

College football transfer portal classes under the most pressure in 2026https://t.co/WAXdXqXpX4
— Daniel Shirley (@DM_Shirley) February 6, 2026

Fickell’s back is against the wall after some ugly seasons. These transfer additions, particularly on offense, will ultimately be under pressure to buy him more time at Wisconsin.Antonio Morales, The Athletic

Writer Antonio Morales pointed to the Badgers' offensive struggles in particular as holding the team back, noting that the team hasn't finished higher than 93rd in scoring since Fickell took over.

That has largely been due to injuries at the quarterback position, and now Wisconsin is counting on Old Dominion transfer Colton Joseph to buck the trend.

Morales was complimentary of the Badgers' transfer class, finding optimism in new weapons like running back Abu Sama from Arizona State and wide receiver Jaylon Domingeaux from Southeast Louisiana coming in and making a difference.

Add in some new pieces to retool a defense that performed well in 2025, and it's not hard to imagine this Wisconsin team playing much better in 2026.

Fickell's job will depend on it.

This article first appeared on Wisconsin Badgers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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