Luke Fickell buyout, contract, record at Wisconsin after Notre Dame loss
usatoday.com • • sports
Key Points:
- Wisconsin football, coached by Luke Fickell, lost their 2026 season opener to No. 5 Notre Dame with a score of 41-13, dropping Fickell's record to 17-22 overall and 1-12 against ranked teams.
- Fickell faces mounting pressure as the Badgers prepare to face three more ranked opponents this season: No. 14 Southern California, No. 17 Penn State, and No. 22 Iowa.
- If Wisconsin fires Fickell without cause on Dec. 1, 2026, they would owe him a buyout of approximately $21.28 million, based on either 80% of his remaining compensation or a minimum of $6.48 million.
- Fickell’s contract, running through 2031, pays him $3 million annually from the university plus additional compensation from the university foundation, totaling $7.8 million in 2026 and increasing by $100,000 each year thereafter.
- Despite a losing record, Fickell has not received a contract extension beyond 2031, and his tenure at Wisconsin includes a 10-17 record in Big Ten play.
