Badgers-Notre Dame Preview, Luke Fickell’s Wisconsin Problem & Can Money Fix It?

On The Homer Hour, Steve “Homer” True and former Badger and Packer Gary Ellerson preview Wisconsin’s matchup with Notre Dame at Lambeau Field. Homer argues a Badgers win would rank among the biggest upsets in program history, while Gary explains why the opener may actually be Wisconsin’s best chance to catch Notre Dame before either team fully knows what it has. Still, Gary believes the Irish are entering the season looking to “get everybody” after last year’s disappointment.

The guys also dig into how Wisconsin got here. Gary points to the Badgers losing their identity when Luke Fickell built a staff without enough Wisconsin ties, while Homer argues the changing NIL landscape and lack of money made the job far more difficult than it used to be. They debate whether Fickell can actually coach once the talent gap closes, why players are increasingly chasing bigger paydays, and whether academics can still be a meaningful recruiting pitch in modern college football.