It wasn't that long ago that Nebraska football fans worried that Wisconsin's hiring Luke Fickell would make the Badgers even more powerful. Coming off a heck of a run at Cincinnati, Fickell arrived in Madison claiming a powerful offense and a defense that was long the backbone of the program. These days, Husker fans are more likely to hope he doesn't get fired because his program has taken some serious steps backward.
Fickell is on the hot seat, even if Wisconsin expressed confidence in his job and gave him more assets to work with. However, a quote from one Mountain West coach could give NU fans reason to hope that said coach is very wrong.
Part of Athlon's annual tradition these days is to ask rival coaches what they think about other schools in their respective conferences. When the publication covered the Big Ten, one coach skewered Matt Rhule and Nebraska quite vociferously. However, regarding Wisconsin, an anonymous comment from a coach about New Mexico should make ears perk up.
“[Head coach] Jason Eck definitely has a great program," Athlon quoted the secret coach as saying. "He’s a successful head coach going back to his Idaho days. His son [linebacker Jaxton Eck] is what makes their defense go. He is truly the heartbeat of that defense. I know their defensive coordinator [Spence Nowinsky] is a really good coach with a really good scheme. I don’t know that they would ever be the Group of 6 team in the playoff, but they can definitely be a team that gets to a good bowl game."
Jason Eck rumors give Nebraska football a reason to watch Luke Fickell’s Wisconsin seat
The anonymous coach then went on to lay out why Wisconsin and Nebraska fans should pay attention to what Luke Fickell and Jason Eck do in 2026.
"... I don’t think Eck will be there long. Our staff thinks that when Luke Fickell gets let go at Wisconsin, that’s Eck’s job if he does what he’s supposed to do this year. They’re a sleeper to win the league.”
Not if Fickell gets let go, but when. There really isn't anyone in the college football world who thinks the Badgers will do enough long-term under Fickell to allow him to stick around. The Huskers should at least hope that, while Rhule is still working to find his footing, Wiscy keeps its struggling coach.
Nebraska has no say on how Wisconsin does this year, unless the two teams somehow meet in the Big Ten title game. The Badgers, not on the Huskers' schedule, are another reason the 2026 slate is considered tough.
Even though Rhule is only 1-1 against Fickell, the Cornhuskers coach did win handily (44-25) the last time the two teams faced off. Even Rhule's loss to Fickell's squad in 2023 was closer than most analysts believed it would be, eventually heading to overtime.
Nebraska will return to play Wisconsin next season after a two-year hiatus. As Big Red continues building towards what it eventually wants to be, Luke Fickell still leading the Badgers in 2027 would be a bonus for Rhule's program.
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