Earlier this week, CBS Sports named their top 25 power five college football coaches heading into the 2023 season.
A panel of experts voted on the list, and CBS Sports has continued to put together this ranking every year since 2016.
Within their ranking, Wisconsin Badgers’ head coach Luke Fickell was ranked #9 and became the first coach to ever debut in the top 10 on this list.
Sporting a 57-18 record at Cincinnati, three 11-win seasons, and a playoff appearance, it isn’t a surprise to see Fickell ranked so high.
Writer Tom Fornelli had this to say about Fickell: “No coach in the history of these rankings has made their debut in the top 10, but if anybody was going to do so, it would be Fickell.
He’d have been here this year, whether he’d remained at Cincinnati or left for Wisconsin. He’s the only coach to take a Group of Five program to the College Football Playoff, and now he’s returned to the Big Ten hoping to do the same for the Badgers.”
Other Big Ten coaches included within the top 25 were PJ Fleck at #24, Bret Bielema at #21, James Franklin at #10, Ryan Day at #8, and Jim Harbaugh at #5.
The fanbase has high aspirations for this Badgers squad following the hiring of Fickell. With Fickell leading the helm, could this team make the push for a Big Ten Championship? If so, how early does that window begin?
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