Wisconsin football fans convinced Luke Fickell shedding TEAM vest has led to turnaround

Not long ago, Wisconsin football fans were chanting for Luke Fickell to be fired at every opportunity at home games and on social media. Losses, and ugly ones at that, kept adding up right in front of them.

Fans, and there have been fewer and fewer these days, couldn't find the exits at Camp Randall Stadium quick enough.

But lately all they're doing now is celebrating on the field. For the second consecutive home game, students rushed the field after another uplifting victory amid one of the roughest seasons in decades.

The latest came on Nov. 22 when Fickell's team overpowered former Badgers coach Bret Bielema and Illinois, 27-10, with a strong defensive effort and a resurgent running attack in the home finale.

That's now two wins over ranked opponents in the last three weeks. It's quite the shift from just a few weeks ago when Wisconsin had yet to have a Big Ten victory on the season. What's been the key to the turnaround?

Fans on social media have the answer: Fickell's wardrobe change since he was given a vote of confidence by athletic director Chris McIntosh.

Wisconsin is 2-1 since the embattled coach shedded his T.E.A.M. vest, which he had worn throughout his disappointing tenure at Wisconsin and had drawn the ire of fans. Gone is the vest and in is a black hoodie.

And fans are all for it.

Luke Fickell social media reactions after Wisconsin win over Illinois

How social media is reacting to Luke Fickell's fashion change:

Wisconsin football reactions after win over Illinois

Besides fans joking about Fickell's attire, there were plenty of reactions about the fight of the Badgers (4-7 overall, 2-6 Big Ten) in winning two of their last three games heading into the regular-season finale next week at Minnesota.

Luke Fickell vs Bret Bielema

Wins have been hard to come by for Luke Fickell in his three years at Wisconsin [the Badgers are 16-20 under Fickell].

But not when the Badgers play Bret Bielema and Illinois.

Fickell is 2-0 against Bielema. Wisconsin also beat Illinois, 25-21, during the 2023 season, in Fickell's first season and Bielema's third in Champaign.

It was Bielema's third game overall coaching against Wisconsin as the Illinois coach. The first came in 2022 when his team came to Camp Randall Stadium and crushed Wisconsin, 34-10, in what turned out to be Paul Chryst's final game as the Badgers' coach. Chryst was fired the next day.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Luke Fickell's attire gets attention again after latest Wisconsin win