Luke Fickell Confident vs. Ohio State Buckeyes: 'Best Teams Don't Always Win'

Wisconsin Badgers coach Luke Fickell has history with the Ohio State Buckeyes, but he won't let that affect him on Saturday in Madison

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell is an Ohio State Buckeye through and through.

However, on Saturday, he will be on the opposing sideline from his alma mater, when the No. 3 Buckeyes take on the Badgers in Madison.

And while Fickell knows his team is facing their biggest challenge of the season thus far, he is also confident that the Badgers will have a fighting chance.

"The best teams don't always win games. The most talented teams don't always win games," Fickell said in his weekly press conference. "College football, every Saturday, it's crazy how things happen. It's about figuring out where you got to close some gaps and then, ultimately, can you play loose? Can you play flat fast? And can you still play aggressive no matter who it is you're playing against?"

Fickell isn't just concerned with the Buckeyes this Saturday, however, but rather looking at his former team in a macro sense as well. 

To put it plainly, Fickell wants to 'close the gap' between his new program, and the one that Ryan Day has cultivated in Columbus. A tall task obviously, but one that Fickell is passionate about achieving in Madison. 

And while last year's 52-21 blowout in Columbus was a learning lesson for the players, Fickell's new regime believes his team has taken steps to close those gaps. 

"I think we're always looking for those gaps in whatever it is," Fickell said. "We can look back at last year, but like I said, once the ball is kicked off, it won't have a lot of bearing. But you have to find ways to close gaps. If we don't use what happened last year as a learning lesson, then we wouldn't be doing our job as coaches and as players as well."

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell / Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Either way, being a head coach, and coaching across the way from his former school will be nostalgic for Fickell. 

It won't be the first time he has done so, however. In 2019 he led the Cincinnati Bearcats into Columbus. 

He would ultimately lose to Ryan Day and company 42-0.

So despite his connections to Ohio State, as well as some his staff's connections, Fickell will be prepared to set his personal feelings aside.

"We have some coaches on our staff, myself included, who have obvious history there, whether they went to school or played there," Fickell said. “When the ball is kicked off, that will have no effect on what happens on that field."