Wisconsin’s season opener against Notre Dame already had the feel of a measuring-stick game. Now the Badgers are walking into it with more uncertainty than they’d like up front.
Luke Fickell didn’t offer much clarity on the offensive line situation when he spoke recently, and the biggest question centers on Emerson Mandell and Kevin Heywood. Both remain in flux, and Fickell said the final call may not come until closer to kickoff.
“We don't know. There’s still some time for us,” Fickell said.
“I couldn't tell you exactly where we are to date right now. That’ll be closer to a game-time decision.
Both of them took some reps today.”
For Wisconsin, that’s hardly the kind of answer anyone wanted with Week 1 looming. The line has been one of the more volatile spots in camp, and those two starters being uncertain only adds another layer of concern.
Fickell has also indicated that the staff may need to keep shuffling pieces around to find the right combination. He has suggested that multiple players could see action over the coming week, and possibly even in the game, as Wisconsin tries to settle on a unit that can function together.
That’s not an ideal setup against a Notre Dame team ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll, the highest-ranked opponent on Wisconsin’s schedule. It’s a tough assignment in a road environment at Lambeau Field, and it comes with the added pressure of opening the 2026 season under the spotlight.
The Badgers have had plenty of offseason buzz, but this is the kind of early obstacle that can quickly test all of it. How much Mandell and Heywood can do - and how the rest of the front adjusts if they’re limited - could shape what Wisconsin looks like on both sides of the ball in the opener.
For now, the uncertainty remains. And that’s the last thing Wisconsin wanted heading into one of its biggest games of the year.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Adds More Mystery To A Notre Dame Opener Fans Already Distrust
The first Wisconsin-Notre Dame matchup of the season already had enough suspense attached to it, and now the Badgers have added another layer by declining to release a public depth chart for Week 1. Instead of putting out an opening snapshot of where things stand, Wisconsin said its in-season depth charts are based on previous game usage and that there was no reason to speculate before a snap had been played. Notre Dame, by comparison, did put its depth chart on the record.
What makes the choice stand out is where it reportedly came from. The decision was said to be made by the Sports Information Director, not the coaching staff, which only adds to the sense that Wisconsin is keeping things unusually close to the vest heading into the opener. For a fan base already suspicious of anything that could tilt the chess match before kickoff, the move leaves one more unanswered question about how the Badgers plan to line up when the game finally starts. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Fans Are Pushing For One QB In A Real Camp Battle
Fall camp has given Wisconsin a real look at the quarterback depth chart behind Colton Joseph, and the fight for the No. 2 job has become one of the more closely watched battles in Madison. True freshman Ryan Hopkins and Louisville transfer Deuce Adams have both flashed enough to keep the conversation going, while fans have already made their preference known in a poll that tilted toward Hopkins.
Still, the race is not as simple as popularity, and Adams brings the kind of experience that can matter when a coaching staff is deciding who is best prepared to step in. The backup call has not been made yet, and for the Badgers it may come down less to who looked best in camp and more to who is ready for the first real game situation when the lights come on. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Still Faces One Uncomfortable Truth About Luke Fickell
Luke Fickells first three seasons in Madison have left Wisconsin in an uncomfortable place, with the Badgers sitting at 16-21 under his watch and the win totals sliding each year. After going 7-6, then 5-7, then 4-8, the program is now being measured less by the promise of the hire and more by whether it can simply steady itself. A recent USA TODAY projection suggests a modest bump could be coming in 2026, with Wisconsin penciled in for a 6-6 finish overall and 4-5 in Big Ten play.
There is at least some reason for optimism in the schedule, since the 2026 slate leaves out a few of the leagues traditional heavyweights and gives the Badgers a path that looks a little less punishing. Still, the larger question remains the one Wisconsin has been unable to answer for three years: whether Fickell can turn a program that was expected to rise quickly into one that actually does more than hover around mediocrity. The next season may offer a friendlier opening, but it will also bring another round of scrutiny if the results do not match the setup. [Read more 🡒]