MADISON - The Wisconsin Badgers played their final game of the 2024 regular season on Saturday afternoon in Camp Randall, losing to the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 24-7.

Here are my three biggest takeaways from Saturday's loss.

The most impressive thing the Badgers did today was drop to an even lower point than what was previously conceived.

Entering with a four-game losing streak, when faith in the program already seemed to be at an all-time low, things somehow managed to get worse.

Two years and 27 games into the Luke Fickell era, there have already been quite a few notable low points.

The back-to-back losses to Northwestern and Indiana last season were gut-wrenching at the time, but now look minuscule in comparison to their performances against Iowa and Nebraska this year, in which the Badgers lost by a combined score of 86-35.

Even then, Saturday’s loss tops everything that came before it.

With bowl eligibility on the line, against their biggest rival, in the biggest Wisconsin game in years, they absolutely disappeared.

“I’ve been coaching for a good while, playing this game for a good while. I don’t know that I’ve been in a position like this and a situation like this, to be honest with you,” Fickell said after the game.

“This is a low for us. This is something we never want to feel again,” quarterback Braedyn Locke said.

In fact, it’s hard to remember a lower point in this century of Badger football.

Even in Barry Alvarez’s low years, there was enough confidence in his ability to right the ship, as he’d done it before. But Fickell hasn’t proven anything in Madison. He obviously did great things at Cincinnati, but this isn’t Cincinnati.

They didn’t just lose, they looked stagnant and lifeless. Fickell’s motto when he came to Wisconsin was “tough, nasty, disciplined”. They weren’t any of those things today. It was nasty, but not in the way they intend.

When asked what he’d say to fans in doubt, Fickell responded, “Just like I told the players, those that stay will be a champion.”

“Having faith is [believing in] things you can’t see. And right now, I’m sure they can’t see it either.

“I would understand it if they are worried. It’s their prerogative. Our job is to prove it. We haven’t done that, but we will.

I still personally feel confident in his ability to eventually create a winning culture in Madison, but it’s becoming harder and harder to argue with his doubters.

After two seasons, the only thing that’s obvious is that they’re gonna need another program reboot. It would be incredibly worrisome if there aren’t major changes on both sides of the ball this offseason.

“Everybody can say recruiting, everybody can say transfer portal, all those things we can do. But there’s one way to get better at this freaking game. And it’s to freaking work at it, it’s to play it, it’s to go out there and perform,” Fickell said.

“You don’t just get better at practice. You don’t just get better at watching film. If we don’t go out and perform and play, then our ass ain’t gonna get any better.”

The players didn’t perform well enough at all, but the coaches should garner a similar level, if not more blame.

As previously stated, the game was hopeless from the jump. Yet Fickell watched that first half and said, “This looks good, let’s not change anything.”

The obvious change to be made was at quarterback. At the very least, freshman Mabrey Mettauer would’ve had less passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. That would’ve been an improvement.

In a game where the Badgers struggled to generate pressure, they could have thrown in freshmen edge rushers Thomas Heiberger and Anelu Lafaele for a few snaps, at least.

I understand that a crucial rivalry game isn’t the ideal starting point for a bunch of freshmen. But in a game that was that important, which started in such a disappointing fashion, to not make any noticeable second half adjustments is borderline malpractice.

Even the play calling reeked of fear. On offense they had three plays — boring run, slant, go route.

Wisconsin made Minnesota play caller Greg Harbaugh Jr. look like Andy Reid. The Gophers ran a fake quarterback sneak that went for 40 rushing yards. Their receivers ran a greater variety of routes, and, surprise surprise, they were open far more than Wisconsin’s receivers. Even the jet sweep they ran in the second quarter that only went for five yards felt far more inventive than anything the makeshift Badger play callers could muster.

On defense, the very least they could’ve done is send some extra rushers at quarterback Max Brosmer. It would’ve been risky, but what did they have to lose?

Fickell walked a fine line between taking responsibility for their lack of preparation, while also wondering how it was possible for players to look so sluggish in the biggest game of the year.

When asked if the players didn’t come out with the proper energy, Fickell responded, “I put it on me… Your job is to get them ready. Your job is to get them motivated. Your job is to get them fired up.”

But, he then shifted some of the blame toward the players.

“If you can’t be fired up for a rivalry game, if you can’t be fired up for a game that’s been played since 1890, then this probably isn’t the right place for you.

“I don’t know that we weren’t fired up. Our issue becomes, when things don’t go well, is how we respond. You have to rely on each other in order to do those things and that’s what we couldn’t do today,” Fickell said.

The players seemed to have quit, but so did the coaches.

Nothing seemed to work on either side of the ball for Wisconsin, but its offense was so lifeless and nonexistent that it sucked the life out of the rest of the team.

That first half featured, frankly, some of the most depressing football the Badgers have played in years. They went to halftime down 14-0, while losing the yardage battle 202-43. They mustered just 14 rushes for six yards in the first half, and finished the game with 24 carries for only 36 yards. Yet it somehow felt worse.

“There’s no way in hell you’re gonna win a Big Ten game and a rivalry game when you rush the ball for [36] yards,” Fickell said.

The Gophers didn’t feel threatened at all by Locke, which allowed them to crowd the line of scrimmage and shut down their rushing game, while also constantly pressuring Locke.

He finished the game with a measly 130 yards and a touchdown while completing 15 of his 32 pass attempts. At least he didn’t turn the ball over.

Wisconsin’s first hint of momentum came midway through the third quarter, when they were already down 21-0 and the Gophers were mostly just trying to prevent big plays.

Locke led an 11-play, 65-yard drive that finally put a touchdown on the board. The very next series looked promising, until kicker Nathanial Vakos missed a kick from 37 yards, killing any morsel of momentum they had generated.

114 of their 166 total yards (68.6 percent) came on those two drives alone. That 166 figure is their lowest yardage total in a single game since 2016, when they put up 159 vs. Michigan.

They’re gonna have to change more than just their coordinator.

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