Badgers Bid Farewell to Seniors, Prepare for Illinois Showdown

As the Wisconsin Badgers football team prepares to face the University of Illinois on October 22, the faithful at Camp Randall Stadium will say goodbye to a senior class of 30 players. Among them, 15 spent their entire college career with the Badgers, while others were with the team for two or three seasons.

Head coach Luke Fickell spoke about the impact of this senior group, noting that their experiences, whether filled with great success or not, have contributed to the program. Fickell also addressed other topics, including a potential battle for the place-kicking duties and the team's need to improve their starts to the third quarter.

Regarding the kicking situation, Fickell indicated that Gavin Lahm, who was originally planned to redshirt this season, could get an opportunity to compete with Nathanial Vakos, who has struggled with consistency in recent games. The coach also acknowledged that Vakos' strong performance on kickoffs had led to him retaining that role, rather than handing it over to Lahm as previously planned.

Additionally, Fickell expressed a desire to see more killer instinct and competitive spirit from his team, particularly in the opening drives of the second half. The Badgers have struggled to score on their first possession of the third quarter, and in several recent games, their opponents have been able to capitalize on this by scoring on their opening drive of the half.

As the Badgers prepare to honor their seniors and face the Fighting Illini, the team will be looking to build on their recent performances and secure a victory in front of the home crowd.