Luke Fickell cites second half fatigue in Wisconsin loss to Notre Dame

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell attributed the team's 41-13 loss to Notre Dame on September 6 at Lambeau Field to a physical and mental decline during the second half. The Badgers entered halftime trailing by three points but were outscored 28-3 over the final two quarters. Fickell noted that critical mistakes, including a pick-six thrown by Colton Joseph and poor tackling, contributed to the deficit. He suggested that the team's youth and the integration of new players impacted their ability to maintain defensive intensity for the full 60 minutes. Wisconsin now looks to recover from the season-opening defeat as they prepare for a Week 2 matchup against Western Illinois. The team seeks its first victory of the season while aiming to improve the consistency of their physical performance on the field.

• 8:15 PMYahoo Sports — Luke Fickell on 2nd half vs. Notre Dame: Physical, mental toll wore on us