Luke Fickell Attempts To Hype Up Badgers Ahead Of Meat Grinder Known As Ohio State, But The Video Might Make Fans Nervous

Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell didn't appear overly excited while addressing the team ahead of the Ohio State game.

The Badgers welcome the Buckeyes to Madison on Saturday night under the lights, and as of publication, the spread is holding steady at -14.5 in favor of OSU.

Personally, I thought the spread was a bit disrespectful. Wisconsin is sitting at 5-2, has home field advantage, Braelon Allen is a great running back and Badgers fans LOVE night games. Reach out to David.Hookstead@outkick.com, and I'll share some stories I probably shouldn't share publicly.

Well, I'm starting to think -14.5 in favor of Ohio State could actually be a gift to OSU bettors, judging from the way Fickell addressed the team this week.

Can Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers upset Ohio State? (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Luke Fickell addresses Wisconsin ahead of Ohio State game.

First off, let me say that I'm a huge fan of Luke Fickell, and I believe in the program he's building in Madison. Don't blow up my email claiming I don't like Fickell. That's just not the case.

One of the things I really like about him is he is unbelievably passionate and fired up when the cameras are rolling.

The man is a content machine when he's fired up and rolling. That simply isn't the case going into the game against the team he once played for and coached.

Watch the video below, and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Are the Badgers in huge trouble against Ohio State?

For comparison, the video below is from after the game against Illinois when Wisconsin pulled off a great win.

You're blind and deaf if you don't notice a difference.

You know what vibe I get from Fickell addressing the team this week? I get the vibe of a leader getting ready to lead his men into a meat grinder knowing his fate has been sealed.

Where is the moxie? Where is the energy, passion and attitude Wisconsin fans have come to love from Luke Fickell?

There's no shame in losing to Ohio State. The Buckeyes are ranked third in America. Ryan Day has an incredible program.

There is a HUGE problem with looking nervous and playing scared. There's nothing about the video above that inspires confidence. The man looks like he's informing his guys they're the divers in Chernobyl.

Hopefully, I'll address the OutKick Sunday morning and deliver good news to the many Wisconsin fans among us. However, my tone and outlook has shifted dramatically since I boldly declared the -14.5 line was disrespectful. It might now not be enough. Send me your game predictions to David.Hookstead@outkick.com.