Marcus Freeman is in his fifth full season as Notre Dame head coach, while Luke Fickell is in his fourth season as Wisconsin head coach. This is Freeman’s first stop as an FBS head coach. Fickell previously coached Ohio State (2011) and Cincinnati (2017-2022).
Which coach has a better record, more wins, and more championships at their current school and over their careers?
Head-To-Head Record
Freeman and Fickell have not faced off as head coaches.
Career Win-Loss Analysis
Luke Fickell has more career wins as a head coach. Fickell is 17-21 (.447) at Wisconsin, 57-18 (.760) at Cincinnati, and 6-7 (.462) at Ohio State. His overall record is 80-46 (.635) overall. Marcus Freeman is 43-12 (.782) at Notre Dame.
Freeman led Notre Dame to 10 wins last year (10-2). Fickell led Wisconsin to four wins (4-8) and 2-7 in the Big Ten.
Annual Record Breakdown & Winning Percentages
| YEAR | FREEMAN | FICKELL |
| 2025 | 10-2 (.833) | 4-8 (.333) – Wisconsin |
| 2024 | 14-2 (.875) | 5-7 (.417) – Wisconsin |
| 2023 | 10-3 (.769) | 7-6 (.538) – Wisconsin |
| 2022 | 9-4 (.692) | 9-3 (.750) – Cincinnati / 1-0 (1.000) – Wisconsin |
| 2021 | 0-1 (.000) | 13-1 (.929) – Cincinnati |
| 2020 | – | 9-1 (.900) – Cincinnati |
| 2019 | – | 11-3 (.786) – Cincinnati |
| 2018 | – | 11-2 (.846) – Cincinnati |
| 2017 | – | 4-8 (.333) – Cincinnati |
| 2011 | – | 6-7 (.462) – Ohio State |
Postseason & Championship Results
Freeman has five bowl wins, zero conference championships, and zero national championships in his career.
Fickell has three bowl wins, two conference championships, and zero national championships in his career.
Recruiting Rankings: Freeman vs. Fickell
Here’s the year-by-year team recruiting rankings (247Sports) for each coach:
| YEAR | FREEMAN | FICKELL |
| 2026 | 5th | 78th (Wisconsin) |
| 2025 | 12th | 27th (Wisconsin) |
| 2024 | 9th | 23rd (Wisconsin) |
| 2023 | 12th | 59th (Wisconsin) |
| 2022 | 7th | 42nd (Cincinnati) |
| 2021 | 9th | 45th (Cincinnati) |
| 2020 | – | 42nd (Cincinnati) |
| 2019 | – | 67th (Cincinnati) |
| 2018 | – | 49th (Cincinnati) |
| 2017 | – | 63rd (Cincinnati) |
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