The 2023 calendar and LSU football season are both drawing to a close, and the Tigers will ring in 2024 in Tampa Bay against the Wisconsin Badgers in the ReliaQuest Bowl (11 A.M., ESPN2).
Wisconsin is led by head coach Luke Fickell who is wrapping up his first full season in Madison. Fickell’s Badgers closed the regular season at an uninspiring 7-5, but did win two in a row including taking back Paul Bunyan’s Axe from Minnesota.
Speaking of Fickell, both he and Brian Kelly were both head coaches at Cincinatti once upon a time. Kelly led the Bearcats a 34-6 record between the 2006-2009 seasons and took Cincy to two New Years Six bowls (BCS at the time); Fickell also took Cincinatti a pair of New Years Six games, and even guided the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff in 2021.