Sep 6, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell looks on during the second half against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

We're almost a month into the college football season, and that means preseason projections are beginning to fade as we have a multiple-game sample size by which to judge teams.

By the end of September, you are what your record says you are, and that isn't always good news for college football coaches and programs. Here at College Sports Wire, we'll take a look at the most pressure-filled matchup in each week of the 2025 season and examine the stakes for each program — win or lose.

In Week 4, we're focusing on a Big Ten matchup between coaches who can't afford a loss as the 3-0 Maryland Terrapins hit the road to face the 2-1 Wisconsin Badgers in Madison. Both Maryland coach Mike Locksley and Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell find themselves occupying warming seats, but a victory on Saturday could alleviate some of that pressure.

Stakes for Maryland football in Week 4

The Terrapins have some reason for optimism amid a 3-0 start in which they've gotten solid play from true freshman quarterback and former top-100 recruit Malik Washington, who has thrown for 773 yards with six touchdowns and just one interception so far this season.

However, Maryland hasn't faced a real test to this point. Locksley's team has scored wins over Florida Atlantic, Northern Illinois and Towson, but this game should tell us a lot more about this team's trajectory.

The Terrapins got a fairly friendly draw in Big Ten play, avoiding powerhouses Oregon, Ohio State and Penn State. A win here would put them in a good position to contend for a bowl berth, and that would likely be enough for Locksley to stick around, especially given his recruiting success — edge rusher Zion Elee, the No. 2 player in the 2026 class, has been committed to Maryland since December.

However, Locksley is coming off a 4-8 season, his worst since his debut campaign in 2019, in which the Terrapins won only one Big Ten game. If he drops a game to a decidedly bottom-tier Big Ten squad, things could begin to spiral, which could necessitate a change in College Park.

Stakes for Wisconsin football in Week 4

Locksley and Maryland badly need a win on the road in Week 4, but for Fickell and Wisconsin, a victory on Saturday feels like an absolute must if he's going to stick around in Madison beyond 2025.

Hiring Fickell away from Cincinnati felt like a home run at the time in November 2022, but the results just haven't been there in his tenure. Fickell peaked in Year 1, finishing 7-6 before backsliding to 5-7 last season. He attempted to move Wisconsin away from its traditional identity by hiring Phil Longo, an air raid acolyte, and that ambitious decision backfired tremendously.

Fickell was forced to make a change at offensive coordinator after last season, bringing in former Baylor and Kansas offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes. So far, it doesn't seem to have helped much.

Wisconsin was fine in wins over Miami (Ohio) and Middle Tennessee, but it looked completely lifeless against Alabama in a blowout loss last week. To make matters worse, transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. was injured in Week 1 and hasn't returned to the field since.

Edwards may be able to suit up for Saturday's game against his former team, and Wisconsin absolutely needs him to. Backup Danny O'Neil has struggled in replacement, and if Wisconsin can't beat this Maryland team at home, it's difficult to imagine Fickell can win enough games in a Big Ten slate that includes games against ranked opponents Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana and Illinois to earn a fourth season in this job.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Week 4 Pressure Test: Wisconsin-Maryland carries major hot seat implications

Reporting by Tyler Nettuno, College Sports Wire / College Sports Wire

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