College football Power 5 head coach reportedly fired after blowout upset home loss
There’s another prominent opening in the Big Ten, according to an ESPN report. Adam Rittenberg shares that Paul Chryst is reportedly out as Wisconsin’s head coach.
The Badgers have disappointed this season, falling to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play with a 34-10 loss to Illinois. Wisconsin was favored by 6.5 points over the Fighting Illini, who are coached by former Badgers head coach Bret Bielema (2006-12).
SOURCE: Paul Chryst is out as #Wisconsin coach. Jim Leonhard will be the team's interim coach. Announcement will be coming shortly.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) October 2, 2022
Wisconsin went 67-26 in Chryst’s tenure, which began in 2015. The Badgers went 9-4 last season, winning the Las Vegas Bowl and finishing tied for second in the Big Ten West.
In 2022, Wisconsin has lost to Washington State (17-14), Ohio State (52-21) and Illinois (34-10). Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard will be the team’s interim head coach, per Rittenberg.
The Badgers’ first game under Leonhard will be at Northwestern. The Wildcats have lost 4-consecutive games since defeating Nebraska in Week 0.