The loss to ND fits the trend with Fickell's teams. Down 3 at the half, get outscored 28-3 in the second. But lest you think I'm overreacting:
Second half collapses in 2024: Wisconsin up 21-10 at the half; USC 28-0 in the second half.
Penn State: Wisconsin is up 10-7, outscored 21-3 in the second half
Iowa: 28-7 in the second half. (14-3 in the first half).
Oregon: Wisconsin is up 10-6 at the half; outscored 10-3 in the second.
Second half collapses in 2025:
Michigan: Wisconsin down 3 at the half, outscored 14-3.
(Iowa and Ohio State both took Wisconsin to the cleaners in both halves)
Oregon: Wisconsin down 7 at the half, outscored 14-7 in the second.
Indiana: Wisconsin down 3 at the half, Indiana scored 21 unanswered.
Minnesota: Wisconsin down 3 at the half, Minnesota 7-0 in the second half.
And in most of the other losses, the Badgers went out with a whimper in the second half. (A lot of beat downs I'm trying to forget.)
So I'm going with it: First Half Fickell.
Also, there aren't very many comebacks in the second half. There are a handful, but not many, and only one by more than one score that I can remember (10 second half points against Washington, on two drives totaling 27 yards of offense).