Luke Fickell: 'Get ourselves an opportunity to make the playoffs and anything can happen'

The new 12-team format will help programs like Wisconsin.

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell watches spring practice at the McClain Center in Madison, Wisconsin on Tuesday April 2, 2024. / Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal

Between the transfer portal, NIL and conference realignment, college football has gone through a massive transition period in the last five years. One of the biggest changes that's been made is to the postseason format. With a 12-team playoff, there is now a path for programs like Wisconsin to make a run at a national championship.

Wisconsin is one of 16 major conference FBS programs to have never won a national championship since the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 poll was created in 1936. The sport looked a lot different back then, but with the new playoff system, Luke Fickell and his staff have as good of a chance as ever to change that stat.

"I think there is a uniqueness in college football right now. The playoff started and it did change things a bit, it changed the mentality," Fickell told Outkick's Dan Dakich in an interview. "Bowl games and things like that, and then they created that playoff and it's like 'wow' you gotta be one of those four teams and that has become the focus of most everybody."

The Badgers are at the point as a program where they need to take things one week at a time. They've only won 10+ games once since 2018. Even with the expanded 12-team playoff in 2024-25, double-digit wins will still be an important benchmark for teams to reach in order to be in the postseason discussion.

"Now going to 12 [teams], it makes college football better. I think it brings more games late in the season, that mean a lot more," Fickell said. "You're getting closer to the NFL, the NFL is about making the playoffs and then making a run, it's similar now I think in college. Get ourselves an opportunity to make the playoffs and anything can happen."

In the mid 2010s when Wisconsin won 10+ games each season from 2014-17, they weren't able to play in the four-team playoff. With the new format, at least three of those teams would've likely made the tournament.

Fickell came to Madison with postseason experience, having reached the four-team playoff with Cincinnati in 2021. The Badgers might be a few seasons away from getting into the playoff discussion, but with the new format, a run to the championship seems a lot more achievable.