Wisconsin football was not included in national college football analyst Josh Pate’s recent ranking of the top 15 programs of the next three seasons.
His ranking listed Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Florida State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Michigan, Texas A&M, LSU, Tennessee, Miami, Clemson and Penn State. That is 15 total programs listed, four from the Big Ten.
Related: 10 developing opinions entering year two of the Luke Fickell era at Wisconsin
This future outlook was released as college football undergoes significant changes entering the 2024 season. The snapshot of the sport’s old structure may no longer apply as conferences realign and the College Football Playoff expands.
That said, it is no coincidence that this ranking nearly perfectly aligns with the team recruiting rankings for the class of 2025. The most talented teams and programs are also the ones that will experience the most on-field success.
🚨TOP CFB PROGRAMS: NEXT 3 YRS🚨
1. UGA
2. Alabama
3. Ohio State
4. Oregon
5. Texas
6. FSU
7. Notre Dame
8. Oklahoma
9. Michigan
10. Texas A&M
11. LSU
12. Tennessee
13. Miami
14. Clemson
15. Penn State— Josh Pate (@LateKickJosh) July 8, 2024
Wisconsin’s class of 2025 currently ranks No. 16 in the nation with the cycle still ongoing. The class has a strong foundation, though is buoyed a bit by the volume of 22 commitments.
A broader view of the program and its talent composite would place it somewhere in the 25-35 range. That is changing a bit under head coach Luke Fickell, who has undeniably raised the program’s recruiting profile.
But Fickell and the Badgers will need to convert improved recruiting performance into on-field wins starting in 2024 in order to join the sport’s elite. The program is off consecutive 7-6 seasons, and has a win total of only 6.5 in 2024.
Wisconsin of 2016-2019 was arguably a top-15 program in the sport. Things have slipped since then, which is reflected in Pate’s omission of the Badgers.
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