You Won't Believe What Wisconsin's College Football Needs to Survive—Shocking Proposal Inside!

The phrase “so college” has historically been used, sometimes with irony, to encapsulate the unique quirks and experiences of college life. Think of tossing a frisbee on the quad, being uncertain if the bearded man walking by is a vagrant or a math professor, or feeling starstruck behind the star quarterback in line at the pizza shop. But now, as college football players can earn millions, and coaches make exorbitant salaries, the essence of what once felt quintessentially “college” seems to be fading away.

Indeed, college football is undergoing a transformation that has made it less about the traditions and values typically associated with college sports. With billion-dollar TV deals, conference realignments, and relaxed transfer rules, the sport now resembles a professional league more than a college endeavor. This trend can be illustrated through the recent history of my own alma mater, the University of Wisconsin, which highlights the challenges facing college-sponsored football.

The Wisconsin Badgers had a remarkable run of success beginning in the 1990s, recovering from decades of struggle, including a winless streak from 1967 to 1969. Under the leadership of head coach Barry Alvarez, the team achieved its first Rose Bowl victory in 1993 and followed it with back-to-back victories in 1998 and 1999. Alvarez’s focus on recruiting in-state talent laid a solid foundation for the program, which continued to thrive even after he took on the role of athletic director in 2006, culminating in three consecutive Rose Bowl appearances from 2010 to 2012.

In 2015, the Badgers hired UW alum Paul Chryst as head coach. The move was celebrated as a return to the program’s roots, symbolizing integrity after previous coach Gary Andersen left, reportedly frustrated by the university's high academic standards for recruits. Unfortunately, as the team’s performance declined in recent seasons, the perception of Chryst shifted, and he was viewed as stale and uninspiring, leading to his midseason firing in 2022.

Jim Leonhard, another Wisconsin native and former player, stepped in as interim head coach and quickly became a favorite due to his deep ties to the program. However, the university opted for a more nationally recognized figure, hiring Luke Fickell from Cincinnati, where he had garnered attention for leading the Bearcats to the college football playoff in 2021—an achievement historic for a non-Power 5 school.

Fickell’s hiring was seen as a strategic move towards a more modern approach, focusing on expanding recruiting efforts and adopting a flashy offensive strategy. Athletic director Chris McIntosh stated that the decision “sends a strong signal that we are committed to our program being successful in the long term.” However, after a disappointing 7-6 season in 2023, the Badgers are facing their first back-to-back losing seasons since 1991-92 and have missed bowl games for the first time since 2002.

These struggles reflect broader upheavals in college-sponsored football, such as conference shifts, the end of restrictions on athletes profiting from their name, image, and likeness (NIL), and the lack of regulations on player transfers. The financial arms race surrounding college sports has sidelined the virtues that once defined them: education, community, and tradition.

In July 2025, an executive order titled “Saving College Sports” was issued by the White House, primarily aimed at curbing the use of NIL deals as pay-for-play schemes. Yet, many believe these reforms are insufficient. To restore college-sponsored football to its roots, a more comprehensive overhaul is necessary. Here are six recommendations:

1. Rename the semi-professional league currently marketed as “college football” to “college-sponsored football” to accurately reflect its nature.
2. Revise recruiting standards so that at least three-quarters of a college’s team must be recruited from within a 500-mile radius, ensuring that all players meet academic qualifications for admission.
3. Realign conferences geographically while preserving traditional rivalries.
4. Eliminate the college football playoff, emphasizing conference championships as the pinnacle of success.
5. Allocate some of the athletics budget to promote amateur and intramural sports, fostering a more inclusive sports culture on campuses.
6. Implement guidelines for NIL compensation that prioritize community involvement and local engagement over extravagant deals.

These reforms aim to redirect the focus away from commercialization and towards a model that prioritizes student-athletes as community members and players, rather than mere entertainers. By reestablishing a commitment to education and local culture, the essence of college sports can be rediscovered.

As a Wisconsin native, a fan of collegiate sports, and a witness to the ongoing transformation of college-sponsored football, I believe it is crucial to ask the fundamental question: What is the purpose of sports in our educational institutions? The value of collegiate athletics lies not in their financial returns but in their ability to enhance community and foster personal growth. As we move forward, we must consider whether sacrificing these core values for the sake of entertainment and profit is truly worth it.