P.J. Fleck: College Football Playoff is 'realistic expectations' for Gophers in new era

The Gophers making a run at the College Football Playoff is a scenario that likely would've gotten you laughed out of a room when the four-team model was originally introduced in 2014. Fast forward to 2025, and there are 12 teams that will play in the event, and expansion seems inevitable. P.J. Fleck thinks a postseason run is a realistic next step for Minnesota.

Fleck spoke to the local media on Monday, and he was asked about whether he believes that he has raised the floor and ceiling of the Gophers program, as he enters his ninth season at the helm.

"You want to rise the level of expectation within the program constantly. On the field, off the field, and I think we've continued to do that," he responded. "I don't think we've sat back and settled for anything. I think when any program, when you're in it for nine years, you always want to take what the next right step is. What is the next right step? That's going to be subjective to a lot of different people."

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With six bowl game appearances in the last seven years, improved records against rivals Wisconsin and Iowa, and record-setting in-state recruiting already accomplished, many people would point towards a birth in the College Football Playoff as the next step. Fleck seems to think it's entirely realistic.

"As this whole talk of College Football Playoff expansion, and all these certain things — I think we have to continue to look at for us, that is realistic expectations, as we keep moving forward," Fleck continued. "You're talking more and more about the College Football Playoff. I want a head coach who wants to talk about it. Especially when there's a better chance for a lot of other people to get in it."

There was a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel over the weekend that indicated the Big Ten has floated an idea around of potentially expanding the College Football Playoff to 24 or 28 teams. An expansion to 14 or 16 seems far more realistic in the short-term, but expansion in some sort is a forgone conclusion.

The Big Ten and SEC will continue to drive the conversation of what the postseason future of college football will look like. Minnesota has firmly established itself in the second tier of Big Ten programs alongside Wisconsin, Nebraska and Iowa, which would put the in the conversation to make a postseason run, no matter the format.

Fleck mentioned "delusional" playoff hopes for the Gophers this season when asked at Big Ten Media Days in July, but it might just be a more realistic goal than people realize. As the sport continues to change overnight, Minnesota has set itself up to be a player in the new era of college football.