To let everyone know, I am writing this just as Melvin Gordon ran for his fifth touchdown against Bowling Green, 248 yards to far on 12 carries. So why am I continuing to write this article on why Badgers volleyball is better than what we all just saw?
Simple. It’s because the Badgers volleyball team is just more likely to stay alive come end of season.
Reason 1: Volleyball Rankings Different Than Football
We all know the story. Wisconsin’s football team loses a game when ranked in the top 25 to an unranked, or even slightly lower ranked opponent and falls into the NAIA the week after.
Currently, the Badgers volleyball team is 9-1, but at the time of the last AVCA rankings were No. 4 at 8-0 with two first-place votes. The Badgers lost a 5-set match to No. 5 Washington last night in Washington. It was the first loss of the season, however it came off the heels of a big PAC-12 victory over No. 10 USC.
Given the facts of 9-1, and wins against other highly-ranked opponents, the AVCA poll should leave the Badgers no lower than No. 5.
If this was football and Wisconsin went into a neutral site and won over USC, but later lost to the say Oregon in Autzen and lost in a close game, the Badgers would be looking at maybe No. 25, because college coaches and writers apparently don’t like cheese and House of Pain.