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Badger Football: Week 14 Polls Show Quartet Cluster

By Noah Seligman

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 25: Jonathan Taylor (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 25: Jonathan Taylor (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Badger football took advantage of losses atop both college football polls to move up again.  So what do the week 14 polls mean for Wisconsin?

On a weekend with both #1 Alabama and #2 Miami losing, there was bound to be some changes in the college football polls.  Badger football benefited from the Tide and Canes stumbling to pick up votes.

As a result, Badger football is in great position as we approach conference championship weekend.  Wisconsin plays for the Big Ten crown on Saturday.

We have just one week to go before bowl season.  And finally we are getting some consensus and clarity in the Associated Press (AP) and Coaches Poll.

Wisconsin Badgers Football
Wisconsin Badgers Football /

Wisconsin Badgers Football

The top six in each poll are identical with defending champion Clemson claiming the top spot.  Oklahoma (#2), Wisconsin (#3), Auburn (#4), Georgia (#5), Alabama (#6) fill out the next chunk.

The AP Poll then has Miami at #7 and The Ohio State at #8.  The Coaches Poll has the Hurricanes and Buckeyes tied for the seventh spot.

Notably, there is for now a clear quartet from #1-#4 in the polls.  Just 83 rankings points separate #1 Clemson from #4 Auburn in the Coaches Poll.  Over in the AP Poll that same gap is 104 rankings points.

In addition, Wisconsin is picking up some votes to be #1 overall in both polls.  The Badgers received 21 first place votes in the Coaches Poll.  Interestingly, Clemson received 25 first place votes while #2 Oklahoma had just 12.

Over in the AP Poll, voters are cooler to Badger football.  Wisconsin garnered only 12 first place votes well behind Clemson (27) and Oklahoma (24).

Ultimately the top four will remain unchanged if everyone wins its conference championship game.  The margin of victory and subjective aesthetics could shuffle the order a bit.

Next: Grading the Badgers Against the Gophers

The ACC and SEC Championship games will decide two places.  Things get tricky if Wisconsin or Oklahoma lose. But for now, we know where the chalk sits with one game to go before the bowls.