Badger of Honor
Fansided

Wisconsin Football drops in latest Big Ten power rankings

By Tanner Nestle

MADISON, WI - SEPTEMBER 15: Squally Canada #22 of the BYU Cougars dives into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown in the third quarter of the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. BYU won 24-21. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
MADISON, WI - SEPTEMBER 15: Squally Canada #22 of the BYU Cougars dives into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown in the third quarter of the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. BYU won 24-21. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Wisconsin Football QB Alex Hornibrook
MADISON, WI – SEPTEMBER 15: Alex Hornibrook #12 of the Wisconsin Badgers runs for a first down after breaking a tackle against Sione Takitaki #16 of the BYU Cougars in the fourth quarter of the game at Camp Randall Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. BYU won 24-21. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Wisconsin was the only team in last week’s top five to suffer a loss. I kept Wisconsin above Iowa despite this because I still think Wisconsin is better than Iowa and because Iowa played an FCS opponent. The Hawkeyes played well, but beating up on an FCS opponent doesn’t earn you much praise in my book. And it’s not like they don’t have the opportunity to make up for it this week anyway.

Wisconsin fell to No. 18 in the latest AP poll after the loss. BYU jumped up to No. 25 as a result of the win, which helps Wisconsin in the long run. The loss isn’t completely devastating.

The Badgers are fortunate the rest of the Big Ten isn’t playing great football. Michigan State, Northwestern, and potentially Purdue could all easily be in this spot if they had stronger starts to the season. Even Iowa, if it had played better against Northern Illinois and Iowa State.

Looking ahead, it’ll be difficult to jump Wisconsin back into the top three unless one of those teams loses a game. If Wisconsin blows the doors off Iowa at Kinnick Stadium this weekend, that could also help. It’s difficult for me to give the Badgers the benefit of the doubt in that regard though. It just hasn’t paid off for me so far this year.

This power ranking doesn’t determine anything as far as success or season outlook for the Badgers, so moving up or down doesn’t really matter. But, for what it’s worth, the Badgers will still have plenty of chances to reshuffle these rankings to their benefit. They still have to play Michigan and Penn State, and could potentially meet Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship.

If Wisconsin wants to have a good showing in any of those games it needs to start playing better than it has. That starts this week against Iowa.