On3: Wisconsin among college football's 'most overrated' in preseason AP Poll since 2014
McMurphy's list included the 25 programs deemed too highly rated in the Associated Press' annual college football preseason hierarchy. At No. 5, Wisconsin landed behind the USC Trojans (No. 1), Auburn Tigers (No. 2), Texas A&M Aggies and LSU Tigers (No. 4).
Including Lincoln Riley's Trojans and Luke Fickell's Badgers, a total of seven Big Ten programs were given the 'perennially overrated' label. The Oregon Ducks (No. 7), Michigan Wolverines (No. 10), UCLA Bruins (No. 13), Nebraska Cornhuskers (No. 20) and Ohio State Buckeyes (No. 25) also appeared on the ranking.
Since 2014, the Badgers have appeared on nine of a possible 12 preseason top 25 polls, climbing to as high as No. 4 ahead of the 2018 slate. Wisconsin's ranking in just five end-of-year AP polls in that time affirms McMurphy's opinion on the program's preseason hype.
While Wisconsin has not experienced the same type of success as Alabama, Georgia, or Ohio State over the past decade, the Badgers have showcased consistency. UW notched nine consecutive winning seasons dating back to Paul Chryst's first year manning the sidelines in 2015, in addition to seven bowl game victories in eight years.
Under Luke Fickell, however, the Badgers have not experienced the same success. Wisconsin went 5-7 in 2024, a record that prevented the program from clinching a bowl game appearance for the first time since 2001. UW is also slated to square off against six preseason AP top 25 teams this fall, which could extend that bowl-less streak from one to two.
While McMurphy's list is partially subjective, the Badgers haven't posted a notable postseason moment since the 2020 Rose Bowl against Justin Herbert and the Oregon Ducks. Wisconsin will look to alter that outlook this fall when it opens the season against Miami (Ohio) on Aug. 28 in Madison.
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