Wisconsin opens at No. 21 in the USA Today coaches football poll
MADISON – Wisconsin finished the 2022 college football season unranked.
The reason? The Badgers finished just 4-5 in the Big Ten and needed a victory over Oklahoma State in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl to finish above .500 overall at 7-6.
Luke Fickell’s first UW team opens the season No. 21 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll, which was released Monday.
Three other Big Ten teams opened in the top 25.
Michigan was No. 2 behind defending national champion Georgia. The Wolverines are favored to win their third consecutive league title.
Ohio State, which lost to Georgia in the national semifinals last season, is No. 4.
Penn State, which last won the Big Ten title in 2016, is No. 7.
UW, a slight favorite to win the Big Ten West Division, is not scheduled to face Michigan or Penn State during the regular season. The Badgers do host Ohio State on Oct. 28.
The Badgers open the season Sept. 2 against visiting Buffalo and open league play Sept. 22 at Purdue.
More: 'Rankings aren't everything': Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell offers his approach on recruiting success
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin opens at No. 21 in the USA Today coaches football poll
