With the team rested after a bye week, the Badgers remain high in the collegiate football polls. Today, AP ranked Wisconsin #8 in the country.
Now third in the Big Ten West, Wisconsin dropped slightly in the polls two weeks prior with their loss on the road against Michigan. The 4-1 team had the week to rest several injured players, some of whom have a chance to play this weekend depending on the severity of their injuries.
The Badgers will be back at home this weekend to play #2 Ohio State in the first night game of the season at Camp Randall Stadium. This will be the first top 10 matchup at Camp Randall since the #8 Badgers beat #7 Nebraska 48-17 in 2011. Ohio State will be the Badgers fourth top 10 opponent of 2016 in the team’s first six games.
5-0 Ohio State defeated the Indiana Hoosiers 38-7 this past weekend, holding the #2 spot in the Big Ten East behind 6-0 Michigan.
A win against Ohio State this weekend would be an easy way to move Wisconsin up in the polls and back into the College Football Playoff picture. Ohio State has an all-around explosive team, so explosive that Ohioans said in a poll conducted by the Public Policy Polling that Ohio State could beat the NFL Cleveland Browns (62%). A team that good will be an obvious challenge for the Wisconsin Badgers who head into their sixth game of the season.