Big Ten Media Poll Reveals Low Ranking for Wisconsin Football

The expectations for the Badgers remain low heading into the 2026 season.

Dec 27, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a Wisconsin Badgers helmet during the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The unofficial start to the Wisconsin football season is here.

The Big Ten Media Days kick off this week in Chicago, and with that comes the release of the Big Ten Preseason Media Poll.

Last season, the media picked Wisconsin to finish 14th. And like last year, the Big Ten media are not too high on the Wisconsin football team heading into the 2026 season, picking the Badgers to finish 12th in the conference.

NEW: Big Ten Preseason Media Poll via @clevelanddotcom👀

Do you agree?🤔https://t.co/FF3YIjItzm pic.twitter.com/5GqpLYWwvs

— On3 (@On3) July 27, 2026

Ohio State, Oregon, and the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers are predicted to finish at the top of the conference as the first three seeds. All three programs received votes as the No. 1 team in the conference.

The next tier of teams includes USC, Penn State, Michigan, Washington, Iowa, and Illinois. The Badgers fall in the next tier with Minnesota, Nebraska, and UCLA, finishing just in front of the Bruins.

Just at first glimpse, that feels about right. Right now, it feels like the Badgers are a middle-of-the-pack program in the Big Ten and will probably remain there until they can start winning more than two conference games.

The Badgers have a lot to prove before they can start moving up these yearly preseason rankings.