Badgers drop in the latest AP Top 25

Wisconsin’s back-to-back losses cost it some real estate in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Fresh off their first two losses of the year the Badgers dropped nine spots to No. 20 in the poll released Monday. It came after falling to Michigan and Marquette. But Wisconsin wasn’t knocked too far, largely because the Golden Eagles are still a top-10 team and the Wolverines jumped into the top-25 at No. 14 with their win over the Badgers.

Wisconsin and Michigan were two of six Big Ten teams in the poll. Purdue is the highest ranked at No. 11, while Oregon comes in at No. 12. Then it’s the Wolverines and Badgers, followed by Michigan State at No. 21 and UCLA at No. 24.

Coach Greg Gard’s group will hit the road once again this week to take on Illinois on Tuesday night. Wisconsin has lost eight straight to the Illini and the last win in Champaign came in 2019.

The top of the poll has Tennessee at No. 1, Auburn at No. 2, Iowa State at No. 3, Duke at No. 4 and Kentucky at No. 5.