USA TODAY’s Erick Smith and Paul Myerberg put together their Top 25 poll for the 2026-27 season. They listed the Badgers at No. 24.
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Michigan State topped the list at No. 1, with the Michigan Wolverines falling to No. 3. Other Big Ten teams listed include: No. 6 Illinois, No. 16 Purdue, No. 18 Nebraska and No. 19 Iowa.
“With guard John Blackwell entering the portal, expect the Badgers to be active adding depth and shooting to the wing rotation,” they wrote. “What Wisconsin does have is an experienced first line led by Nolan Winter and Austin Rapp, which should lead to a different look on offense. But the pieces are in place for another top-six finish in the Big Ten.”
All things considered, Wisconsin should be in good shape if both Winter and Rapp stay. Those are two key pillars for the future of Greg Gard. Without them, who knows what this lineup will look like in November.
Number 24 is a spot Badgers fans should feel comfortable with. Wisconsin always finds a way to exceed expectations, and that could certainly be the case a year from now depending on how things play out in the portal. Gard has some young talent on his bench that no one is talking about, but it’s hard for the national media to look at Hayden Jones, Zach Kinziger and Will Garlock as 25-caliber talent when they all averaged less than 10 minutes per game as freshmen.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin Men’s Basketball 2026-27 USA Today Top 25 Poll Rankings