Badgers move up and down AP top-25 ballots despite not playing

Only two teams ranked ahead of Wisconsin in the Associated Press top-25 poll lost last week – then-No. 6 Florida (to No. 8 Georgia) and then-No. 15 SMU.

Yet somehow the Badgers still moved up two spots in this week’s poll, from No. 18 to 16, despite Florida still being ranked ahead of them. Sorry, Cincinnati. Wisconsin jumped over the Bearcats, who edged 3-6 East Carolina on the road 46-43 and remained at No. 17.



Of the 62 AP voters, 21 had Wisconsin ranked in the same spot they had the Badgers in Week 10. Many moved UW up just one or two spots, including Cleveland.com’s Nathan Baird, who has the Badgers at No. 11, the highest spot for Wisconsin on any ballot.

Wisconsin had bigger gains from other voters. KSL.com’s Josh Furlong moved the Badgers up six spots, from 21 to 15, while the Gainesville Sun’s Pat Dooley put UW at No. 18 after not having the Badgers ranked at all the previous week. Ah, the benefits of not playing (or not losing).

While not playing can have its privileges, it can also have its detriments, too. Seven voters moved Wisconsin down on their ballots. A couple, Tom Bragg (dropped three spots) and James Kratch (dropped two spots), still have Wisconsin ranked at No. 15 and No. 16, respectively.

Then there’s Adam Zucker of CBS Sports Network who moved Wisconsin down the largest amount, four spots, from 17 to 21. Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman slid the Badgers three spots, from 19 to 22.

Bottom line: Playing – and winning – is always the true indicator. Unless you’re Cincinnati, I guess.

Here’s how all the AP voters cast their ballots in Week 11 compared to last week:

Dave Heller is the author of Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow (a Larry Ritter Book Award nominee), Facing Ted Williams - Players From the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived and As Good As It Got: The 1944 St. Louis Browns