The Wisconsin Badgers jumped up to No. 22 in the updated USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll after the first week of the 2025-26 season.
The team won both of its games during the period, notching 96-64 and 97-72 triumphs over Campbell and Northern Illinois, respectively. The No. 22 ranking is two spots up from the team’s preseason ranking. Despite the slight rise, the team remains the No. 6-highest-ranked Big Ten team in the updated poll, trailing No. 1 Purdue, No. 5 Michigan, No. 14 Illinois, No. 15 UCLA and No. 17 Michigan State.
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The positive momentum is also reflected by KenPom’s national rankings and ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, where the Badgers rank No. 18 and No. 27, respectively.
Greg Gard’s team won’t face a true test until its road trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, for a showdown against No. 8 BYU on Nov. 21. The team’s upcoming games against Ball State and SIUE should serve as valuable growth opportunities, especially with its transfer-heavy lineup still working to gel. At this rate, another few decisive victories could push the Badgers into the top 20 of next week’s poll.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball updated coaches poll ranking after 2-0 start
