The #6 Wisconsin Badgers have yet to play a game this week, but there were a couple of upsets that have already bounced in their favor. On Tuesday night, two top-five teams in the country lost. The #5 Tennessee Volunteers lost in SEC play to unranked South Carolina Gamecocks at home 63-59.
Also on Tuesday night, the #3 North Carolina Tar Heels lost to the unranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on the road by a final score of 74-73 in ACC conference play. With those two teams losing, there is a possibility that if the Badgers take care of business this week, they can move into the top five.
No team that has been ranked this season has been safe. The Badgers will look to avoid a road upset on Thursday night against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. This is a game that Wisconsin should win on paper, but you never know. The Badgers this season are 16-4 overall this season and 8-1 in BIG10 Conference Play. They are currently in first place in the conference.
The Wisconsin Badgers Moving Up in the AP Poll All Depends on Whether or Not They Beat the #2 Purdue Boilermakers on Sunday
The deciding factor this week as to whether or not Wisconsin will move up in the AP Poll is if they beat the Purdue Boilermakers. Now, first, they will have to take care of business against Nebraska. As long as they do that and they should, it all comes down to Sunday.
The Wisconsin Badgers will host the #2 Purdue Boilermakers at home on Sunday afternoon. They appear to be the biggest threat to Wisconsin in the BIG10 Conference by a mile. It is very possible if the Badgers win on Sunday, talks about being one of the number-one seeds in the 2024 NCAA Tournament will start to erupt.
This is how huge of a game it is. However, head coach Greg Gard can’t have his team looking ahead to Sunday’s matchup without having to take care of business first on the road against the Cornhuskers. If Wisconsin does win both games this week, it is very possible they are at least number five in the AP Polls next week and even higher as well.
