College Football Rankings: Way-too-early Top 25 projections for 2018

Wisconsin earned little respect from the College Football Playoff selection committee even before their Big Ten title game loss to Ohio State. The Badgers were the last unbeaten Power Five team, but they found themselves ranked behind two-loss Auburn and several one-loss squads. Paul Chryst’s team was a relative afterthought for the selection committee.

But they throttled Miami in the Orange Bowl to conclude a 13-1 season, and a slew of talent returns to Madison next season. Freshman sensation Jonathan Taylor will be back to see if he can match his 2000-yard rushing season as a sophomore. Alex Hornibrook, hot off throwing four touchdown passes against Miami, also returns along with a solid offensive line and a deceptively good receiving corps.

The defense will also be among the top in the nation once again. Wisconsin finished third nationally in points allowed and second in the FBS in yards given away. They also controlled the clock, ranking No. 2 in time of possession. The Badgers were one of the most dominant teams of 2017 even if they were rarely recognized as such, and they have the roster to do it again in 2018.

Strength of schedule was the biggest knock against the Badgers in 2017, and it might very well be again next year. They won’t rank in the top five of the preseason AP Top 25 as much because of who they have on the schedule as anything else. Wisconsin plays Western Kentucky, New Mexico, and BYU in non-conference play — all at Camp Randall Stadium.