Wisconsin football: Badgers unranked in 2016 AP preseason poll

The first AP top 25 preseason poll was released on Sunday morning — a list that did not include the Wisconsin Badgers.

As with the coaches poll, UW begins the 2016 season as an unranked program heading into its Sept. 3 matchup against LSU at Lambeau Field. Running back Leonard Fournette and the Tigers debut at No. 5.

Wisconsin received 42 votes, behind six other teams left off the first poll. As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Jeff Potrykus and Wisconsin State Journal’s Jason Galloway both noted, it’s the first time since 2009 that Wisconsin’s been left off both polls to start the season.

Four Big Ten programs ranked in the first poll include Ohio State (No. 6), Michigan (No. 7), Michigan State (No. 12) and Iowa (No. 17), all of whom the Badgers face during the season. Three of those conference games are on the road, with the Buckeyes returning to Camp Randall Stadium on Oct. 15.

Preseason AP Top 25

1. Alabama (33 first-place votes)
2. Clemson (16)
3. Oklahoma (4)
4. Florida State (5)
5. LSU (1)
6. Ohio State (1)
7. Michigan (1)
8. Stanford
9. Tennessee
10. Notre Dame
11. Mississippi
12. Michigan State
13. TCU
14. Washington
15. Houston
16. UCLA
17. Iowa
18. Georgia
19. Louisville
20. USC
21. Oklahoma State
22. North Carolina
23. Baylor
24. Oregon
25. Florida

Others receiving votes: Miami 159, Texas A&M 81, Utah 74, Washington St. 68, Boise St. 49, San Diego St. 46, Wisconsin 42, Auburn 22, Pittsburgh 15, Arkansas 14, Texas 12, Nebraska 11, Navy 8, Northwestern 5, W. Kentucky 4, South Florida 2, Toledo 2