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The hype train rolls on.
The Associated Press released the preseason AP Top 25 Poll on Monday with your Wisconsin Badgers ranked No. 4 behind the Alabama Crimson Tide (duh), Clemson Tigers, and Georgia Bulldogs. The Ohio State Buckeyes round out the top five.
Wisconsin even received one first-place vote, bringing the Badgers’ total “points” to 1,271. Georgia, which did not receive a first-place vote, accumulated 1,350 points at No. 3. No. 4 is UW’s highest-ever AP preseason spot, matching the 2000 poll.
As a refresher, the Badgers finished No. 7 in the final AP Top 25 for the 2017 season after a 13–1 season culminated in an Orange Bowl win over the Miami Hurricanes.
BREAKING: No. 1 @AlabamaFTBL tops preseason AP Top 25 for third consecutive year, a feat done only once before; @ClemsonFB is No. 2, followed by @FootballUGA, @BadgerFootball and @OhioStateFB. See the full poll: https://t.co/jfkE4ZQ5Ce pic.twitter.com/JDiE6VLaxK
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) August 20, 2018
Here’s how the full preseason AP Top 25 shook out:
2018 Preseason AP Top 25 Poll
| Ranking | School | Conference | First-Place Votes | Total Points | Prev. Rank | 2017 Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | School | Conference | First-Place Votes | Total Points | Prev. Rank | 2017 Record |
| 1 | Alabama | SEC | 42 | 1,505 | 1 | 13–1 |
| 2 | Clemson | ACC | 18 | 1,476 | 4 | 12–2 |
| 3 | Georgia | SEC | 0 | 1,350 | 2 | 13–2 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | 1 | 1,271 | 7 | 13–1 |
| 5 | Ohio State | Big Ten | 0 | 1,256 | 5 | 12–2 |
| 6 | Washington | Pac-12 | 0 | 1,215 | 16 | 10–3 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | Big 12 | 0 | 1,173 | 3 | 12–2 |
| 8 | Miami | ACC | 0 | 1,027 | 13 | 10–3 |
| 9 | Auburn | SEC | 0 | 1,013 | 10 | 10–4 |
| 10 | Penn State | Big Ten | 0 | 1,012 | 8 | 11–2 |
| 11 | Michigan State | Big Ten | 0 | 877 | 15 | 10–3 |
| 12 | Notre Dame | Independent | 0 | 804 | 11 | 10–3 |
| 13 | Stanford | Pac-12 | 0 | 778 | 20 | 9–5 |
| 14 | Michigan | Big Ten | 0 | 773 | - | 8–5 |
| 15 | USC | Pac-12 | 0 | 543 | 12 | 11–3 |
| 16 | TCU | Big 12 | 0 | 533 | 9 | 11–3 |
| 17 | West Virginia | Big 12 | 0 | 511 | - | 7–6 |
| 18 | Mississippi State | SEC | 0 | 450 | 19 | 9–4 |
| 19 | Florida State | ACC | 0 | 384 | - | 7–6 |
| 20 | Virginia Tech | ACC | 0 | 351 | 24 | 9–4 |
| 21 | UCF | The American | 0 | 312 | 6 | 13–0 |
| 22 | Boise State | Mountain West | 0 | 292 | 22 | 11–3 |
| 23 | Texas | Big 12 | 0 | 216 | - | 7–6 |
| 24 | Oregon | Pac-12 | 0 | 148 | - | 7–6 |
| 25 | LSU | SEC | 0 | 106 | 18 | 9–4 |