Want an overview of the state of Wisconsin athletics? Look no further; we will take you through the Wisconsin teams that are trending up, trending down, and more.

It’s a really good time to be a Wisconsin Badgers fan, isn’t it?

Oh, and if you’re lucky enough to be a Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers fan, this season could rival what we saw out of the Badgers, Packers, and Brewers in 2011.

Stock Up ↑

Football (3-0)

2018 seems to be just a blip on the radar. If you told me last November that Wisconsin would beat Michigan 35-14 at home and it wasn’t even that close... I would have hugged you and kissed you on the cheek.

I’m glad you didn’t tell me that.

Paul Chryst is winning, Jonathan Taylor is in a virtual tie for the best player in program history, the defense is back, and Jack Coan is playing like a four-star quarterback. Further, Wisconsin is landing recruits so fast I can barely keep up.

Going into the Michigan game, I was excited to finally answer the question “how good can this team be?”

That question has yet to be answered.

Men’s basketball (0-0)

Right now, Greg Gard’s 2020 recruiting class is ranked No. 5 according to 247Sports. Last week, Wisconsin earned two huge commitments by Steven Crowl and ESPN 100 power forward Ben Carlson.

Women’s basketball (0-0)

Who would have thought, in a million years, that men’s basketball and women’s basketball would both land an ESPN 100 recruit within span of two weeks?

Well, about two weeks before Carlson committed to the Badgers, ESPN 100 prospect Halle Douglass committed to Jonathan Tsipis’s squad.

Stock Down ↓

Volleyball (4-4)

The pre-season B1G favorite Badgers are sputtering to start the season, and they are .500 through eight games. While the strength of schedule has been difficult, it is not as challenging as what Wisconsin will see when conference play begins.

That said, I am a huge believer in Kelly Sheffield; if anyone can turn a club around, it’s Sheffield.

Stay tuned to B5Q this week for The Sett where Matt Rock will break it all down for you.

UW Athletic Communications

Increased volatility

Men’s hockey (0-0)

Tony Granato’s crew has been rather underwhelming since Granato took over in 2016. However, in his fourth season, expectations are rising now that Granato has plenty of future NHL players on his team.

Badger fans could be rejoicing in a return to prominence at the end of the season, or Granato could be on the hot seat.

Stabilizing

Women’s soccer (6-2-1)

The Badgers are having a nice season, and Wisconsin just beat No. 13 Rutgers on Sunday. (Yes, you read that correctly). The two losses were against top-10 teams, and the Badgers have been a consistently very good team to start the year. Dani Rhodes leads the team with four goals this season. Overall, women’s soccer is a steady team that could finish the season in the No. 8 to No. 15 range.

Holding high

Women’s hockey (0-0)

Coming off a national championship, the Badgers are still No. 1 in the country. The season begins this coming weekend at Lindenwood, and I will bring you a full preview later this week.

Bottom line: women’s hockey continues to be the standard bearer of excellence in the Wisconsin athletic department.

Staying down

Men’s soccer (2-5)

The Badgers are struggling. No one has stepped up offensively, and Wisconsin has only scored five goals from five different scorers.