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When a college football season ends, you know what happens the day after: The way-too-early top 25 for the next season is released. Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports provided his early-bird top 25 on Tuesday, under 15 hours after Joe Burrow and Ed Orgeron led LSU to a 15-0 season with a national championship game victory over Clemson in New Orleans.
The Wisconsin Badgers are No. 18 in Myerberg’s top 25, which isn’t necessarily an insult to the program, but isn’t a glowing evaluation, either. Myerberg has Iowa at No. 10, which amounts to a belief that Wisconsin won’t win the Big Ten West this coming season.
Here is Myerberg on the Badgers:
Wisconsin will be Wisconsin, meaning a team that will land somewhere in the Top 25 and potentially be in the thick of the playoff race in October and November. There are some big losses, however, including several seniors from the front seven on defense and, of course, All-America running back Jonathan Taylor and star center Tyler Biadasz. The Big Ten West will have few easy outs, which could keep Wisconsin in the eight-win range during the regular season.
The Big Ten in Myerberg’s eyes looks like this: Ohio State is No. 3 behind No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Alabama. Penn State is No. 7. Iowa, as mentioned above, is No. 10. Myerberg is high on Michigan, which he puts at No. 12.
Two Big Ten teams which didn’t crack the top 25 but are listed as having almost made the cut: Minnesota and Nebraska. That’s a clear indication that Myerberg thinks Minnesota won’t retain its place in the Big Ten and that Nebraska will significantly improve.
A few other notes beyond the Big Ten: Myerberg rates Florida (No. 8) ahead of Georgia (No. 11). Very interesting. Notre Dame is No. 9.
Memphis is the highest-rated Group of Five team at No. 15, edging out No. 16 Cincinnati and a few places ahead of No. 20 Boise State. Texas is No. 14. Baylor is No. 22.
Wisconsin will try to prove Paul Myerberg wrong, especially in relationship to Iowa and the Big Ten West in 2020.