The Wisconsin Badgers knew they had their work cut out for them in week one.
Now that the first AP Poll has been revealed, it's common knowledge that the Badgers will be facing a top five opponent right out of the gates.
At the very least, it's a neutral site game that should be in their favor, and if history repeats itself, Wisconsin could pull off a huge top 10 victory at Lambeau Field.
As of Monday, August 17, it was revealed that the Notre Dame Fighting Irish came in at No. 4 in the AP Top 25 Poll.
Interestingly, Notre Dame received six first-place votes, which was the fourth most of any team. The reason why that's so interesting is that the team that came in at No. 3, Georgia, didn't receive any first-place votes.
Other Big Ten teams to monitor
BREAKING: Preseason College
Football AP Poll🚨https://t.co/JL3USE6MnT pic.twitter.com/wImUOmUUg5
— On3 (@On3) August 17, 2026
No. 6 Indiana received eight first-place votes while No. 2 Oregon received 14, which still came at 26 fewer than the consensus No. 1 Ohio State.
Thankfully for the Badgers, they aren't tasked with playing that trio in Big Ten competition this season.
That said, Wisconsin does have three other opponents ranked in the top 25: No. 14 USC, No. 18 Penn State, and No. 22 Iowa.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Jordon Lawrenz on X @jordonlaw_pxp.
This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: AP Top 25 Poll reveals Wisconsin opens season vs. No. 4 Notre Dame
