Where Wisconsin football stands in the polls before trip to UCLA, Rose Bowl

MADISON – The formula for the Wisconsin football to re-enter the top 25 for the first time in three years is simple.

Win.

The Badgers missed the top 25 of the USA Today US LBM coaches and Associated Press polls released Oct. 11, but they climbed in both rankings despite being idle last week.

UW (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) received 39 points and moved up one spot to No. 30 in the coaches poll. The team climbed two spots to No. 26 in the AP ranking and received 92 points.

The Badgers' poll position comes as they prepare to face one of the most surprising teams in college football.

UCLA, which was picked to finish 12^th in the USA Today Big Ten preseason poll, is 5-0 for the first time since 2022. The Bruins, who are 3-0 in the Big Ten, defeated then-No. 13 Oregon on the road Oct. 10, a victory that lifted them to the No. 12 spot in the both polls.

UCLA moved up 10 spots in the coaches poll and nine spots in the AP rankings.

It will host the Badgers at the Rose Bowl at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17. The game will be broadcast on NBC.

More: Wisconsin is on a roll. Here are 3 areas it needs to improve to sustain success

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Where Wisconsin football stands in the polls before trip to UCLA, Rose Bowl