Where do Big Ten writers predict Wisconsin football will finish in the conference?

INDIANAPOLIS – In the opinion of the writers who cover the Big Ten, the Wisconsin football team is near the middle of the pack in the conference.

The Badgers were picked to finish seventh out of 18 teams in the USA Today Sports Network preseason media poll.

The poll was part of a preseason package by the USA Today Network that also included a preseason all-conference team . No Badgers made that team, but based on that vote, the team’s best players are on defense. Safety Hunter Wohler, cornerback Ricardo Hallman and linebacker Jaheim Thomas, a transfer from Arkansas, were the three UW players who received votes.

Ohio State and newcomer Oregon finished 1-2 in the poll with the Buckeyes receiving eight first-place votes and the Ducks getting five.

Those teams were followed by Michigan and Penn State, which tied for third. Here is the rest of the pecking order: USC, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Washington, Rutgers, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, UCLA, Illinois, Indiana and Northwestern.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel was a unanimous choice for player of the year. Only one other player was a unanimous selection: Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka.

On the heels of the USA Today’s release, the Big Ten announced its preseason honors Tuesday. The league doesn’t name a preseason team or preseason player of the year, but a media panel selected a 12-player list. No Badgers made the list.

More: Wisconsin has a history with new Big Ten members Oregon, USC, Washington and UCLA

Big Ten preseason honors

Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa; Mason Graham, DT, Michigan; Will Johnson, DB, Michigan; Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan; Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon; Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon; Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State; Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State; TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State; JT Tuimoloau, DE, Ohio State; Abdul Carter, DE, Penn State; Kyle Monangai, RB, Rutgers.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Where do Big Ten writers predict Wisconsin football will finish in the conference?