The new year is arriving and the Wisconsin Badgers are getting prepared to kick off the second part of their season, with the extended conference slate opening up on Friday against the Iowa Hawkeyes.
At the break, the Badgers stand 10-3, while losing both of their Big Ten games thus far during a three-game losing streak back in early December. That prompted a drop from No. 11 in the AP Top 25 to unranked in a matter of two weeks, and Wisconsin will open the new year outside of the rankings as well.
The expectations were lower for the Badgers this season, as they were projected to finish 12th in the Big Ten in the preseason media poll.