Template:Infobox NCAA football school
The Wisconsin Badgers football team is the intercollegiate football team of University of Wisconsin–Madison. The Badgers have competed in the Big Ten Conference since its formation in 1896. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football. Wisconsin has had two Heisman Trophy winners, Alan Ameche and Ron Dayne, and have had eight former players inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. As of September 8, 2013, the Badgers have an all-time record of 646–476–51.[1]
Team name origin
The team's nickname originates in the early history of Wisconsin. In the 1820s and 1830s, prospectors came to the state looking for minerals, primarily lead. Without shelter in the winter, the miners had to "live like badgers" in tunnels burrowed into hillsides.[2]
Team history
- See also: List of Wisconsin Badgers football seasons
The early years (1899–1912)
The first Badger football team took the field in 1889, losing the only two games it played that season. In 1890, Wisconsin earned its first victory with a 106–0 drubbing of Whitewater Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater), still the most lopsided win in school history. However, the very next week the Badgers suffered what remains their most lopsided defeat, a humiliating 63–0 loss at the hands of the University of Minnesota. Since then, the Badgers and Gophers have met 122 times, making Wisconsin vs Minnesota the most-played rivalry in the Football Bowl Subdivision.[3]
Upon the formation of the Big Ten conference in 1896, Wisconsin became the first-ever conference champion with a 7–1–1 record. Over the next ten years, the Badgers won or shared the conference title three more times (1897, 1901, and 1906), and recorded their first undefeated season, going 9–0–0 (1901). With the exception of their second undefeated season in 1912, in which they won their fifth Big Ten title.
The climb back to dominance (1942–1962)
1942 was an important year for Wisconsin football. On October 24, the #6 ranked Badgers defeated the #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes at Camp Randall, catapulting Wisconsin to the #2 spot in the AP poll. Unfortunately for the Badgers, their national championship hopes were dashed in a 6–0 defeat by the Iowa Hawkeyes the following week. Nevertheless, Wisconsin won the remainder of its games, finishing the season 8–1–1 and #3 in the AP, while garnering the Helms Athletic Foundation vote for National Champion.
The Badgers experienced great success during the 1950s, finishing in the AP Top 25 eight times that decade. In 1952, the team received its first #1 ranking by the Associated Press. That season, the Badgers again claimed the Big Ten title and earned their first trip to the Rose Bowl. There they were defeated 7–0 by the Southern California, and would finish the season ranked #11 in the AP. In 1954 after a 7-2 season Wisconsin's Alan Ameche became the first badger to win the Heisman Trophy. Wisconsin returned to the Rose Bowl as Big Ten Champions in 1959, but fell to the Washington Huskies, 44-8.
In 1962, the Badgers earned their eighth Big Ten title and faced the top-ranked USC Trojans in the Rose Bowl. Despite a narrow 42–37 defeat, the Badgers still ended the season ranked #2 in both the AP and Coaches polls (post-bowl rankings were not introduced until later in the decade).
Wisconsin football experienced little success for the remainder of the 1960s, reaching a low point with back-to-back winless seasons in 1967 and 1968. After languishing through the 1970s, the team had a string of seven-win seasons from 1981–84 under Dave McClain. During that time the Badgers played in the Garden State Bowl (1981), Independence Bowl (1982), and Hall of Fame Classic Bowl (1984). McClain's death during spring practice in 1986 sent the Badgers into free fall. From 1986 to 1990, the Badgers won a total of nine games.
Return to relevance with Alvarez era (1990–2005)
In 1990, Barry Alvarez became the head coach of the Badgers and, following three losing seasons (including a 1–10 campaign in his first year), Alvarez led the Badgers to their first Big Ten championship and first Rose Bowl appearance in over 30 years. On January 1, 1994 Wisconsin defeated UCLA 21–16 to claim its first Rose Bowl victory. Over his 16-year tenure as head coach, Alvarez led the Badgers to two more conference championships (one outright, one shared), eleven bowl games (going 8–3), two more Rose Bowl victories (1999 and 2000), and a #4 ranking in the final AP Poll of the '99 season.
Bret Bielema era (2006–2012)
Following the 2005 season, Alvarez resigned as headcoach in order to focus on his duties as athletic director, a position he had assumed in 2004. He named his defensive coordinator, Bret Bielema, as his successor. From 2006 to 2011, Bielema led the Badgers to six consecutive bowl appearances (going 2–4). In 2010, the Badgers won a share of the Big Ten Championship and returned to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 2000. There they were defeated 21–19 by the #3 ranked TCU. In 2011, the Badgers were once again crowned Big Ten Champs when they defeated Michigan State in the first-ever conference championship game. The victory sent Wisconsin back to the Rose Bowl for a second consecutive year, where they were defeated by the Pac-12 champion Oregon Ducks, 38–45.
The 2012 season ended with the Badgers winning a third consecutive Big Ten title. Despite finishing with a 7-5 record and third in the Leaders Division, the Badgers advanced to the Big Ten Championship game by virtue of the fact that Penn State and Ohio State were ineligible for postseason play. A dominating rushing performance led Wisconsin to a 70-31 victory over #12 ranked Nebraska in the Big Ten Championship game. Only days later, Brett Bielema resigned to become the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Gary Andersen, formerly coach of Utah State University, was named head coach on December 19, 2012. Barry Alvarez named himself interim coach for the 2013 Rose Bowl, where the Badgers lost, 20-14 to Stanford.
Current coaching staff
All-time records
Victories over #1 ranked teams
Source: Wisconsin State Journal, 10/16/2010
Bowl history
- See also: List of Wisconsin Badgers bowl games
The Badgers have appeared in 24 bowl games and have a record of 11 wins and 13 losses (11–13). Their most recent bowl game was in the 2013 Rose Bowl.
All-time Big Ten records
This chart includes both the overall record the University of Wisconsin Badgers have with the all-time Big Ten members, as well as the matchups that counted in the Big Ten standings. Wisconsin has been a member of the Big Ten since its creation in 1896. Michigan rejoined the league in 1917 after leaving in 1906. Chicago withdrew after 1939, and then Michigan State (1953), Penn State (1993), and Nebraska (2011) joined afterwards.
(As of December 1, 2012)
All Data from The Wisconsin Football Fact Book[4]
Coaching history
Updated on: September 8, 2013
All Data from The Wisconsin Football Fact Book[4]
Rivalries
Current rivalries
Minnesota
- Main article: Paul Bunyan's Axe
The UW-UM series is the nation’s most-played rivalry in Division I football and has been played continuously since 1907. Much prestige was always associated with the game, and the significance was emphasized with its place on the schedule. Between 1933 and 1982, the Wisconsin-Minnesota game was always the final regular-season contest for each school. The series took an added twist in 1948 when more than state bragging rights were on the line. After a 16-0 setback that season, the Wisconsin lettermen's group, the National 'W' Club, presented Minnesota with an axe wielded by Paul Bunyan. He was the mythical giant of Midwestern lumber camps. Each year since, the winner of the annual battle between the Big Ten rivals is presented with the axe, complete with scores inscribed on the handle, for display on its campus.
Iowa
- Main article: Iowa–Wisconsin football rivalry
Iowa is Wisconsin's other arch rival. Although the rivalry started in 1894, the Heartland Trophy was inaugurated in 2004 and goes each year to the winner. The trophy was designed and crafted by artist and former Iowa football player Frank Strub. The trophy, which is a bull mounted on a walnut base (native to both Wisconsin and Iowa), has been inscribed with the scores of all games in the long-time series. With Big Ten expansion, the Wisconsin and Iowa football teams were placed in separate divisions, thus ending their annual rivalry. The teams now play each other four out of every ten years. However, with the addition of Maryland and Rutgers, Iowa and Wisconsin will be placed back in the same division in 2014. The series is tied at 42-42-2.
Inactive rivalries
Marquette
From 1904 to 1960 Wisconsin forged an intense rivalry with the Marquette Golden Avalanche. During this time these two schools were the only two Division I football in the state of Wisconsin (Marquette being located in Milwaukee). These two schools played every year from 1932 to 1960 until Marquette terminated their football program. The Badgers won the series record 32-4. Marquette no longer has a Division I football program.
Individual school records
Rushing records
- Most rushing attempts, career: 1220, Ron Dayne (1996–99)
- Most rushing attempts, season: 356, Montee Ball (2012)
- Most rushing attempts, game: 50, Ron Dayne (November 9, 1996 vs Minnesota Golden Gophers)
- Most rushing yards, career: 7,125, Ron Dayne (1996–99)
- Most rushing yards, season: 2,109, Ron Dayne (1996)
- Most rushing yards, game: 339, Ron Dayne (November 30, 1996 vs. Hawaiʻi Warriors)
- Highest average yard per carry, career (min 300 att.): 5.84, Ron Dayne (1996–99)
- Highest average yard per carry, season (min 100 att.): 6.75, Troy King (1982)
- Highest average yard per carry, game (min 10 att.): 14.9, Ken Starch (September 28, 1974 vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers)
- Most rushing touchdowns, career: 77, Montee Ball (2009-2012)
- Most rushing touchdowns, season: 33, Montee Ball (2011)
- Most rushing touchdowns, game: 5, Billy Marek (November 23, 1974 vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers), Anthony Davis (November 23, 2002 vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers), and Brian Calhoun (October 29, 2005 vs. Illinois Fighting Illini)
- Most games with at least 100 rushing yards, career: 33, Ron Dayne (1996–99)
- Most games with at least 100 rushing yards, season: 11, Brent Moss (1993)
- Most games with at least 200 rushing yards, career: 14, Ron Dayne (1996–99)
- Most games with at least 200 rushing yards, season: 5, Ron Dayne (1996)
Passing records
- Most passing attempts, career: 1,052, Darrell Bevell (1992–95)
- Most passing attempts, season: 333, Tyler Donovan (2007)
- Most passing attempts, game: 54, Randy Wright (November 5, 1983 vs Iowa)
- Most passing completions, career: 646, Darrell Bevell (1992–95)
- Most passing completions, season: 225, Russell Wilson (2011)
- Most passing completions, game: 35, Darrell Bevell (November 18, 1995 vs. Iowa)
- Most passing yards, career: 7,686, Darrell Bevell (1992–95)
- Most passing yards, season: 3,175, Russell Wilson (2011)
- Most passing yards, game: 423, Darrell Bevell (October 23, 1993 vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers)
- Highest completion percentage, career: 68.1 (410–602), Scott Tolzien (2008–10)
- Highest completion percentage, season: 72.9 (194–266), Scott Tolzien (2010)
- Highest completion percentage, game (min 10 att.): 94.4 (17–18), Darrell Bevell (October 9, 1993 vs. Northwestern Wildcats)
- Most passing touchdowns, career: 59, Darrell Bevell (1992–95)
- Most passing touchdowns, season: 33, Russell Wilson (2011)
- Most passing touchdowns, game: 5, Darrell Bevell (September 4, 1993 vs. Nevada Wolf Pack), and Jim Sorgi (November 15, 2003 vs Michigan State Spartans)
- Highest pass efficiency rating, career: 153.2, Scott Tolzien (2008–10)
- Highest pass efficiency rating, season: 191.8, Russell Wilson (2011)
- Highest pass efficiency rating, game (min 15 att.): 296.68, John Stocco (September 30, 2006 vs. Indiana Hoosiers)
- Most games with at least 200 passing yards, career: 17, John Stocco (2003–06)
- Most games with at least 200 passing yards, season: 8, John Stocco (2005), Russell Wilson (2011)
Receiving records
- Most receptions, career: 202, Brandon Williams (2002–05)
- Most receptions, season: 75, Lee Evans (2001)
- Most receptions, game: 13, Matt Nyquist (November 18, 1995 vs Iowa)
- Most receiving yards, career: 3,468, Lee Evans (1999–2003)
- Most receiving yards, season: 1,545, Lee Evans (2001)
- Most receiving yards, game: 258, Lee Evans (November 15, 2003 vs. Michigan State)
- Highest average yards per reception, career (min 50 rec.): 20.1, Tony Simmons (1994–97)
- Highest average yards per reception, season (min 30 rec.): 21.3, Larry Mialik (1970)
- Highest average yards per reception, game (min 3 rec.): 47.3, Larry Mialik (October 3, 1970 vs. Penn State Nittany Lions)
- Most touchdown receptions, career: 27, Lee Evans (1999–2003)
- Most touchdown receptions, season: 13, Lee Evans (2003)
- Most touchdown receptions, game: 5, Lee Evans (November 15, 2003 vs. Michigan State Spartans)
- Most consecutive games with a reception, career: 38, Lee Evans (1999–2003)
Scoring records
- Most points scored, career: 578, Montee Ball (2009–2012)
- Most points scored, season: 236, Montee Ball (2011)
- Most points scored, game: 30, Billy Marek (November 23, 1974 vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers), Anthony Davis (November 23, 2002 vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers), Lee Evans (November 15, 2003 vs. Michigan State Spartans), Brian Calhoun (September 3, 2005 vs. Bowling Green Falcons and October 29, 2005 vs. Illinois Fighting Illini), and P.J. Hill (September 15, 2007 vs. The Citadel Bulldogs)
- Most touchdowns scored, career: 83, Montee Ball (2009–2012)
- Most touchdowns scored, season: 39, Montee Ball (2011)
- Most touchdowns scored, game: 5, Billy Marek (November 23, 1974 vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers), Anthony Davis (November 23, 2002 vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers), Lee Evans (November 15, 2003 vs. Michigan State Spartans), Brian Calhoun (September 3, 2005 vs. Bowling Green Falcons and October 29, 2005 vs. Illinois Fighting Illini), and P.J. Hill (September 15, 2007 vs. The Citadel Bulldogs)
- Most extra points, career: 207, Philip Welch (2008–11)
- Most extra points, season: 67, Philip Welch (2010)
- Most extra points, game: 11, Philip Welch (November 13, 2010 vs. Indiana Hoosiers)
- Most field goals made, career: 65, Todd Gregoire (1984–87)
- Most field goals made, season: 22, Rich Thompson (1992)
- Most field goals made, game: 4, Vince Lamia (November 20, 1976 vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers), Todd Gregoire (December 29, 1984 vs. Kentucky Wildcats and November 7, 1987 vs. Ohio State Buckeyes), Rich Thompson (September 19, 1992 vs. Bowling Green Falcons and October 17, 1992 vs. Purdue Boilermakers), Matt Davenport (November 7, 1998 vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers), Vitaly Pisetsky (October 23, 1999 vs. Michigan State Spartans) and Philip Welch (September 27, 2008 vs. Michigan Wolverines)
Kickoff/Punt return records
- Most kickoff return yards, career: 3,025, David Gilreath (2007–10)
- Most kickoff return yards, season: 967, David Gilreath (2007)
- Most kickoff return yards, game: 201, Jared Abbrederis (January 2, 2012 vs. Oregon Ducks)
- Most kickoff return touchdowns, career: 2, Danny Crooks (1969–71), Ira Matthews (1975–78), and Nick Davis (1998–2001)
- Most kickoff return touchdowns, season: 2, Ira Matthews (1976) and Nick Davis (1999)
- Most kickoff return touchdowns, game: 1, many times, most recent - David Gilreath (October 16, 2010 vs. Ohio State Buckeyes)
- Highest average per kickoff return, career (min 30 ret.): 24.6, Greg Johnson (1968, 1971)
- Highest average per kickoff return, season (min 10 ret.): 29.6, Ira Matthews (1976)
- Highest average per kickoff return, game (min 3 ret.): 42.7, Selvie Washington (September 21, 1974 vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers)
- Most punt return yards, career: 1,347, Jim Leonhard (2001–04)
- Most punt return yards, season: 470, Jim Leonhard (2003)
- Most punt return yards, game: 158, Earl Girard (November 8, 1947 vs. Iowa Hawkeyes)
- Most punt return touchdowns, career: 4, Ira Matthews (1975–78)
- Most punt return touchdowns, season: 3, Ira Matthews (1978)
- Most punt return touchdowns, game: 2, Earl Girard (November 8, 1947 vs. Iowa Hawkeyes)
- Highest average per punt return, career (min 105 ret.): 12.8, Jim Leonhard (2001–04)
- Highest average per punt return, season (min 15 ret.): 16.9, Ira Matthews (1978)
- Highest average per punt return, game (min 3 ret.): 52.7, Earl Girard (November 8, 1947 vs. Iowa Hawkeyes)
Defensive records
- Most interceptions, career: 21, Jamar Fletcher (1998–2000) and Jim Leonhard (2001–04)
- Most interceptions, season: 11, Jim Leonhard (2002)
- Most interceptions, game: 4, Clarence Bratt (November 20, 1964 vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers)
- Most interceptions returned for a touchdown, career: 5, Jamar Fletcher (1998–2000)
- Most interceptions returned for a touchdown, season: 3, Jamar Fletcher (1998)
- Most interceptions returned for a touchdown, game: 2, Bob Radcliffe (October 15, 1949 vs. Navy Midshipmen)
- Most tackles, career: 451, Pete Monty (1993–96)
- Most tackles, season: 181, Dave Lokanc (1972)
- Most tackles, game: 28, Dave Crossen (November 5, 1977 vs. Purdue Boilermakers)
- Most tackles for loss, career: 58, Tarek Saleh (1993–96)
- Most tackles for loss, season: 31, Tom Burke (1998)
- Most tackles for loss, game: 6.5, Alex Lewis (October 18, 2003 vs. Purdue Boilermakers)
- Most quarterback sacks, career: 33, Tarek Saleh (1993–96)
- Most quarterback sacks, season: 22, Tom Burke (1998)
- Most quarterback sacks, game: 6, Tim Jordan (October 19, 1985 vs. Northwestern Wildcats)
- Most fumbles forced, career: 14, Chris Borland (2009–13)
- Most fumbles recovered, career: 7, Dan Batsch (1987–90) and Scott Nelson (1990–93)
- Most fumbles recovered, season: 5, Ed Bosold (1972)
- Most fumbles recovered, game: 3, Michael Reid (November 16, 1985 vs. Ohio State Buckeyes)
- Most passes defended, career: 62, Mike Echols (1998–2001)
- Most passes defended, season: 25, Mike Echols (2000) and Jim Leonhard (2002)
- Most passes defended, game: 6, Mike Echols (November 6, 1999 vs. Purdue Boilermakers)
- Most blocked kicks, career: 8, Richard Johnson (1982–84)
- Most blocked kicks, season: 6, Richard Johnson (1984)
- Most blocked kicks, game: 3, Richard Johnson (September 15, 1984 vs. Missouri Tigers)
All Data from The Wisconsin Football Fact Book[4]
Honors
Retired numbers
1 Shafer only played 6 games for the team before his death of injuries received in a game on November 11, 1944. He was 17 years old.[6]
Individual award winners and finalists
The following players have been nominated for national awards. Players highlighted in yellow indicate winners:
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National Jewish Sports Hall of Famers
Current NFL players
| Wisconsin Badgers in the NFL
|
| NFL Draft selections
|
| Total selected:
|
261
|
| First picks in draft:
|
0
|
| 1st Round:
|
28
|
| NFL achievements
|
| Hall of Famers:
|
3
|
| Pro Bowlers
|
24
|
Future non-conference opponents
* The 2014 game against LSU will be played at Reliant Stadium
* The 2015 game against Alabama will be part of the Cowboys Classic held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.[8]
* The 2016 game against LSU will be played at Lambeau Field
References
Template:Reflist
External links
Template:Wisconsin Badgers football navbox
Template:University of Wisconsin–Madison
Template:Big Ten Conference football navbox
