Bleacher Report - Wisconsin Badgers Football

Madison Reflections: Wisconsin Has the Big Ten's Best Fans outside of Michigan

Julie Reichlmayr — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:41:24 -0500

Upon my arrival to Madison, Wisconsin, I was skeptical. Stories of an Ann Arbor-esque city, beautiful campus, and scenic downtown seemed a bit overzealous.

My first stop was the University of Wisconsin Union Building to pay a visit to the “Der Rathskeller” eatery. Traditional German-themed decorative touches gave an old-time feel to the locale, which was situated on one of three lakes surrounding the Wisconsin campus.

Even at four in the afternoon, the place was absolutely packed. Every few tables or so, a group of Michigan students or alumni feasted on soft pretzels, bags of popcorn, and an assortment of German beverages on tap.

I arrived in Michigan apparel, expecting at least a low-pitched “boo” or snide remark. What I found was nothing of the sort. Red and white comingled with maize and blue, making connections and conversation. Others obviously just arrived, like I had, to visit Michigan friends who now worked or lived in the Madison area.

After a quick stop in the Union, I decided to do a little sightseeing. Appropriately enough, the main drag, “State Street,” was certainly reminiscent of Ann Arbor. At one end sat the Wisconsin Union, and at the other the impressive Capitol building.

Again, I expected at least a callous remark; my Michigan Football sweatshirt was not exactly subtle. Instead, I was given some great advice on must-see attractions, stores, and local restaurants.

Well, I had to admit, this was not the typical away game atmosphere I had expected—a little “badgering” was certainly in my near future. But this was before game day. Certainly, things would be a bit more hostile.

I walked past the student tailgate scene with low expectations that Wisconsin students would greet the occasional Michigan fan with open arms.

After a short walk to Camp Randall amidst a sea of red, I was in disbelief to arrive unscathed. During the game—heck, even after the game—fans were courteous and kept ridicule to a minimum.

All in all, a positive experience in Madison. A little friendly rivalry is always to be expected, but it’s refreshing once in a while to encounter sportsmanship and good-hearted fun for the heck of the game.

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The Top 10 Wisconsin Football Teams of All Time

Sam Oleson — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:18:03 -0500

The Wisconsin Badgers have a long and storied history of football success. The first Badger football team took the field in 1889 and currently they have an all-time record of 612-464-53. They've won 11 Big Ten titles, 3 Rose Bowls, and have 2 Heisman Trophy winners. I know I'm excluding some good teams, but my list only includes teams from 1945 onward because I wasn't able to find team information from before then. Anyways, here's my list of the top 10 Badger teams of all-time.

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Wisconsin-Northwestern Preview: Giving the People What They Want

Jeff Robbins — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:58:08 -0500

Game Info:

Who: Wisconsin Badgers at Northwestern Wildcats.

Where: Ryan Field, Big Ten Network.

When: Saturday, Nov. 21, 2:30 PM CST.

Give the people what they want.

It’s the oldest axiom in show business and one that I saw confirmed this weekend as I attended two very different concerts—Sesame Street Live and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

There was nothing horribly wrong with the Sesame Street Live show, and my two-year-old daughter loved every minute of Bert, Ernie, and Elmo extolling the virtues of having a healthy imagination.

But myself, my wife, and—most annoyingly—my six-year-old son were forced to use our imaginations far too often during the show as we all imagined ourselves being somewhere far more interesting.

The only time the three of us snapped to attention was during the show’s finale of “I Don’t Want To Live On The Moon,” which was literally the only chestnut from the television show amid a bunch of new songs that paled in comparison to Sesame Street classics like “Doin’ The Pigeon,” “Monster In The Mirror,” and “Honker-Duckie-Dinger Jamboree.”

With that kind of rich songbook to cull from, the folks behind Sesame Street Live would be wise to just do the hits. You know, what the people want to hear.

In contrast, Bruce Springsteen concert Sunday night in Milwaukee was about the hits and long-standing concert favorites. Rosalita . Dancing In The Dark . Badlands . Hungry Heart . The entire Born To Run album played in sequence.

In short ,the 60-year-old rock legend gave the people what they wanted. And it was a tremendous show, perhaps the best E Street show I’ve seen.

Professional and collegiate sports, which are certainly close cousins of show business, are also about giving people what they want, and the Wisconsin Badgers did that tremendously last Saturday in what may have been their most impressive all-around victory of the season, a 45-24 whooping of Big Ten rival Michigan.

You like offense? Wisconsin piled up 469 yards, their second highest total this season.

You like balanced offense? (Coaches do.) Saturday’s win was by far the most balanced the Badgers have been all year, with 229 yards on the ground and 240 yards through the air.

You like big-name players playing big-time football? How about Scott Tolzien throwing for four touchdowns and rushing for one? A performance good enough to get him his second Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award of the season. How about John Clay gaining 151 yards and going over 1,000 yards for the season? How about freshman Chris Borland registering 11 tackles? How about O’Brien Schofield adding to his conference-leading 19.5 tackles for a loss?

And how about the defense holding Michigan’s league-leading rushing attack to an itty-bitty 71 yards on the ground?

Wisconsin’s done a lot of good things this year, but outside of perhaps their running game and rush defense, they haven’t been particularly consistent.

Can they follow up last week’s pounding of Michigan with perhaps an equally impressive victory over a Northwestern team that has improved mightily since the last time the Badgers faced them in 2006?

Let’s look at the Channel 3000 three storylines for Saturday’s Big Ten finale:

Revenge Part II

Much was made about Bret Bielema and the Badgers seeking retribution over Michigan last week, but there is an even stronger vengeance plot here.

Saturday’s game is the first meeting between these teams since Bielema fired former Badgers defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz after the 2007 season. Hankwitz, now the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator, has done just fine in Evanston, as the Wildcats finished fourth in the Big Ten in team defense last year (four places higher than Wisconsin) and currently rank in the top half of the conference defenses in 2009.

The ousting of Hankwitz from Madison was by all accounts not amicable (Bielema this week admitted that “I’m sure I’m not very popular in the Hankwitz household), and you can be sure that Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald is plotting with Hankwitz on ways to settle the score with Hankwitz's former boss.

Look for the Wildcats—who have forced six turnovers in their last two games—to play very aggressively on defense. If John Clay can hold on to the football and if the Badgers offensive line can protect Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin should be able to create some big plays out of what could be an overzealous Northwestern defensive game plan.

Finishing Strong Part I

The window hasn’t completely closed on Wisconsin earning a share of the Big Ten conference title They need to Michigan to beat Ohio State in order for that to happen. And although Ohio State’s excellence is overrated, Michigan’s awfulness is not.

Heading into Saturday, it seems that the 5-4 Packers have a better chance to come back and win the NFC North over the 8-1 Vikings than the Badgers have of winning a share of the Big Ten title.

But that doesn’t make Saturday’s game any less important. With a win, the Badgers should finish (assuming they beat Hawaii in two weeks) tied for second in the Big Ten, which would ensure them a very nice bowl invitation. With a loss, Wisconsin could finish fourth in the conference, which would leave them in a far less prestigious bowl.

Purdue Part II or Indiana Part II?

Mike Kafka, the Wildcats quarterback, has been one of the best quarterbacks in the conference on one of the most pass-happy teams in the Big Ten, with only Purdue throwing the ball more. However, Kafka’s efficiency has been compromised in the past two weeks due to a hamstring injury that has limited his mobility.

In recent weeks, the Badgers have faced two other teams who, like Northwestern, have effective quarterbacks and below-average running games.

Wisconsin was able to completely shut Purdue down on Halloween in a 37-0 blowout at home, but it was a different story at Indiana the following week. The Hoosiers’ Ben Chappell carved up the Wisconsin secondary for 323 yards on 25-of-35 passing attempts. (Indiana only earned 63 yards rushing in the 31-28 Badger victory.)

Either way, the Badgers should be able to emerge victorious, but if Kafka is able to get hot, it could be a nail-biter, which is not what Wisconsin fans want.

Predicted final: Wisconsin 27, Northwestern 21.

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Wisconsin-Northwestern: Badgers Are In for a Fight

Sam Oleson — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:51:46 -0500

If recent history is any indicator, Wisconsin better be prepared when they take on Northwestern Saturday afternoon.

It's been two years since the Badgers and Wildcats last played and I'm sure there are no complaints from either Wisconsin players or fans.

Northwestern has traditionally been one of the weaker teams in the Big Ten, but if there is any team that gives the Badgers more headaches in a "should-win" game, I'd like to hear it.

The last time Wisconsin played Northwestern, they trounced them 41-9 en route to a 12-1 record.

However, their meetings before that weren't so lopsided.

In 2005, after starting out the season 5-0, Wisconsin marched into Ryan Field brimming with confidence and expecting a sixth win in a row.

Final score: Northwestern 51, Wisconsin 48.

In fact, since their last Rose Bowl win in the 1999-2000 season, Wisconsin is only 3-3 against Northwestern.

Their record against the rest of the Big Ten? 47-35.

This year should prove no different. Sure, Wisconsin is 8-2, but Northwestern is 7-4 themselves.

Northwestern is never an easy win for the Badgers even when the Wildcats are in the Big Ten cellar.

This year, Northwestern is in the top half of the Big Ten and just beat the national championship-hopeful Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City.

Behind the arm of Mike Kafka, the Wildcats have flourished on offense this year, averaging close to 25 points per game.

For a defense as shaky as the Wisconsin's, this is bad news.

I'd like to say that the buzz around the UW campus is full of the same kind of anxiety that I'm feeling, but that's not the case.

For students, the last home game of the year essentially means the end of football talk.

Unless the Badgers are having an extraordinarily good year, this is the time of year when students start to worry more about schoolwork and finals than football.

Wisconsin-Northwestern isn't a sexy match-up by any means and it seems as though students are viewing the match-up as a footnote rather than a game that has serious bowl implications for the Badgers.

Based on recent history, let's hope Wisconsin doesn't see it the same way.

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Wisconsin Badgers at Northwestern WIldcats: A Badger's Take

Carl Stine — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:41:48 -0500

The last time Wisconsin beat Northwestern in Evanston, it was 1999.

They will try to do it for the first time this decade this coming Saturday.

After an abysmal 7-6 season in 2008, the Wisconsin Badgers have stormed back behind the rushing of John Clay and a revamped, better than expected defense.

This Saturday will decide the Big Ten conference Champion.

With a victory against the Northwestern Wildcats (likely), and an Ohio State loss to Michigan (not likely), the Badgers would be in a three way tie for first place in the conference.

Sophomore tailback John Clay has been the catalyst for the Badgers' resurgence. Clay has averaged 5.2 yards per carry while amassing 1124 yards and reaching the end zone 12 times.

Another point of interest for the Badgers this year is the balanced offense. Most years, the Badgers have not been much of a threat to pass the ball, but this season, behind quarterback Scott Tolzien, who ranks 34th nationally in passing efficiency, the Badgers have scored early, and often.

Wisconsin is second in the conference, scoring 31.1 points per game, behind only Michigan, at 31.3.

Northwestern has improved since early season games against Syracuse and Minnesota, with the offense moving the ball effectively, and he defense starting to clamp down in the last couple of weeks.

Also, Northwestern has found a way to win seven games this year, and is bowl eligible for the second year in a row.

Wisconsin will win if...

Mistakes are limited - The Badgers have been turnover and penalty prone at times this season, and Northwestern will look to capitalize on any mistakes.
Toon is involved - Receiver Nick Toon is emerging as a star. His second touchdown catch of the game against Michigan last week was an acrobatic, physical play. Should Tolzien find him, he will make plays.
Watt lights up -JJ Watt has been somewhat ignored this season, stuck in the long shadow cast by fellow defensive end, O'Brien Schofield. Watt will have a chance to make plays, as Schofield will be double teamed, and the blocking schemes will slant his way. Watt already has 10.5 TFLs on the year.

Northwestern will win if -

They limit big plays -Wisconsin has big play capability with tight end Garrett Graham and Lance Kendricks, Clay, Nick Toon and Isaac Anderson. And that is only on offense. Defensive end O'Brien Schofield is having a monster year, and Freshman linebacker Chris Borland has been a game changer at times for the Badgers. Northwestern must not let them hit the home run.
They contain Clay -John Clay is a monster, and will punish defenses. He will not be stopped, but if Northwestern can get an early lead and limit his carries, they can contain the damage he will do.

Wootton gets off - Defensive end Corey Wootton has registered at least one sack in each of his last four games, and is very quick into the backfield.

The Badgers have played very solid football recently, but so have the Wildcats. The Badgers will come out trying to establish the run, and will need to score early and keep Clay involved to win.

Northwestern will try to move the ball with veteran quarterback Mike Kafka, and hopes to improve on their bowl prospects with a victory over a BCS top 20 team.

Expect another shootout, with few turnovers, and some hard hitting football.

Prediction - Badgers 31 Wildcats 30

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Big Ten Football '09: Week 12 Preview

Carl Stine — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:01:57 -0500

The Big Ten can make the case for being the most exciting conference in college football.

Every team in the conference still had the potential to be bowl eligible going into last week's games.

Ohio State and Iowa lived up to it's billing as "the Clash of the Titans," being decided on a field goal in overtime. As long as Ohio State wins out, they've clinched a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Penn State and Wisconsin continued to roll, and Indiana, Purdue and Michigan were knocked from bowl contention.

This week several teams are jockeying for bowl position, rather than eligibility.

Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-5), (3-4) @ No. 13 Iowa Hawkeyes (9-2), (5-2) 12:00 ESPN

The Gophers should not even be bowl eligible. I don't think a win over a team named the Jackrabbits should qualify, but I don't have a say in the matter.

Iowa will have a hard time getting up for this game, and it will be closer than expected.

Gophers 20, Hawkeyes 24

No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes (9-2), (6-1) @ Michigan Wolverines (5-6), (1-6) 12:00 ABC

While Ohio State was winning last week, Michigan was getting pasted by the Wisconsin Badgers, 45-24.

Ohio State's announcers summed it all up last week, when after Devin Barclay kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime, the first thing they said was "What a good start to Michigan Week."

Look out Wolverines.

Buckeyes 41, Wolverines 17

No. 14 Penn State Nittany Lions (9-2), (5-2) @ Michigan State Spartans (6-5), (4-3) 3:30 ABC

Michigan State will try to boost their bowl status by upsetting JoePa's squad, but it won't happen.

Penn State running back Evan Royster will run all over the MSU defense, and the PSU defense will force at least three turnovers.

Sparty and the Lion will be involved in a knock-down-drag-out that will include at least three cheerleaders and two members of the PSU coaching staff...

PSU 35, MSU 21

Purdue Boilermakers (4-7), (3-4) @ Indiana Hoosiers (4-7), (1-6) 3:30 Big Ten Network (BTN)

This game is basically an exercise in futility. Neither one of these teams is going to a bowl game, and both of them have been just giving games to their opponents all season long.

If there is a way for both of them to lose, they will figure it out.

Boilers 34, Hoosiers 33

No. 16 Wisconsin Badgers (8-2), (5-2) @ Northwestern Wildcats (7-4), (4-3) 3:30 BTN

This may be the most interesting game of the week. Northwestern has won two straight games in which they were the underdog, and Wisconsin plays very miserable football in Evanston.

The Badgers have only suffered losses to OSU and Iowa, and are looking to finish with a 10 win season, and an outside shot at a BCS bowl, while Northwestern is looking to make it's bowl-stock rise with a victory over a solid Wisconsin team.

The Wildcats have veteran quarterback Mike Kafka who should pose some problems for the Badgers secondary, but will most likely make a costly turnover or two.

If Kafka and the 'Cats can avoid those mistakes, there will be an upset brewing on Saturday afternoon in Evanston.

Badgers 31, Wildcats 30

Bye Week: Illinois Fighting Illini

The Wisconsin Badgers John Clay has established himself as the front runner for offensive POY honors in the Big Ten, and the All-Conference team and other Conference awards will be announced in the upcoming week.

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Wisconsin Badgers Send Off Seniors, and Students, on a Positive Note

Sam Oleson — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:57:28 -0500

After a first half in which the Badgers played down to the Wolverines, Wisconsin made sure fans would leave Camp Randall Stadium for the last time this year with a smile on their face.

After leading only 21-17 at halftime, Wisconsin outscored Michigan 24-7 in the second half to blow out the Wolverines 45-24.

Saturday's game was also Senior Day and was the last time Wisconsin seniors, including Garrett Graham, Chris Maragos, and O'Brien Schofield, put on a red uniform at Camp Randall.

For their part, the students were into it the entire game.

Unlike the last home game last year, in which Wisconsin played Cal Poly and the student section never filled up, this year the students made sure to send the seniors off with a capacity crowd and inspired cheers.

No, the student section wasn't even close to being full when the game started, but it seemed to fill up quicker than normal.

Students also stayed for the whole game, which is usually not the case in a lopsided game like this.

In many cases, after "Jump Around" in between the third and fourth quarters, students will bolt and leave about a half-full student section by the end of the game.

Not the case Saturday.

As the seniors walked off the field for the last time, they were met by a full student section grateful for four years of service and an unexpectedly good 2009 campaign.

After beating down the Wolverines the way they did, there was definitely a sense of hope floating around the air among Wisconsin fans.

Comments such as "a BCS bowl may not be out the question" and "maybe Bret Bielema's not that bad of a coach after all" were some of the more noticeable ones I heard.

After that performance, I guess I would tend to agree with them.

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