THE OFFICIAL ONLINE MAGAZINE OF WISCONSIN ATHLETICS

DECEMBER 21, 2010 • VOL. 1 NO. 3 Varsity is published weekly by: Wisconsin Athletic Communications Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St., Madison, WI 53711

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Editor - Varsity Brian Mason | Email IN THIS ISSUE Mike Lucas’ Page 3 3 Iowa 26-27 Lead Writer Mike Lucas | Email By the Numbers 4 Badger Rewind: Iowa 28-29

Columnist FOOTBALL SEASON IN REVIEW Purdue 30 Matt Lepay UNLV 8 Indiana 32-33 Contributors San Jose State 10 Karl Anderson | Email Michigan 34-35 Paul Capobianco | Email Arizona State 12 Mandy Hansen | Email Badger Rewind: Michigan 36 Patrick Herb | Email Austin Peay 14 Allison Metcalf | Email Northwestern 38-39 Diane Nordstrom | Email Michigan State 16 Fiercly Focused 40-41 Photography Film Study 101 18-19 Looking at a special season David Stluka / Greg Anderson / Greg Dixon Inside Scott Tolzien’s preparation Bob Campbell / Neil Ament / Brian Lucas The Voice with Matt Lepay 43 Minnesota 20-21 Problems or Accessibility Issues? Ohio State 22-23 Email: [email protected] Badger Rewind: Ohio St. 24-25 © 2010 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved worldwide. HAVING A BALL There was no stopping sophomore tailback — who ran for four — and the Badgers in a 48-28 win over Michigan on Nov. 20 (Bob Campbell photo) PAGE 3 WITH MIKE LUCAS Bielema kept plans to ‘cap’ off season quiet

on windows and doors throughout tee any success in our first game,’’ he challenged them in no uncertain the Duffy Daugherty football com- Bielema said, eyeing the season terms to take care of business by plex in East Lansing. opener at UNLV, “or the last game doing everything the right way. To each his own. of the year – whenever it may At the start of the preseason UW coach Bret Bielema had Bielema had a different tact. Ad- be – is just do our work today. I training camp, Bielema demanded a mischievous smirk on his face dressing the optimism surrounding do believe they’re buying into that two things from his players. “I when he recounted how he was his UW program in mid-August, he thought and approach and good asked them to communicate, tempted to don a baseball cap for revealed how all of his players had things will come.’’ whether it is with coaches or team- his appearance in front of the me- “embraced’’ the expectations for a Bielema hasn’t stopped sell- mates,’’ he said. “And they need dia at last summer’s Big Ten Kick- successful year. But they had done ing them on that mindset. After to embrace physical toughness. If off meetings in . Bielema so in a realistic fashion by buying Sunday’s practice, he reminded they do those two things, we’ll have fought off the urge. into the “mentality’’ that he was his players of what it took to win a chance.’’ Too bad. It would have been pitching. a share of the Big Ten champion- A chance to “cap’’ off the season interesting to see what kind of reac- “The only way we can guaran- ship and a trip to Pasadena. And in the Rose Bowl. tion Bielema would have triggered if he had gone ahead with his plan and walked up to the podium wearing the cap – it was not any old baseball cap, mind-you, but a black cap with the Rose Bowl insignia on it. Who knew then? Nobody in the room, save maybe Bielema, since the pundits tabbed the Badgers for third behind Ohio State and Iowa. If Bielema was really looking at the conference race through rose- colored glasses, he wasn’t telling anyone publicly. Bielema’s approach was the antithesis of how Michigan State handled lofty expectations – by plastering the Rose Bowl insignia on its locker room carpet and lami- Bret Bielema had visions of a Rose Bowl celebration in mind as the 2010 season got underway, but he kept those aspirations nated posters which showed up quiet while impressing upon his team the importance of taking the season week by week. BY THE NUMBERS 64.0 3 Football | Wisconsin scored on 55 of its 86 posses- Football | Of the 20 major individual sions (64.0 percent) during play, awards handed out to FBS players this season, the not including six possessions on which the Badgers Badgers have claimed three (, Outland ran out the clock to end a half. Trophy); (Scott Tolzien, Unitas Golden Arm Award); (J.J. Watt, Lott IMPACT Trophy). That’s the most of any 2,846 team in the nation. Football | The tailback trio of Montee Ball (881 yards), John Clay (936) and James White (1,029) have com- 43.3 bined for 2,846 rushing yards on 465 carries this sea- Football | Heading into the Rose Bowl, the Badgers son. Their average of 6.12 yards per carry has the and their opponent, TCU, are tied for fourth in the na- Badgers on pace to shatter their team record of 5.4 tion at 43.3 points per game. yards per touch in 1994.

No. 12 WISCONSIN 41, UNLV 21 No. 12 Badgers roll past Rebels in opener LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- A dominant effort on defense and a bruising rushing attack car- ried the No. 12 Wisconsin football team to a season-opening, 41-21 win ov er UNLV late Saturday, Sept. 4. The Rebels were opportunistic early in scor- ing a pair of defense-fueled touchdowns, but the Badgers responded with a stifling defensive performance and a healthy dose of their power rushing attack to rattle off 24 unanswered points in the second half and put things out of reach. Junior John Clay and sophomore Montee Ball ran for two touchdowns each and com- bined with true fresh- man James White to WHAT WE rack up 261 rushing KNOW NOW yards, while senior Badgers fans got Scott a glimpse of what Tolzien completed 15 things in Wisconsin’s favor just over a minute the air. was to come with of 20 passes for 197 into the second half when he scooped up a The Badgers held the ball for more than 38 the tailback trio of yards. forced by junior J.J. Watt and rumbled minutes -- including an opening drive that ate Montee Ball, John In all, the Badgers 20 yards for a . nearly half of the first quarter -- and averaged Clay and James racked up 475 yards Combined with a 33-yard field goal from 6.8 yards per play by rushing for 278 yards and White combining of offense while limit- Philip Welch on the Badgers’ next offensive throwing for 197 more. for four touchdown ing UNLV to 217 total possession and touchdown runs by Clay and Any thoughts the Rebels had of hanging with runs. UW’s 24-point yards. Ball minutes later, the score offered more than the Badgers evaporated into the desert night third quarter also “My hat goes off to enough breathing room for UW. when UW put together a 24-point third quarter. was an early sign of the defense because That’s because the Badgers’ defensive unit Ball finished the day with 79 yards on 16 car- just how dominant I thought they played suffocated UNLV. The Rebels were just 4-for-14 ries as a third of the Badgers’ tailback trio. Clay the Badgers’ offense well all day,” head on third down, and UW won the time-of-posses- tallied 123 yards -- and averaged 7.2 yards per would become. coach Bret Bielema said. sion battle by nearly 17 minutes. carry -- while White racked up 59. An Before an 18-yard run by C.J. Cox late in the “We all got a chance to get out there and return for touchdown in the first quarter and a third quarter, the Rebels had managed just 16 show what we can do, and we all did some fumble recovery that led to a score in the sec- yards of total offense. good things,” Clay said. ond period kept the Rebels close at halftime, On the flip side, Wisconsin’s offensive unit but it was all Badgers after intermission. did what it does best in managing the clock with STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE Junior defensive back Aaron Henry turned a balanced attack on the ground and through ON UWBadgers.com

No. 11 WISCONSIN 27, SAN JOSE STATE 14 Clay helps Badgers run past Spartans, 27-14 MADISON, Wis. -- A pair of John Clay touchdowns and a solid defensive effort helped the No. 11 Wisconsin football team weather an up-and-down day offensively and score a 27-14 win over San Jose State ia Camp Randall Sta- dium on Saturday, Sept. 11 Clay registered his eighth-consecutive 100- yard rushing game and found the end zone twice, while the Badgers’ defense held the Spartans to just 55 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. It was enough to overcome a day that saw the UW offense fumble the ball four times and convert on only four of seven red zone chanc- es. “I told the team af- WHAT WE terward that if I came KNOW NOW in that locker room Wisconsin learned and they weren’t from the four fum- disappointed, I was touchdown and an interception. The score made it 27-7 Badgers, with the bles it put on the going to be disap- His favorite target was freshman wide receiv- Spartans tacking on another passing touch- ground in a closer- pointed in them,” er Jared Abbrederis, who tallied a team-high down in the fourth quarter to provide the final than-expected win head coach Bret five receptions for 58 yards. Senior tight end margin. over the Spartans. Bielema said. “I know Lance Kendricks hauled in three passes for 60 The Badgers went into halftime with a 17-0 After fumbling five that they expect to yards, including a first-half touchdown. lead after an opening 30 minutes that ran hot times in their first be good. Two things The defense’s only real breakdown of the and cold offensively. two games, the Bad- I’ve never questioned day, came as San Jose State quarterback Jor- The lead was largely due to the efforts of the gers put the ball on with these guys are dan La Secla hooked up with Chandler Jones defense, which held the Spartans to 110 total the ground only six their effort and their on a 37-yard touchdown pass. yards and a combined 2-for-9 mark on third- times in their last 10 desire to be success- The Badgers’ offense responded with a great and fourth-down attempts. contests— and only ful.” effort when it got the ball back, however. Tolzien “We started out really fast,” said J.J. Watt, one of those result- Clay finished the led a 10-play march in which he went 3-for-3 who blocked a field goal and finished with three ed in a turnover. day with 137 yards to go along with his with connections to Abbrederis (14 yards), Ken- tackles-for-loss. “The second half, we need to scores, while Montee dricks (25) and Kyle Jefferson (18) to set the finish better, but we can come in tomorrow and Ball contributed 31 yards and true freshman stage for a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Clay. watch film and start improving.” James White added 25 more out of the back- “You’ve just got to stay locked in,” Clay said. field. Senior quarterback Scott Tolzien went “When my time comes to go in, I just have to STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE 15-for-22 for 191 yards and finished with a keep going with that rhythm I had before.” ON UWBadgers.com

No. 11 WISCONSIN 20, ARIZONA STATE 19 Blocked kick seals 20-19 win for Badgers MADISON, Wis. -- Special teams appeared to be the Wisconsin football team’s Achilles heel early Saturday, Sept. 18. In the end, it was the special teams unit that saved the day for the No. 11 Badgers in a 20- 19 win over Arizona State in front of a sellout crowd of 81,332 at . Senior safety Jay Valai - at just 5-foot-9 - got a hand on the extra-point attempt of Arizona State kicker Thomas Weber late in the fourth quarter and kept what would have been the game-tying point off the board. The blocked kick preserved the Badgers’ 27th-consecutive regular-season win over a non-conference foe and helped UW WHAT WE improve to 3-0 for the KNOW NOW seventh-consecutive After some special season. teams miscues, Jay It also capped a UW’s defense held the Sun Devils to just 12 Junior defensive end Louis Nzegwu led the Valai’s clutch kick wild game that saw offensive points while the Badgers piled up 440 way for an injury-depleted defense with seven block and Shelton the Sun Devils return yards of offense. total stops, including a pair of tackles-for-loss Johnson’s touch- one UW kickoff for Senior tailback John Clay posted his ninth- and a sack. Cornerback Niles Brinkley and line- down-saving tackle a touchdown - and consecutive 100-yard rushing game with 123 backer Culmer St. Jean had six tackles apiece. on a kickoff return nearly break another yards on 22 carries - including the go-ahead The defense held ASU quarterback Steven just before the half for a score. touchdown in the third quarter. Threet to 211 yards through the air on 21-for-33 swung some special “We did enough The offense spread the ball around through passing - and did not allow a passing touch- teams karma in the good things to win the air, as well, with quarterback Scott Tolzien down. Badgers direction. this football game, connecting on 19 of 25 passes for 246 yards Together with Valai’s blocked PAT - UW’s first From this point for- but we have to cor- and a touchdown. Senior tight end Lance Ken- since 2005 -- the offensive and defensive ef- ward, special teams rect and move past dricks was on the receiving end of that passing fort was enough to overcome a 97-yard kickoff became a major as- anything that can score and caught seven passes for a career- return for touchdown by ASU’s Omar Bolden in set for the Badgers. prevent us from win- ning in the future,” high total of 131 yards. the first quarter. UW head coach Bret Senior wide receiver Isaac Anderson also “We came out with a victory, that’s all that Bielema said. “I really just like the resolve of had five grabs for 42 yards, while junior tailback matters,” Valai said. these guys and the way they handle their busi- Montee Ball had four catches for 38 yards and ness.” freshman receiver Jared Abbrederis hauled in STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE three balls for 35 yards. ON UWBadgers.com

No. 11 WISCONSIN 70, AUSTIN PEAY 3 Badgers dominate non-conference finale, 70-3

MADISON, Wis. -- A nearly flawless day on both sides of the ball Saturday allowed the No. 11 Wisconsin football team to roll past Austin Peay for a dominant 70-3 win in the Badgers’ non-conference finale at Camp Randall Sta- dium. The Badgers (4-0) were unstoppable on of- fense and mixed efficient passing with a bruis- ing rushing attack to score touchdowns on each of their first nine possessions. On the other side, UW’s defense surren- dered just 157 yards and held the Governors (2-2) out of the end zone. Austin Peay’s only score came on a 51-yard field goal by Stephen Stansell just inside the second quarter. WHAT WE After that, the KNOW NOW Badgers scored 56 Toppling a nearly unanswered points 50-year-old school on their way to the Freshman tailback James White carried a 35-point second quarter. record for scor- highest-scoring big portion of the load with four rushing touch- UW’s defense held the Governors to a mere ing, the Badgers’ game in school his- downs as one of four Badger running backs to 8 rushing yards on 16 carries in the half, and 70-point perfor- tory. UW’s 70 points find the end zone on the day. By totaling 145 Austin Peay gained only another 79 yards on mance seemed like eclipsed the previous yards, he also combined with senior John Clay 6-for-12 passing by Jake Ryan. a once-in-a-lifetime record of 69 set in a (118 yards) to give the Badgers a pair of 100- Those 87 yards of total offense were in fireworks display. win over New Mexico yard rushers for the first time this season. comparison to the 418 yards the Badgers piled However, it ended State in 1962. Senior quarterback Scott Tolzien also got the up behind Tolzien’s efficient passing and a bal- up as one of three “What we really job done through the air by completing 15 of 17 anced rushing attacked spearheaded by Clay. games in which UW preached to the kids passes for 217 yards and three scores - all in It all added up to the Badgers’ most produc- tallied at least 70 was to play the game the first half. tive half of offense since hanging 51 points on points for the sea- the way it needs All told, the Badgers’ 618-yard performance Temple in the first half of a 65-0 win in 2005. son. to get played,” UW head coach Bret was the sixth-best in school history and marked White added two more rushing scores in the Bielema said. “I really the 11th time a UW team has gone over the third quarter - runs of 11 and 19 yards - before thought that, after the game got out of hand 600-yard plateau. For the day, the Badgers Montee Ball capped the scoring with a 10-yard a little bit scoring-wise and we started rolling moved the ball to the tune of 9.1 yards per play. scoring run in the fourth quarter. people through in all phases, offense, defense Wisconsin’s starters did most of the dam- and special teams, they continued to play really age in the first half, running the Badgers out STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE clean.” to a 49-3 lead at intermission. That included a ON UWBadgers.com

No. 24 MICHIGAN STATE 34, No. 11 WISCONSIN 24 Badgers fall to Spartans in Big Ten opener EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Kirk Cousins lofted a 1-yard touchdown pass to B.J. Cun- ningham on fourth down with 2:43 remaining, icing No. 24 Michigan State’s second straight win without coach Mark Dantonio, 34-24 over No. 11 Wisconsin on Saturday. Dantonio, who had a mild heart attack Sept. 19, planned to return for this game, but the Spartans (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) announced hours before kickoff that he had been hospitalized again Thursday because of a blood clot in his leg. Michigan State overcame three first-half turnovers to remain unbeaten heading into next week’s showdown at Michigan. WHAT WE With the Spartans KNOW NOW leading 27-24 late At the time, it was a in the fourth quarter, major setback to any Wisconsin (4-1, 0-1) hopes the Badgers couldn’t stop them had of winning a when they decided to Big Ten title. In the go for the touchdown running straight up the middle and then veering on 17 carries, snapping his streak of 10 straight end, however, head on fourth down near to his right after crossing midfield. Nobody on games rushing for at least 100 yards. James coach Bret Bielema the goal line. Wisconsin was in a position to catch him. White picked up the slack, running for 98 yards and the Badgers Cunningham’s Even without their coach, the Spartans and two touchdowns. point to their loss touchdown catch stayed aggressive, going for it three times on White’s 34-yard scoring run early in the third at Michigan State capped a 15-play, fourth down against Wisconsin and converting quarter made it 20-17, and Wisconsin stopped as the catalyst for a 84-yard drive that twice. Michigan State near the goal line on fourth remarkable seven- used up 7:57. Michi- On fourth-and-1 from the Wisconsin 48 down. But the Spartans’ defense got the ball game run that led to gan State kept the with about a minute remaining in the first half, back quickly, and Cousins threw a 1-yard touch- the Rose Bowl. drive alive with a Le’Veon Bell took a pitch to the left and raced down pass to Charlie Gantt with 2 seconds left 35-yard screen pass past the surprised Badgers for a 23-yard gain. in the third quarter. to Larry Caper on The play helped set up an 8-yard touchdown Scott Tolzien threw a 12-yard touchdown third-and-11 from its own 28. pass from Cousins to Mark Dell with 23 sec- pass to Jacob Pedersen for Wisconsin to make Despite its early turnover problems, Michigan onds left in the half. it 27-24 with 10:53 to play. State led 20-10 at the half. Keshawn Martin Cousins finished 20 of 29 for 269 yards and made it 13-10 at about the midway point of the three touchdowns with two . STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE second quarter, catching a punt at his own 26, Wisconsin’s John Clay was held to 80 yards ON UWBadgers.com A View from the Sidelines By Patrick Herb yardage on its seven third downs were 6, 7, 4, UWBadgers.com 9, 1, 4 and 37. Heading into Big Ten play, one of the Bad- The third-and-37 playbook is probably a little gers’ biggest weapons seemed to be their abil- thin. ity to control third down. Offensively, UW was On the flip side, Michigan State’s demoraliz- converting over 50 percent through four games ingly potent ability to make good on third downs and defensively the Cardinal and White were made UW’s comeback nearly impossible. Twice allowing conversions less than one-third of the during the second half Wisconsin cut the deficit time. to three points, but the Spartans seemingly Saturday at Michigan State, that strength always had the answer. became a crack in Bucky’s armor. MSU’s final drive typified the afternoon. The Badgers dug themselves into a 20-10 On three different occasions Michigan State halftime hole in part because of the offense’s converted third downs to move the chains, 1-for-7 seven performance on third downs. eat more time off the clock and wear down an QB Scott Tolzien routinely found himself in an already tired Wisconsin defense. obvious passing situation on third down, giving Michigan State (see Greg Jones) a chance to CONTINUE READING Aaron Henry’s fumble recovery in the second quarter blitz without conscious. In the first half, UW’s ON UWBadgers.com led to the Badgers’ first lead of the day at 10-3.

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By Mike Lucas UWBadgers.com UW quarterback Scott Tolzien hit pause and explained what he was seeing on the big screen hanging down in the offensive meeting room at Camp Randall Stadium. High safeties. Quarters coverage. Cloud. Cover 2. Footballspeak. Welcome to Film Study,101. “It’s amazing because I can still learn so much from watching film, and I honestly mean that,” said Tolzien, a fifth-year senior from Roll- ing Meadows, Ill. (Palatine Fremd). “I’ll see what I think I see on film and then I’ll go watch the same film with coach (Paul) Chryst and he just opens up your world to so much more and it’s like, `How didn’t I see that?’ “You can see it a thousand times and you can still get stumped now and then because the defensive coordinators are always trying to disguise what they’re doing. They know you’re studying your stuff, too, and they’re trying just as hard to try and confuse you. “The film doesn’t lie, either. I can’t tell you how many times in a practice or a game you’ll think you’ve seen something on the field. You’re sure that you saw a linebacker in the FILM STUDY 101 passing lane. But, then, you turn on the film, and there was no linebacker anywhere.’’ Tolzien, clicker in hand, turned his attention back to the screen. “When a play comes up, there’s always the scoreboard view for down and distance, your first-and-10, second-and-8 type of thing,’’ he said, going through his progression. “Secondly, I’m looking at the formation. There’s so much strategy involved and some of that strategy is getting locked into certain calls against certain formations. Right here, it’s first-and-10 from the left hash. Highlighting the two cornerbacks and two safeties, Tolzien said, “I’m always starting with In his second year as a starter, well-prepared and seemingly unflappable senior quarterback Scott Tolzien has the shell or umbrella, the defensive backs. First proven to be a reliable coach on the field for head coach Bret Bielema. thing we always note: Is it one high? Or two “What I see here is a weakness of the “I like watching film on my own because I high? That’s based on the safeties. And what defense on this particular play,” he said. “In can watch it at my own pace,” Tolzien said. “If we’re looking at here is a two-high look and I quarters coverage, this guy (outside linebacker) I need to rewind a play 10 times, I can do that. see a quarters coverage.’’ is responsible for the flat. But when we motion, It’s nice having coach right across the hall, too, Translation: the he doesn’t adjust, so he’s out-flanked in the flat so if I have any questions when the film session “I like watching left corner and and therefore Nick Toon is open.” is over I can go to him and get them answered.” safety are each film on my own That results in a pitch and catch, Tolzien to Across the hall is Tolzien’s mentor, Paul responsible for de- his favorite receiver, Toon. Chryst, the UW offensive coordinator. He’s because I can fending one-quarter “We put in a lot of time watching film as breaking down film from practice and taking watch it at my of the field. To the ,” Tolzien said, “and we want it that notes on a legal pad when Tolzien pops his other side of the for- way because we want to know where the ball is head into his office. own pace ... If i mation, the defense need to rewind going in every situation. You don’t want to look The unpretentious Chryst, feet propped on has made a “Cloud’’ like an idiot in front of 80,000 fans.” his desk, is in his element. Bantering with his a play 10 times, call or adjustment. Following Tuesday’s practice, Tolzien did a quarterback. A little food, a little noise (Country) I can do that,” “Meaning the handful of media interviews, grabbed some- in the background, a lot of film. All football. defense is going to Tolzien said. thing to eat at training table and showed up in a “Why do you watch the same things over and automatically play team meeting room to watch film. over?” Chryst posed rhetorically. “Every time a corner in the flat,’’ It’s 9 p.m. He will stay until he feels comfort- you watch it, you have to watch it with a differ- Tolzien said. “They have a Cover 2 to that side able with what he’s seeing. Until he grasps ent set of eyes.” with a deep half (safety) and flat player (corner- what he’s seeing. However long that might back).’’ take. Might be an hour. Might be longer. There CONTINUE READING Fast-forward to plainspeak. are no shortcuts. ON UWBadgers.com No. 20 WISCONSIN 41, MINNESOTA 23 Badgers cut down Gophers to retain Axe MADISON, Wis. -- Minnesota did its best The duo of Clay and White combined for 229 team-high 75 yards. to keep the ball away from John Clay, James rushing yards and five touchdowns on the day, Junior receiver Nick Toon had six grabs for White and the rest of the Wisconsin offense. including four in the second half, as the Bad- 52 yards, as well. With four straight touchdowns to open the gers ran away with the win. White finished with It was a strong day all around for the bal- second half, however, the Badgers made sure 118 yards and two scores, while Clay had 111 anced Badgers offense, which rolled up 250 they kept Paul Bunyan’s Axe away from their yards and three touchdowns -- the second time yards on the ground and had 223 through the Border Battle rival for a seventh-consecutive in three games that both have surpassed the air. UW scored touchdowns on all six of its season. 100-yard mark. red-zone trips, finishing with 30 first downs and Clay found the end zone three times and Quarterback Scott Tolzien was equally effec- converting 7 of 9 attempts on third down. White added two more rushing scores as the tive through the air, completing 17 of 23 passes Conversely, the Gophers managed only 96 20th-ranked Badgers (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten) plowed for 223 yards and a touchdown. Freshman wide rushing yards and were held to a 3-for-13 mark and passed their way to a 41-23 Homecoming receiver Jared Abbrederis was on the receiving on third-down attempts. win over the Golden Gophers (1-5, 0-2) in front end of that passing score, while senior tight end After a pair of prolonged drives allowed the of 80,328 fans at Camp Randall Stadium. Lance Kendricks hauled in five catches for a Gophers to hold the ball for 12 minutes of the second quarter and cut UW’s lead to 14-9 at intermission, the Badgers took the ball to start the third period and never looked back. Despite Minnesota’s stranglehold on the time of possession in the second quarter, the Bad- gers controlled the ball throughout the second half and, for the game, finished with a ball-con- trol advantage of better than eight minutes. UW chewed up 5:34 of clock to march 64 yards in 11 plays on its first second-half pos- session, a drive White capped with an 8-yard scoring run. Clay and White combined to run the ball on eight of the drive’s 11 plays. The Badgers worked through the air when they got the ball back, and they found similar results. Tolzien connected with Kendricks on a pair of passes to pick up first downs and then found him again on a 9-yard connection WHAT WE that set the table for KNOW NOW Clay’s rumbling 4-yard UW used nine plays to cover 76 yards on its to its own 5-yard line with a sack of Weber. A touchdown run. way to another score, including the 40 White short punt out of the Gophers’ end zone set UW As good as it felt to covered with four runs that included another 24- up with field position in Minnesota territory to get back on the win- Clay struck again on Wisconsin’s first yard breakaway. He was ruled out of bounds at start their second drive. ning track — and do the 1 after some nifty footwork but punched the That possession was more of the same, so against a trophy possession of the fourth quarter, an ex- score home on the Badgers’ next snap. with the Badgers steadily marching down field game rival — UW’s His second rushing score of the day staked before Clay used the push up front to stroll into win over Minne- pedited drive that saw the Badgers find the the Badgers to a 41-16 lead with 6:39 to play. the end zone from 1 yard out for his first score sota was signifcant The Gophers struck again on another Weber- of the day. because it kicked end zone in just five plays. David Gilreath to-McKnight connection from 29 yards, but the Minnesota grabbed momentum with their off a run of seven Badgers were able to grind out the rest of the long drives in the second quarter, but the dam- straight Big Ten opened things up with a 14-yard gain on an period to salt away the victory. age inflicted by those possessions was limited wins to close out In the first quarter, the Badgers appeared to as UW held the Gophers to a 24-yard field goal the Badgers’ confer- end-around, White added a 24-yard have the upper hand after holding the Gophers on the first and watched a botched extra-point ence championship on an early fourth-down attempt in UW territory. attempt on the second. season. breakaway run and Tolzien hit Gilreath for The Badgers took over and marched 69 yards The first-half numbers were much more bal- a 23-yard pickup to on their initial drive on the strength of power anced, statistically, with Minnesota gaining 162 set up Clay’s finishing move. running by Clay and White. total yards in the half to 156 for the Badgers. He covered the final 19 yards on a pair of The Badgers went to the air to cap the drive, Both teams had nine first downs, and the Bad- runs, including an 8-yard touchdown push. however, with Tolzien finding freshman Abbre- gers finished the half with 78 passing yards to Minnesota answered with a quick score on a deris on a quick pass from the 3-yard line to Minnesota’s 77. touchdown pass from Adam Weber to Da’Jon stake UW to an early 7-0 lead. McKnight, but the Badgers got back to business The defense again held firm when the Go- STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE on their ensuing possession. phers got the ball back, forcing Minnesota back ON UWBadgers.com No. 16 WISCONSIN 31, No. 1 OHIO STATE 18 HISTORIC HEROICS Big plays lift Badgers past No. 1 Ohio State

MADISON, Wis. -- The opening act was a It was a sequel 29 years in the making, as pointed out before we left the locker room that tough one to follow, but when the lights shone Wisconsin (6-1, 2-1) claimed its first win over we’ve been in four-quarter games this year and the brightest, the No. 16 Wisconsin football a No.1-ranked team since downing top-ranked I don’t think Ohio State had been.” team stepped confidently into the spotlight. Michigan in 1981. Gilreath staked UW to a 7-0 lead before the David Gilreath’s 97-yard touchdown return The win set off a celebration that spilled out offense even touched the ball, taking the open- on the game’s opening kickoff set the tone, but of the packed student section and onto the ing kick and streaking through the Buckeyes’ it was a late scoring drive that sealed the deal field. kick coverage for Wisconsin’s first kickoff return as the Badgers scored a 31-18 win over No. “You just felt the anticipation and the ex- for touchdown since Lee Evans took back an 1 Ohio State late Saturday, Oct. 16, inside a citement, but there was also calmness in our onside kick in 2000. raucous Camp Randall Stadium. preparation,” UW head coach Bielema said. “I Not to be outdone, the offense was just as productive when it got its chance. Junior tailback John Clay - who became the first player to rush for 100 yards on Ohio State in 29 games - finished the day with 104 yards on 21 carries and rushed for two scores. Freshman backfield mate James White added another rushing score in addition to 75 yards on the ground. Through the air, senior quarterback Scott Tol- zien was nearly unflappable. Despite an early interception, Tolzien completed 13 of 16 passes for 152 yards. He connected with junior wide receiver Nick Toon six times for 72 yards. In all, the Badgers totaled 152 yards passing and another 184 on the ground for a total of 336 on the night. Ohio State’s numbers were similar at 155 on the ground and 156 through the air for a total of 311. Clay carried the WHAT WE load to double the KNOW NOW Badgers’ advantage plunge. three points at 21-18. on UW’s first offensive The Badgers’ two scoring drives, which were The punch didn’t send the Badgers to the With Madison the both finished off by Clay, consisted of a com- canvas, though. In fact, they barely wobbled. focal point of the series. He toted the ball five times to cover bined 25 plays that consumed 13 minutes of The Badgers’ counter-punch came in the college sports world, clock. The Buckeyes, however, were far from form of a 10-play drive that covered 73 yards the Badgers deliv- 51 yards on the way to a rushing score finished. on the way to a 12-yard rushing touchdown for ered a clear mes- Pryor came out firing and went 7-for-7 for 86 freshman tailback James White. sage that the Big that made it 14-0 in favor of the hosts just yards through the air in the third quarter as he Tolzien opened the drive by completing 4 of Ten title fight was controlled an Ohio State offense that monopo- 5 passes - including back-to-back connections far from over with five minutes into the contest. lized the ball for 11:26 of the period. with Nick Toon for 29 yards - before handing the one of the biggest Despite that dominance in terms of time of keys to White. The freshman drove from there, wins in the history of The Badgers held the ball for 11 min- possession -- due in large part to a scoring covering the final 23 yards on the way to the Camp Randall — a drive that ate 9:56 of clock -- the Buckeyes end zone. victory they used as utes, 18 seconds of the opening quarter emerged from the quarter only one score closer The last 12 came on an ankle-breaking run a springboard for at 21-10. Dan Herron put that tally on the board that allowed White to trot across the goal line their stretch run. and largely kept the ball out of the hands when he broke free for a 13-yard touchdown for a score that bumped the Badgers’ lead back of Ohio State’s play- run five minutes into the quarter. to 10 points with 4:43 showing on the clock. making quarterback, Terrelle Pryor. The Buckeyes weren’t deterred by the Three incompletions led to a Buckeyes punt, Ohio State was limited to four first-half drives passion the sellout crowd showed during the and the Badgers sealed the win with a 41-yard that resulted in a pair of punts, a missed field traditional playing of “Jump Around” before the field goal off the foot of kicker Philip Welch. goal and just three points. final period, either. OSU continued its offensive The Badgers, meanwhile, built their lead to march, and Herron added another score and 21-3 after an exhaustive, 19-play, 10-minute successful two-point conversion early in the STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE drive that Clay capped with a 1-yard touchdown fourth quarter that drew the Buckeyes within ON UWBadgers.com Badger Rewind: Offensive line paves way for win over Buckeyes

By Mike Lucas UWBadgers.com When Lee Evans, the honorary captain for Saturday night’s game, addressed the UW football team, he needed no introduction. Ev- ans, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass in the 2003 upset of Ohio State, is the school’s all-time leading receiver and a No. 1 draft pick of the Buffalo Bills. What was his message to the players? “For anyone who doesn’t know Wisconsin football, this was their time to introduce them- selves to the nation,’’ Evans said. “Prime-time game. Everybody watching. What better stage?’’ Evans smiled and added, “This is their time to shine.’’ The Badgers literally took his words to heart during a convincing 31-18 win over Ohio State. The loudest statement was made by the UW offensive line, in particular, the tag-team combi- nation of left tackle Gabe Carimi and left tackle John Moffitt. “The O-line overall was really, really good,’’ UW coach Bret Bielema said Sunday after breaking down the film. “But those two (Carimi and Moffitt) stood out. And Pete Konz played a really good game, and Lance Kendricks was battling his tail-end off. They were clean and so much notice. Carimi has the utmost respect for Heyward. covering up guys.’’ “I definitely heard that,’’ Carimi said of the At the same time, he was motivated by the And they were the aggressor at the point of pre-game build-up for his matchup against competition. “I always seem to play better when attack. “They lined up toe-to-toe and beat us,’’ Heyward, also a projected first-rounder. “I don’t it’s a better opponent,’’ Carimi said.” I had a said Ohio State linebacker Brian Rolle. “They think he got any pressure (on quarterback Scott plan to attack hm. He’s a great player. A helluva lined up and beat us. That’s it.” Tolzien).’’ athlete. And he gave me my money’s worth.’’ Carimi needed no introduction to all of the Heyward had zero sacks, zero hurries. “It’s a Moffitt, meanwhile, introduced himself to NFL scouts who were in the press box. He smash-mouth game,’’ Heyward said afterward. any pro scouts who haven’t been following his has been on their radar since the start of the “It’s our defensive line versus their offensive development. In the process, he may have also season. Carimi is projected as a first round line. And we didn’t do a good of controlling the increased his draft stock. draft choice. And that’s why his dual with Ohio line. They were getting up and down the field “I think we all knew the importance of this State’s defensive end Cameron Heyward drew on us.’’ game,’’ Moffitt said. “And I think we all knew Badger Rewind: Offensive line paves way for win over Buckeyes

the meaning of playing Ohio State. Gabe played great. I played pretty good and the running backs did their job. Everything has to come together in a win like this.’’ John Clay and James White combined for 179 rushing yards. “They’re a great tempo change,’’ said Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. “A big power guy (Clay) and then the quickness of White.’’ Carimi and Moffitt credited the team’s preparation for the results. “We were on fire all week,’’ Carimi said. “We had a great week of practice,’’ Mof- fitt added. How does practice translate into perfor- mance? “It’s all about preparation,’’ Moffitt in- sisted. “We got to know their defense. We got to know what they did and we tried to maximize our possessions. It’s part of the learning process from the loss at Michigan State, where we didn’t have many posses- sions in the second half.’’ The Badgers had only one possession (five plays) in the third quarter against Ohio State. And that added to the mag- nitude of their first series in the fourth quarter, especially after the Buckeyes had moved within three points (21-18) of tying The offensive line, an- chored by, from left, cen- the game. ter Peter Konz, right guard “We knew that might be our last drive,’’ John Moffitt and right Carimi said. “Honestly, we only get one or tackle Gabe Carimi, drew two possessions per quarter with our style much of the praise follow- ing the Badgers’ 31-18 win of offense. And we thought we’d get this over No. 1 Ohio State. one, plus maybe one more in the two- minute (drill). That’s why we felt, ‘It’s on us now.’’’

CONTINUE READING ON UWBadgers.com No. 10 WISCONSIN 31, No. 12 IOWA 30 Fantastic finish propels Badgers past Iowa IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Wisconsin’s encore after down top-15 teams in consecutive weeks since “It was something we had seen on film,” knocking off No. 1 at home last week? Rallying 1954, when UW downed No. 11 Rice and No. 5 Bielema said. “Once I saw them put the punt for a win on the road in a thrilling rivalry show- Purdue. return unit there ... we gave them the call.” down. Scott Tolzien threw for 205 yards and a The week after Wisconsin knocked off then- Badgers head coach Bret Bielema stunned touchdown and John Clay added a pair of No. 1 Ohio State at home, the Badgers earned his alma mater with a fake punt midway through touchdowns for the Badgers (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten), back-to-back wins over ranked teams for the the fourth quarter, and Montee Ball ran 8 yards who pulled out a special teams gadget at just first time since 2004, thanks to a gutsy call. for a touchdown with 1:06 left as the 10th- the right time. “I thought the guys just responded really well ranked Badgers rallied to beat No. 13 Iowa Punter Brad Nortman ran 17 yards up the to adversity,” Tolzien said. “In any big game you 31-30 on Saturday. middle into wide-open field on fourth down from really got to keep your foot on that gas pedal, The victory followed UW’s triumph over then- his own 26 with Wisconsin trailing 30-24. The whether you’re up or you’re down you’ve got to No. 1 Ohio State last week and allowed the Badgers converted another fourth down with just continue to be in attack mode. You got to Badgers to secure the Heartland Trophy for the 3:23 left and Ball capped an 80-yard drive with be confident.” first time in three seasons. the game-winning score, breaking the goal line Iowa (5-2, 2-1) took a 30-24 lead on Michael It’s the first time the Badgers have taken with an outstretched arm holding the ball. Meyer’s 40-yard field goal with 8:35 left and No. 10 WISCONSIN 31, No. 12 IOWA 30

appeared set to take suck the life out of , but Derrell the Hawkeyes host unbeaten Michigan State WHAT WE control. Johnson-Koulianos quickly woke up the soggy next week with a chance to jump right back in KNOW NOW But Nortman’s run crowd. He got well behind the Badgers second- the race for the Rose Bowl. There was no let- changed the game. ary and snagged Stanzi’s pass for a 45-yard Iowa let up just 17 points in its first four down coming off What was expect- touchdown. games at Kinnick Stadium, but Wisconsin had the emotional high ed to be a Big Ten It barely phased Wisconsin. The Badgers its way with one of the nation’s best defenses. of toppling No. 1 a slugfest turned into went 51 yards in four plays and jumped back The Badgers jumped ahead 3-0 on Philip week earlier and the an offensive free-for- ahead 24-20 on Clay’s 2-yard TD run. Welch’s 33-yard field goal, but Hawkeyes re- Badgers stated their all in a sporadic rain. Stanzi answered back with his third touch- sponded on Robinson’s 1-yard TD run. Wiscon- case as one of the Wisconsin put faith down pass, a 6-yarder off play action to Marvin sin defensive end J.J. Watt blocked the extra nation’s best by go- in its offensive line McNutt with 10:16 left. point to keep it at 6-3, though - and that came ing on the road and and the 255-pound On the next play, Tolzien threw a pick to Brett back to hurt the Hawkeyes later. winning a slugfest to Clay, who barreled Greenwood, giving Iowa the ball on Wiscon- “It ends up being the game,” Bielema said. knock off a ranked 2 yards for a touch- sin’s 26. But the Badgers held the Hawkeyes to “It’s a good example of how our guys play every Big Ten rival for the down and a 17-13 Meyer’s 40-yard field goal and ate 7:29 off the snap.” second-consecutive Badgers lead in the clock before the winning score. week. third quarter. Iowa, which came into the season with na- STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE That seemed to tional title hopes, can forget about that now. But ON UWBadgers.com Badger Rewind: Unlikely cast help Badgers persevere against Hawkeyes

By Mike Lucas UWBadgers.com UW quarterback Scott Tolzien fielded a num- ber of congratulatory phone calls from family members following Saturday’s dramatic 31-30 victory at Iowa. But after the team’s four-bus caravan arrived back in Madison, he was less inclined to talk about himself than others. “My brother got his first college experience today,’’ said Tolzien, beaming. Sure enough, Mark Tolzien, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound junior, threw for a touchdown on his first collegiate pass attempt for the Holy Cross football team. Tolzien, who alternated with senior Ryan Taggart, had another scoring throw late in the second quarter for the Crusaders. All in all, the Brothers Tolzien had plenty to talk about. Taggart rallied Holy Cross to a 31- 24 win at Colgate by connecting on a 14-yard TD toss with 5.2 seconds left in Hamilton, N.Y. Meanwhile, Scott Tolzien had his shining mo- ments in Iowa City. Not that he was about to dwell on them. “Turned out well for Mark,’’ he said. Turned out well for Scott, too. “Can’t say enough good things about him,’’ UW coach Bret Bielema said. “I just admire the way he prepares, the way he executes. What you see from Scott on Tuesday, Wednesday Sophomore running back Montee Ball stepped in and carried the load for the Badgers against Iowa — including and Thursday is what you see on Saturdays his dramatic touchdown on UW’s game-winning drive. because he carries it into the game.’’ And what a game it was for the M*A*S*H-unit injuries in the first half. And, then, there was Billy is Bill Nagy, the versatile senior of- Badgers. center Peter Konz, who was nursing a foot fensive lineman, who has been serving as a “At halftime, I always go into the training injury coming into the game and didn’t practice second tight end in the UW’s jumbo formation. room to see where we’re at,’’ said Bielema, who until Thursday last week. Nagy took all the snaps at center Tuesday and was expecting the worst. “I knew there were “You could just see it in Pete’s face that he Wednesday. some guys dinged up.’’ wasn’t real confident to go back out there,’’ “Pete was cleared to practice Wednesday, In addition to playing without injured wide Bielema said. “He had given us everything he but I thought he was regressing a little and we receiver Nick Toon, the Badgers lost tight end could in the first half. And I just felt it was better decided to sit him out,’’ Bielema said. “That Lance Kendricks and tailback James White to to go with Billy.’’ gave Billy all those extra reps which may have Badger Rewind: Unlikely cast help Badgers persevere against Hawkeyes

been one of the reasons why he had success points in the game because Iowa had the ball (Saturday). It ended up being a good move.’’ to start the third quarter. Credit, though, UW There was no shortage of inspirational story- linebacker Kevin Claxton with helping reverse lines and Montee Ball might be at the top of list that momentum. only because he stayed ready despite falling to On third-and-3, Iowa quarterback Ricky No. 3 in the tailback rotation behind John Clay Stanzi completed a pass in the flat to his full- and White. back Brett Morse who was stoned by Claxton. “The last couple of weeks, Montee has come Morse lunged the ball forward past the first- up to my office and asked to be put on special down marker but a booth replay confirmed that teams because he wanted to do anything he he had been stopped at the 29 and the Hawks could to help out,’’ Bielema said. “His mom and were forced to punt. dad and little sisters were here today (in Iowa Tolzien completed six-of-six passes on the City) and just to see the grin on his face was subsequent possession, driving the Badgers 80 special.’’ yards on 12 plays, culminating with Bielema’s Maybe nobody was wearing a bigger grin gutsy decision to put the ball in John Clay’s than punter-slash-running back Brad Nort- hands on a fourth-and-goal from the Iowa 2. man, whose 17-yard gain on a fake punt kept Clay carried linebacker Lance Tillison into the a series alive and led to Ball’s game-winning end zone. touchdown run. “I was excited, I was nervous, I “He won the one-on-one battle,’’ Tillison said. was all of the above,’’ Nortman said. Clay picked up one yard on third down which Earlier this season, Eastern Illinois executed influenced Bielema’s decision. “I didn’t hesitate a fake punt for 36 yards against Iowa. Did Kirk one bit after we had something positive on that Ferentz see it coming from the Badgers? “Not previous run,’’ he said. “I also had an inkling from them in that situation,’’ said the Hawks that we’d be alright with John running behind coach. John Moffitt and Gabe Carimi.’’ It was fourth-and-4 from the UW 26. What if …

“It was a great call on their part,’’ Ferentz What if the Badgers didn’t receive a special J.J. Watt’s blocked extra-point attempt provided the added. knee brace for linebacker Mike Taylor in time one-point cushion that made the Badgers victorious Bielema kidded that Nortman could have for Taylor to contribute to Saturday’s victory? against Iowa. tacked on an additional five yards if he would “Over-nighted the brace,’’ Bielema said. “Got was unfolding? have kept running instead of sliding to the turf here Friday morning. I think it made him feel re- “Honestly, I’ve learned over the years that (even though that’s what Bielema had ordered ally good. I doubt if he’d be able to do what he you just have to believe in the guys on the him to do). did today without it.’’ field,’’ Tolzien said. “You put in so much work “I feel like ball security isn’t my biggest Taylor, who was playing with a strained knee during the off-season and you have to trust in strength,’’ Nortman conceded. “Coach even ligament, alternated with Claxton (who took one that work. So it would be foolish to doubt the said, ‘If you get into the open field, slide.’ I said, snap at defensive tackle in the final series be- situation or doubt the guys out there.” ‘No, coach, I’m going to score.’’’ cause the Badgers were running out of healthy The Badgers gave up a late score to the bodies). And it was Taylor who made the final Hawkeyes at the end of the first half which had tackle on Adam Robinson clinching the win. CONTINUE READING the potential to be one of the significant turning What was Tolzien thinking as that sequence ON UWBadgers.com No. 7 WISCONSIN 34, PURDUE 13 Ball lifts Badgers past Boilermakers, 34-13 WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Wisconsin wasn’t worried when it trailed at halftime against upstart Purdue. After all, the Badgers were in a similar situ- ation at Iowa two weeks earlier and came out with a win. So the Badgers skipped the motiva- tional speech some teams might use. “We knew we were going to come out and play Wisconsin football and play smashmouth football, and that’s what we do,” running back Montee Ball said. “We had a chance to come in, sit down and talk about what the goals were and our mistakes and we got a chance to cor- rect them, and we came out and performed.” It was that simple for the no-nonsense WHAT WE Badgers. Ball ran for KNOW NOW a career-high 127 The Badgers came yards and two touch- out of their much- downs, and No. 7 Clay was held to 42 yards on 12 carries. play-action fake, then found Jared Abbrederis needed bye week a Wisconsin rallied to Purdue led 10-6 at halftime, but Wisconsin’s near the back of the end zone for a 13-10 lead. little rusty, but even beat Purdue 34-13 defense dominated the second half. Antonio Ball added a 31-yard touchdown with 6:20 a slow start couldn’t on Saturday, Nov. 6. Fenelus returned one of Wisconsin’s three left in the third quarter, and although Wiggs keep UW’s high- Ball, who got extra second-half interceptions 36 yards for a touch- made a 35-yard field goal to cut Wisconsin’s powered offense work because starter down in the fourth quarter. The Badgers scored lead to 20-13, the Badgers added a pair of from topping the John Clay was a bit 21 points off the miscues. scores to put the game away - and remain in 30-point mark for the dinged up and No. 2 “We kind of saw their offensive plan,” Wis- the hunt for the Big Ten championship. sixth-consecutive running back James consin coach Bret Bielema said. “We thought “We have great character and we never give game. In fact, the White was out with a we might be able to get our hands on a couple up,” Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt said. Badgers scored at knee injury, had scor- balls and we talked about being opportunistic. “We have to remember if we get down, we’re least 30 in all eight ing runs of 31 and 15 Defensively, I thought our guys really played not out. In the second half, we played the way a Big Ten games. yards for the Badgers (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten). well in the second half.” first-place team should play.” “I knew I was going Robinson threw an interception to Culmer St. to play this game, get more carries than I did Jean on the third play of the third quarter, and before in a game situation,” Ball said. “I knew Wisconsin took over at the Purdue 18. the team was going to look at me and expect Wisconsin went for it on a fourth-and-1 from STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE me to carry the load. I didn’t want to let them the Purdue 9, and Clay powered for the first ON UWBadgers.com down at all.” down. On the next play, Scott Tolzien used a

No. 5 WISCONSIN 83, INDIANA 20 All Ball: Badgers score 83 in rout of Hoosiers MADISON, Wis. -- Behind six rushing since 1915 - while taking their sixth-straight win headed tailback attack of Montee Ball and touchdowns and three more through the air, a over the Hoosiers (4-6, 0-6). James White. Ball covered 167 yards on 22 dominant offensive attack led the No. 5 Wiscon- “I thought our guys took a very aggressive carries and scored the touchdowns, while White sin football team to a decisive 83-20 win over mentality,” UW head coach Bret Bielema said. toted 19 times for 144 yards and a pair of rush- Indiana at Camp Randall Stadium Saturday, “We talked about it. That was the last thing I ing scores. Nov. 13. said in the locker room, that we were going to Through the air, senior quarterback Scott Tol- In addition to rolling their fifth-consecutive be the aggressor today in all phases. zien completed 15-of-18 passes for 181 yards win, the Badgers (9-1, 5-1 Big Ten) matched “We weren’t going to let up an inch.” and threw three touchdowns to three different the most points ever scored in a Big Ten Con- The Badgers piled up 598 offensive yards, receivers. ference game -- and the most by a UW team including 338 on the ground behind the two- Wisconsin scored on all 12 of its offensive possessions, never punting and committing no turnovers. “For us to score that many points and play as well as we did, we are a very, very good football team,” Bielema said. We’re a good team that stays focused. If we do play poorly, we know how to get it back. There’s a lot of maturity with these guys.” On the other side, UW’s defense held a Hoo- siers offense that averages nearly 400 yards per game to 316 total yards and just two touch- downs. Defensive end Louis Nzegwu led the defense with five total tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss, a sack, a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble. The Badgers took the drama out of things with a 28-point second quarter. Answering an Indiana field goal that knotted the score at 10- 10 just into the period, the Badgers found the end zone on each of their next four possessions before the half. five-minute advantage. Ball put the Badgers up at the start, carrying Ball found paydirt first, going in from a yard The Badgers rolled up 281 yards in the half, five times for 50 yards on Wisconsin’s opening out for his second score of the day to make it including 145 on the ground for Ball, who aver- drive, a possession he capped with a 1-yard 17-10. The advantage doubled on UW’s next aged 7.2 yards on his 20 first-half carries. score to make it 7-0. drive, as James White broke off a 30-yard run “We didn’t come into the game thinking we After Indiana answered with a quick 80-yard around left end to make it 24-10. would score that many points, but the good drive to tie things up, the Badgers got a 32-yard Ball added another thing is that we kept our foot on the gas pedal,” field goal from Philip Welch to move right back WHAT WE score from 8 yards Tolzien said. “It’s easy sometimes, when you’re to the lead. Again, however, the Hoosiers had KNOW NOW out on UW’s next up like that, to just slow down and all of the sud- an answer as Mitch Ewald booted a 48-yarder possession and the den you get complacent. to knot things up at 10-all. After a 28-point Badgers finished off “But the guys did a good job of maximizing From there, however, it was all Badgers. second quarter and the half with a 4-yard every opportunity.” Wisconsin now turns its attention to its final 21 more in the third TD pass from Tolzien The scoring barrage continued in the second road contest of the season, an 11 a.m. meeting period, the Badgers’ to Nick Toon. half, with Tolzien twice finding the end zone with Michigan next Saturday, Nov. 20, in Ann backups tallied Two of UW’s four through the air on connections to tight ends Arbor. another 24 points second-quarter drives Jake Byrne and Lance Kendricks and White “We did some great things today and we in the fourth quarter lasted less than and Nate Tice both scoring rushing touch- have to carry that forward into next week’s to further clarify the a minute, but the downs. game against Michigan,” defensive end J.J. fact that slowing Badgers still put a In addition, Aaron Henry returned an in- Watt said. “We have to head into the Big House down UW’s bal- decisive hold on the terception 37 yards for a score and backup with an attitude and try to win a football game.” anced offensive at- time-of-possession quarterback Jon Budmayr went deep to find tack is a tough task battle and controlled wide receiver Jared Abbrederis for a 74-yard for opponents. STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE the ball for 17:23 in TD pass as the Badgers put up 45 points in the ON UWBadgers.com the first half - a nearly second half. No. 5 WISCONSIN 48, MICHIGAN 28 Answering the Big House call Badgers rumble to 48-28 win over Michigan in Ann Arbor

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Wisconsin’s throwback style of football pushed the program one step closer to its first Big Ten title since 1999. Montee Ball and James White combined for 354 yards rushing and six touchdowns, helping the fifth-ranked Badgers pound Michigan in a 48-28 victory Saturday, Nov. 20. “We’re playing as good as anybody out there,” coach Bret Bielema said. If the Badgers (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten) beat Northwestern next week at home, they’ll will win at least a share of the title and likely earn a trip to a BCS bowl. Michigan State, which handed Wisconsin its only loss, rallied from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Purdue and stay atop the Big Ten standings with the Badgers. The Badgers have done plenty for themselves by beating Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa in the same season for the first time since 1959. Wisconsin, which hadn’t won at the Big House since 1994, built a 24-0 lead at halftime against the Wolverines (7-4, 3-4) and essentially traded scores in the second half. The Badgers ran early, often and all over -- left, right and middle -- with a lot of success behind a huge and experienced offensive line that cre- ated huge holes against Michigan’s three-man fronts and blitzes. “I said, `They can’t stop our run game,”’ Bielema recalled telling his players. “Point blank, it’s just that simple.” Ball ran for 173 yards and four TDs on 29 carries. White had a career- high 181 yards rushing and two scores on 23 carries. They became the second pair of Badgers to run for 150-plus yards in a game, joining Billy Marek (226) and Ken Starch (184), who did it against Wyoming in 1973. “Wisconsin has always been built off the running game,” White said. “It’s a dream school.” The underclassmen duo allowed Wisconsin to overcome the loss of injured John Clay for the second straight week and helped the team set a school record with 40 rushing TDs, breaking the previous mark set in 1974. “What we do isn’t pretty,” Bielema said. “A lot of places, there’s a certain emphasis on being pretty and being individualized on players.” The Wolverines, bowl-eligible for the first time under Rodriguez, probably hurt their chances of playing in an upper-tier bowl with their latest loss and an upcoming challenge against Ohio State in the Horseshoe. Quarterback Denard Robinson -- who has thrown for 2,229 yards and run for 1,538 -- was 16 of 25 for 239 yards with two TDs, an WHAT WE interception and ran KNOW NOW for 121 yards and two The Badgers’ run- scores. He had just ning game again 22 yards passing and proved to be too 74 running before much to stop and halftime against the Badgers. UW grabbed its first last week’s 83-20 win against Indiana -- and and intercepted it. win at Michigan Sta- “Our whole focus was to stop him,” finished 14 of 15 for 201 yards with an intercep- “We enjoyed this one, but we’ve already dium since 1994 by tion. started to look to the next one,” offensive guard running over, around Wisconsin safety Aaron Henry said. “In He completed the only pass he attempted in John Moffitt said. “It’s time to finish this season and through Michi- the second half right.” gan’s defense. The the first half, we pretty much did.” Wisconsin essentially sealed the victory early win set the stage for STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE Robinson missed in the fourth quarter when defensive end J.J. a shot at the Big Ten Watt deflected Robinson’s pass near midfield ON UWBadgers.com title back in Madison a wide-open Dar- a week later. ryl Stonum on what likely would’ve been a TD after Ball’s first score gave Wisconsin a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter, leading to Seth Broekhuizen missing a 30-yard field goal that went off the right upright. Michigan shook off a sluggish first half offen- sively to score 28 points in the second half, but its struggling defense made that moot by allow- ing the Badgers to score 24 points in both. Robinson threw for a score and ran for another early in the third quarter, getting the Wolverines to within 10 points, but their defense couldn’t slow down the Badgers. Wisconsin’s Scott Tolzien completed his first 13 passes -- 24 straight including the end of Badger Rewind: UW stays true to identity

By Mike Lucas That’s also symbolic of these Badgers. UWBadgers.com They know what they want, and they take About 90 minutes before Saturday’s kickoff, care of business. Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt was going “We knew what we had to do,” said offensive through his pregame stretching routine. guard John Moffitt, who was addressing the What separated Watt from the other players second-half game plan at Michigan -- punctu- from both teams who were casually warming up ated by 29 consecutive runs (before two kneel- on their own was location, location, location. downs to run out the clock) and only one pass Watt was stretching on the block “M’’ in the attempt. middle of Michigan Stadium. “That’s what we want,” Moffitt said of the “Every game I stretch in the same spot,” Watt offensive line shouldering the burden of open- said. “I stretch in the middle of the field - on ing up holes for the tailbacks even though the the 50-yard line -- home or away. That’s what I Wolverines could anticipate what was coming always do.” every snap. Might not his location be taken the wrong Here’s who we are, here’s what we do, stop way by the Wolverines (not that anyone ob- us. jected)? “That’s what Wisconsin football is about,” “I could see that,” Watt said. “But it’s just said Montee Ball. “I knew they were going to something I do every game. If they see it, and put the load on me and James (White) and we take it the wrong way, that’s fine. But that’s both wanted to make sure we were getting the where I stretch and I will continue to do that.” job done.” And that’s symbolic of these Badgers. Ball had 29 carries for 173 yards and four Here’s who we are, here’s what we do, stop touchdowns. us. White had 23 carries for 181 yards and two Nobody has since the Big Ten opener. touchdowns. When did the Badgers start believing they “This is a dream school for a running back, could make this kind of statement? and that’s why I chose to come here,” White “We’ve believed all year,” Watt said. “The hic- said. “It has a great tradition for runners and I cup at Michigan State (a 10-point loss on Oct. 2 wanted to be a part of it.” in East Lansing, Mich.) was exactly that, a hic- Every time the Wolverines scored, the Bad- cup. All year, we’ve believed in ourselves. We gers were able to counter-punch with Ball and know if we play our style of football - if we play White. our game - we’re going to have success. “They’re a nice complement to each other,” Now the Badgers are one game away from Moffitt said of the one-two punch. “Montee is claiming a share of the Big Ten championship. a grinder, a hard runner. I’m not saying James At the very least. isn’t. But he’s more finess; makes big cuts and And they don’t need anyone’s help. finds space.” “We know what’s on the line next week,” dium. “Our fans know what’s on the line. Every- Watt said of Saturday’s regular season finale body in the state of Wisconsin knows what’s on CONTINUE READING against Northwestern at Camp Randall Sta- the line next week.” ON UWBadgers.com Badger Rewind: UW stays true to identity No. 5 WISCONSIN 70, NORTHWESTERN 23 CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT Badgers roll past Northwestern for Big Ten title

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin fans had seen finishing 7-1 in league play. the country,” Bielema said. “Over the last cou- their share of fireworks long before the pyro- “It’s a championship. It’s a symbol that you ple days, you were able to watch people play all technics show started high above Camp Ran- are one of the elite, not only in our conference, around this country ... As a football coach, I can dall Stadium. but also in this country,” UW head coach Bret sit back and say that we can play with anybody The Big Ten Conference championship tro- Bielema said. “The way these guys battle and and play with confidence and keep moving phy, however, was a sight for sore eyes. the way they have resolve is just phenomenal.” forward.” It’s a prize the fifth-ranked Badgers secured The Badgers (11-1 overall) hadn’t scored 70 Sophomore tailback Montee Ball paced the for the first time since 1999 by running past points in a game since 1915 before doing so Badgers on the ground by becoming just the Northwestern, 70-23, in front of a raucous against Austin Peay in September. Now, they’ve second UW player to rush for four touchdowns crowd of 80,011. accomplished the feat three times in 2010. in consecutive games, joining Heisman Trophy Wisconsin’s seventh-consecutive win -- UW piled on the points again by rolling up winner . Ball churned up 178 yards which came in a high-scoring fashion that’s be- 559 yards of total offense and scoring, at one along the way, averaging a fantastic 8.9 yards coming a trend for the Badgers -- allowed UW point, on seven consecutive possessions. per carry. to grab a share of the conference crown along “I really believe that right now, the way we’re Senior quarterback Scott Tolzien was just with Ohio State and Michigan, with each team playing, we’re playing as good as anybody in as good through the air, completing 15 of 19 passes for 230 yards and four touchdowns. His 250.1 pass efficiency rating ranks as the fifth- best single-game total in school history. Freshman tailback James White did more damage by rushing for 137 yards and a touch- down, while junior wide receiver Nick Toon hauled in five passes for 62 yards and a pair of scores. As potent as UW’s offense was, the unit could thank the Badgers’ defense for setting the table. Wisconsin forced turnovers on Northwest- ern’s first three drives and had seven take- aways in all, including four interceptions. Junior Aaron Henry claimed the fourth and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown that put a cap on the Badgers’ scoring. Junior defensive end J.J. Watt could WHAT WE share credit for three KNOW NOW of the Badgers’ picks NU forced another three-and-out and got on found the end zone from 16 yards on UW’s next with three quarterback the board with a 47-yard Stefan Demos field series to make it a 63-17 lead with six minutes It was fitting for the goal, but it was all Badgers from there. left in the third quarter. Badgers to cap their hurries to go with three tackles for loss Ball opened the second quarter by finding UW outscored the Wildcats, 49-14, while rat- Big Ten champion- the end zone for a third time from 2 yards out tling off their seven consecutive touchdowns. ship season by and a pair of forced . He also before the Badgers went to the air. Now the Badgers await word of their bowl rolling up a pile of On their next drive, Tolzien hooked up with game fate, which will come down to the Bowl points in a dominant blocked an extra- point attempt, his third David Gilreath on an 18-yard touchdown pass, Championship Series standings because of the performance. The followed by a 29-yard TD connection with tight three-way tie atop the Big Ten standings. The win over Northwest- blocked kick of the season. end Lance Kendricks once the Badgers got the team ranked highest in the final BCS standings ern helped cement ball back. will earn the conference’s Rose Bowl bid. this year’s group of Mike Taylor, Jay Valai and Antonio UW’s next two drives both ended with 11- UW was the league’s highest-rated team in Badgers as one of yard scoring tosses from Tolzien to Toon and the BCS heading into Saturday at No. 7, with the best to ever take Fenelus also had interceptions for UW. -- just like that -- it was a 49-17 halftime lead for Ohio State No. 8 and Michigan State at No. 10. the field at Camp the Badgers. “Wherever it is, this is going to be a special Randall Stadium. The Badgers wasted little time in Wisconsin scored on each of its last five bowl-prep, and our kids will enjoy every day of stepping on the gas. first-half possessions, with the final four aver- it,” Bielema said. “Wherever we end of being They marched 74 yards for a score on their first aging just 4.5 plays, 42.3 yards and 1 minute, and whoever we end up playing, it will be fun.” drive, with Ball breaking loose to take it in from 33 seconds of clock. Thanks to five first-half “I did tell the guys in the locker room that we 32 yards out. After a three-and-out on UW’s takeaways, five of the Badgers’ 10 possessions didn’t need to wait 10 years to repeat this day,” next series, the Badgers recovered a fumble at in the half began in Northwestern territory. he added.“ the Northwestern 13 yard line to set up a 1-yard There was no slowing down out of the locker scoring plunge by Ball and make it a 14-0 lead. room, either. Ball broke free on a 44-yard touch- STATS, ANALYSIS & MORE down run to open the second half and White ON UWBadgers.com FIERCLY FOCUSED Badgers’ resolve fueled remarkable run to title

By Brian Mason beat them up or berate them after losing that UW Athletic Communications game,” he said. “I think they all left that locker When the Wisconsin football team walked off room and knew how special this team could be the field at Spartan Stadium on Oct. 2, it did so and really have been unwavering since then.” with a sense of déjà vu. In the end, that will be the legacy of this Just as they had in 2008, the Badgers left team. A remarkable consistency of focus. East Lansing, Mich., on the wrong side of the Miami’s great win-loss column. “Especially teams had their oft- The result was the same, but the Badgers’ after we lost to referenced “swag- response has made all the difference in a re- ger.” This Wisconsin markable run to a Big Ten Conference title. Michigan State, squad has a quiet In 2008, it was all downhill for UW after los- people were confidence that is ing to Michigan State. going to just just as effective. This time around, the loss in East Lansing It’s allowed this was the catalyst for an upward climb that has write us off or year’s edition of the the Badgers breathing the rarified air of heights do certain Badgers to calmly the UW program hasn’t seen in a decade. things,” Bielema respond to each As head coach Bret Bielema said after the of the challenges Badgers’ resounding 70-23 win over Northwest- said. “The way thrown its way. ern on Nov. 20, it was no accident. these guys Facing the No. 1 “Today didn’t happen by chance,” Bielema battle and the team in the nation, said. “This is done through recruiting, it’s done an Ohio State team through development, through strength and way they have that was let off the showed their ability to win a big one on the road conditioning program all year round, and a resolve is just hook in its last ap- by utilizing depth to overcome key injuries and belief in a certain type of kid that fits in here at phenomenal.” pearance at Camp walk away from Kinnick Stadium with a 31-30 Wisconsin that’s going to have academic, ath- Randall, two years win over Iowa. letic and social success.” ago? UW confident- Taking on an explosive offense in a hostile Essentially, by finding the right pieces, ly charged out the gate on the way to a decisive environment that has historically been very Bielema and his staff built a team that, to a 31-18 win that gave the nation a glimpse of how unkind to teams wearing Cardinal and White? degree, coaches itself. good the Badgers could be. Wisconsin again showed the power of its of- “Leaving the locker room at Michigan State, Going on the road a week later to face a fense – and exorcised some more demons I didn’t need to jump this crew. I didn’t need to fierce rival in a trophy game? The Badgers from 2008 – with a 48-28 win over Michigan at 67 points over its last three games, but it’s the Badgers’ special senior class that set the tone for the team’s laundry list of accomplishments. It begins with an immovable offensive line anchored on the left side by seniors Gabe Carimi and John Moffitt. Under center, senior quarterback Scott Tolzien has been nearly un- flappable. Whether blocking or catching, Lance Kendricks has become the latest in UW’s long line of great tight ends. On the other side of the ball, there’s the senior duo cornerback Niles Brinkley and safety Jay Valai, who have helped the Badgers rank third in the Big Ten in total defense – while com- mitting just one pass interference penalty all season. It’s a group that was there in East Lansing for that loss in 2008. Some played, some watched, but they all learned. When the time came for them to take the reins of the program as seniors, they were more than ready for the leadership role and ev- erything it entails – even before the ball is first snapped in September. “Really we started this back in January, coming off last season, and that’s what makes it special, being able to do it with all the guys you’ve worked so hard with,” said Tolzien, who is on pace to break the Big Ten’s single-season record for completion percentage at 74.3. “There’s been a lot of unpretty hours in here and meetings, and practice, but it’s nice to have it all pay off.” the Big House. 15 takeaways in its last four games and has the While the numbers have been flashy, the When the chips were down during Big Ten Badgers leading the Big Ten in turnover margin even-keeled team putting them up week after play, the Badgers stepped up. And then some. at plus-15 for the conference season. week has been anything but. Along the way, Wisconsin put up the pro- “Especially after we lost to Michigan State, There’s no need for this group to flaunt its ac- gram’s three highest-scoring games in modern people were going to just write us off or do complishments. The scoreboard tells the story. history and is on pace to shatter the school’s certain things,” Bielema said. “The way these So does the trophy the Badgers hoisted season scoring record by an average of more guys battle and the way they have resolve is inside their locker room Saturday. than a touchdown per game. just phenomenal.” “Nobody can take that away from us,” junior A defense that was considered by many to Underclassmen Montee Ball and James safety Aaron Henry said. “Nobody can take this be the team’s biggest question mark has forced White have taken the spotlight as UW averaged memory away from us.”

The Voice: Playing the Big Ten name game

By Matt Lepay varying degrees of humor. The Voice of the Badgers Today, maybe we can put our heads So it appears the early returns on the together, and rather than make fun of the new Big Ten football division names are problem, we can be part of the solution. I’ll not exactly favorable. Leaders and Leg- throw out some ideas, but we at ends seem about as popular an idea UWBadgers.com would love to hear around here as a tribute at yours. It would be great if they were legit Lambeau, or a Brad Childress Apprecia- thoughts, but if they are truly funny (and tion Day in Minneapolis. clean), go ahead and send ‘em our way. The reaction is so bad that Big Ten One of the better suggestions I’ve How about naming the divisions after Commissioner Jim Delany said on WGN heard so far is Great Lakes and Great Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski? Both Radio last week that league officials might Plains. I know the commish has tried to the Galloping Ghost and Nagurski played re-open the process. Who knew this stay away from geographic references, in the 1920s, for Illinois and Minnesota would be so involved? but those division names seem simple respectively. Both men were extremely One thing about my business that can enough, and it does highlight the general gifted and tough players who symbolized be annoying (actually there are many, region of the conference. football in the Midwest, and helped make but it’s the holiday season, so I won’t go Big Ten officials also have been sen- the game popular. there today) is we are quick to pounce on sitive to showing favoritism to specific Maybe the league could pay tribute to something we don’t like -- but how many schools. I really believe they should be coaches who left us way too young, such serious suggestions do we make to solve sensititive to showing too much love for as Dave McClain, Randy Walker and/or the problem? traditional powers Ohio State and Michi- Terry Hoeppner? I have to admit, some of the smart aleck gan, but maybe it isn’t so bad to recognize My final attempt at division names ideas are good for a chuckle. One of my some other individuals who have made would be to honor the last two commis- favorites came from a caller to our local Big Ten football what it is today. sioners. Why not the Duke and Delany radio show last week (Lucas and Lepay So rather than naming the divisions af- divisions? It might seem a bit odd to name on 1070 WTSO in Madison—shameless ter Woody and Bo, maybe the league can a division after a commissioner who is still self-promotion). name them after members of what many on the job, but Delany as well as Wayne The caller suggested we call the divi- refer to as the Greatest Generation, spe- Duke are two men who have been very sions “Six of One” and “Half Dozen of the cifically Nile Kinnick and Dave Schreiner. important and powerful figures in the Other.” (I’ll leave his name out … but you Kinnick is the 1939 Heisman Trophy growth of this conference. hear him a lot at football and basketball winner from Iowa who later died while on I thought I would at least give these home games!) a training flight during World War II. Sch- ideas a try. What do you think? We cer- Other “helpful” suggestions include reiner is the former two-time All-American tainly are open to suggestions. Consider it “Great Taste” and “Less Filling,” “Dumb” Badger from Lancaster who was killed in our holiday gift to the conference office. and “Dumber” and other such ideas with the Battle of Okinawa. I would hope this beats a lump of coal.