Five Things to Know: Wisconsin vs. Akron
September 08, 2016 | Football, Andy Baggot
Facts and figures on the Badgers' home opener
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BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
HOUSTON HAS COMPANY
When fifth-year senior quarterback Bart Houston helped engineer a 16-14 upset of then-No. 5 LSU he joined some select company. He became the second quarterback in UW history to beat a ranked opponent in his starting debut. The other was Brooks Bollinger, who burst on the scene as a redshirt freshman in 1999 during a 42-17 romp at 12th-ranked Ohio State. Houston also became the fifth quarterback since 1951 to win his first start despite throwing two or more interceptions. The others: Scott Tolzien in 2009, Darrell Bevell in 1992, David Fronek in 1963 and Jim Bakken in 1959. In addition, Houston (19-for-31, 205 yards) became the eighth Wisconsin quarterback to throw for more than 200 yards in his initial start. The others: Joel Stave (210 in 2012 vs. UTEP); Danny O'Brien (219 in '12 vs. Northern Iowa); Russell Wilson (255 in '11 vs. UNLV); Tolzien (257 in '09 vs. Northern Illinois); Tyler Donovan (228 in '06 vs. Iowa); Jim Sorgi (243 in 2000 vs. Purdue); and Jim Haluska (237 in 1952 vs. Marquette).
A PERFECT 10
This is the sixth time in history the Badgers have played a game on Sept. 10. They are 5-0 and have outscored the opposition by 201 points. That's not a typo. They walloped Oregon State 35-0 in 2011, thumped Temple 65-0 in '05, obliterated Eastern Michigan 56-0 in 1994, pounded Northern Illinois 37-9 in '83 and battered Indiana 31-14 in 1977.
THEY COME FROM ALL OVER
Wisconsin has won 35 consecutive home games against non-Big Ten Conference opponents dating back to 2003, a list of foes that represent 21 states (Alabama, Arizona, California, Illinois, Iowa, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and West Virginia). UW shares the seventh-longest such streak in NCAA history with Nebraska. Miami (Fla.) has the record at 48, which ran from 1985 to '94 (as an independent, all of the Hurricanes' games were non-conference tilts until they joined the Big East in 1991). The only longer active streak belongs to LSU, which has won 46 straight going into its matchup with Jacksonville State on Saturday.
RANK AND FILE
GETTING HIS KICKS
UW junior kicker Rafael Gaglianone has 40 career field goals after making all three attempts vs. LSU, including a 47-yarder with 3:47 left to set the stage for a 16-14 win. The record shows he has four game-winning conversions in the fourth quarter -- the most in school history -- but that list omits the 29-yarder he made with 7 seconds left in regulation to forge a 31-31 tie with Auburn and send the 2015 Outback Bowl into overtime. Gaglianone eventually won that game with a 25-yarder. Because you may be wondering: Gaglianone is 7-for-10 on career field goals attempted in the fourth quarter or OT.
