December 26 - January 2 The No. 9-ranked Wisconsin football team (11-2) makes its second-consecutive appearance in The Granddaddy of Them All, as the Badgers face No. 6 Oregon (11-2) on Monday in the 98th Rose Bowl Game.
Kickoff from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena is set for 4:10 p.m. (CT).
ESPN will carry the game live, with live streaming video of the broadcast also available at ESPN3.com. Fans can listen in to Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas' call statewide on the Badger Radio Network, with a national broadcast also available over the air and online from ESPN Radio.
Game 14 | #9 Wisconsin (11-2) vs. #6 Oregon (11-2)
Key Notes to Consider • Wisconsin captured its 13th Big Ten title and second in a row, defeating Michigan State, 42-39, in the inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game. It is the third time in school history the Badgers have won back-to-back conference titles (1896-97 and 1998-99).
• This will be UW’s eighth appearance in the Rose Bowl and the second time in school history it has played in Pasadena two-straight seasons. Wisconsin also played in the Rose Bowl in 1953, 1960, 1963, 1994, 1999, 2000 and 2010.
• The Badgers won at least 10 games for the third-straight season, the first time in school history they have done that. Wisconsin is one of just six teams in the country to win at least 10 games in each of the last three seasons. The others are Alabama, Boise State, Oregon, Virginia Tech and TCU.
• The Badgers will make their fourth appearance in the Rose Bowl during the BCS era (since 1998). That is the second-most in the country during that span, trailing only USC’s five appearances.
• This is UW’s 10th-straight bowl appearance, tied for the ninth-longest active streak in the country. Wisconsin has made a bowl game and an NCAA tournament men’s basketball appearance in every season since the 2002-03 academic year. The Badgers are the only school in Division I that can make that claim.
• Wisconsin enters the Rose Bowl on a five-game winning streak. That is tied for the sixth-longest active winning streak in the country.
Game Notes Complete football game notes in printable PDF format.
General Notes • This will be the fourth time in recent history UW has played in the same bowl game in consecutive seasons. The Badgers won the 1999 and 2000 Rose Bowls, were victorious in the 2006 and 2007 Capital One Bowls and split the 2008 and 2009 Champs Sports Bowls.
• Wisconsin is 2-0 in games played on Jan. 2, defeating Duke in the 1995 Hall of Fame Bowl and beating Auburn in the 2006 Capital One Bowl.
• The four-year record of the Badger seniors is 39-13. The 39 wins are second-most in a four-year span. The 2007 senior class holds the UW record with 40 victories in a four-year span.
• Wisconsin’s 32-7 record over the last three years is sixth-best in the country. Here are the teams that have won at least 80 percent of their games over the last three seasons: 1. Boise State – 37-2 (.949) 2. TCU – 35-3 (.921) 3. Alabama – 35-4 (.897) 4. Oregon – 33-6 (.846) 5. LSU 3 3-6 (.846) 6. Wisconsin – 32-7 (.821) 7. Oklahoma State – 31-7 (.816) 7. Stanford – 31-7 (.816) 9. Virginia Tech – 32-8 (.800)
• Wisconsin’s 60-18 record under head coach Bret Bielema is the ninth-best mark in the country over the last six seasons. Here is the top 10: 1. Boise State – 72-6 (.923) 2. TCU – 65-12 (.844) 3. LSU – 64-15 (.810) 4. Ohio State – 62-15 (.805) 5. USC – 61-16 (.803) 6. Oklahoma – 63-18 (.778) 7. Virginia Tech – 63-18 (.778) 8. Florida – 62-18 (.775) 9. Wisconsin – 60-18 (.769) 10. Alabama – 60-19 (.759)
• UW ranks among the top 10 nationally in 15 categories: T1. Fewest fumbles lost (4) T1. Fewest interceptions thrown (4) T1. Fewest turnovers lost (8) 2. Passing efficiency (186.2) 2. Red zone offense (.957) 3. Third-down conversions (.541) 3. Passing defense (155.0) 4. Scoring offense (44.6) 5. First downs defense (15.4) 5. Punt returns (15.3) 5. Turnover margin (+1.23) 6. Scoring defense (17.0) T6. Fourth down conversions (77.8) 8. Total defense (293.0) 10. Rushing offense (237.4)
• Individually, Badgers rank in the top 10 nationally in eight categories: 1. Total rushing yards (Montee Ball – 1,759) 1. Rushing TDs (Montee Ball – 32) 1. Total TDs (Montee Ball – 38) 2. Pass efficiency (Russell Wilson – 191.6) 3. Punt return average (Jared Abbrederis – 16.1) 8. Total all-purpose yardage (Montee Ball – 2,014) 8. Total tackles (Mike Taylor – 137) T8. Passing TDs (Russell Wilson – 31)
• Wisconsin’s scoring margin of +27.6 is third-best in the country this season, trailing only LSU (+27.9) and Houston (+27.7) and just ahead of Alabama (+27.2).
• Bret Bielema became the sixth-fastest Big Ten coach since 1946 to reach 50 career wins. Only Bo Schembechler, Joe Paterno, Earle Bruce, Lloyd Carr and Jim Tressel reached 50 wins faster than Bielema.
• Wisconsin went undefeated at home for the second-straight season and has won 16 consecutive home games, the second-longest active streak in the country.
• UW defeated three teams ranked in the Associated Press top 20 (No. 8 Nebraska, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 20 Penn State), the first time they have done so since 1999.
• UW and Baylor are the only two schools in the country whose football teams and men’s basketball teams are currently ranked in the top 15 of both Associated Press polls. The Badger men’s basketball team is currently ranked No. 13.
Walking Towards Success • The Badgers regularly start four former or current walk-ons. Senior FB Bradie Ewing started his career as a walk-on tailback before switching to fullback and is one of UW’s four captains. LT Ricky Wagner began his career as a walk-on tight end before growing into the tackle position.
Sophomore WR Jared Abbrederis will go on scholarship in January and spent his true freshman season as a spread QB on the scout team. Sophomore DT Ethan Hemer has stared the last 19 games for Wisconsin and will also go on scholarship in January.
Out of the Gate Quick • The Badgers have gotten off to fast starts this season, outscoring their opponents 149-38 in the first quarter. The opening quarter is UW’s best in terms of time of possession (9:17) and third-down conversions (67.5 percent).
• UW isn’t too shabby coming out of the locker room after halftime either. Wisconsin has scored touchdowns on its first drive of the third quarter in 10 of 13 games, including each of the last five games. Conversely only one opposing team, Ohio State, managed points on its opening drive of the second half. The Badgers have allowed just 35 points in the third quarter all season.
Comeback Kids • Wisconsin entered the fourth quarter of the Big Ten Football Championship Game trailing Michigan State, 36-28. The eight-point deficit overcome marked UW’s largest fourth-quarter comeback win since Oct. 15, 2005, when UW defeated Minnesota after trailing by 10 points in the fourth quarter.
• The Big Ten title game marked the third time this season UW has trailed in the fourth quarter. In all three games the Badgers have rallied to either tie the game or take the lead. At Michigan State, UW trailed by 14 points before tying the game with 1:26 left in the fourth quarter. The Spartans eventually won on a Hail Mary pass as time expired. The next week, at Ohio State, Wisconsin overcame a 12-point deficit to take a three-point lead with 1:18 left before falling on an OSU TD pass with 20 seconds remaining.
• In the fourth quarter of those three games, QB Russell Wilson was 16-of-27 for 256 yards with four TDs and one interception. That translates into a pass efficiency of 180.4 (which would rank third in the country for the season). He also ran three times for 31 yards and a score.
• In its win over Illinois on Nov. 19, UW fell behind 14-0 in the second quarter and trailed 17-7 at halftime before rallying for a 28-17 victory. It was the fifth time in head coach Bret Bielema’s tenure the Badgers have come back from a 14-point deficit to win a game and the first time since Sept. 12, 2009. It was the biggest halftime deficit overcome since Wisconsin defeated Minnesota, 35-32, after trailing 21-7 at halftime on Nov. 15, 2008.
Awards and Honors • UW had a school-record nine players named first-team All-Big Ten (complete list on page 9). RB Montee Ball, the only unanimous first-team All-Big Ten choice, was also named the Graham-George Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and the Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year. QB Russell Wilson was a consensus first-team all-league choice and earned the Griese-Brees Big Ten Quarterback of the Year award.
• In addition, six players earned All-America mention including first-team selections Ball, OL Kevin Zeitler and OL Peter Konz. Wilson, LB Chris Borland and PR Jared Abbrederis also earned third-team or honorable mention All-America laurels.
• Ball finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting, giving Wisconsin its first Heisman finalist since Ron Dayne won the award in 1999. Wilson finished ninth in the final voting, marking just the second time in school history UW had two players in the Heisman top 10. The only other time was in 1962, when WR Pat Richter finished sixth and QB Ron Vander Kelen placed ninth. UW has had nine players finish among the top 10 of the Heisman balloting.
• Ball was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, marking the second-straight year UW has had a Doak finalist. Ball joined John Clay (2010) and Ron Dayne (1998 and 1999) as the only Badgers to be named a finalist for the award. Wisconsin Offense
• The Badgers rank fourth in the country in scoring offense, averaging a school-record 44.6 points per game. That would be sixth-best in Big Ten history. Last year, UW averaged a school-record 41.5 points per game.
• UW averaged 43.0 points in Big Ten play, fourth-best in league history. The Badgers averaged 45.2 points in conference games last season, second-best in Big Ten history.
• Wisconsin played four games against teams ranked in the top 10 in total defense (Michigan State twice, Illinois and Penn State). UW averaged 36.5 points in those games.
• There are only five teams in the country averaging more than 7.0 yards per play. Oregon (7.04) and Wisconsin (7.02) are two of them.
• The Badgers rank third in the country in third-down percentage, converting 85 of their 157 third-down attempts (54.1 percent). That would be the second-best season performance in school history (.583 in 1993). UW is also tied for sixth in the country in fourth-down conversions, successful on seven of its nine attempts.
• QB Russell Wilson is a big part of that third-down success. On third down this season, he is 56-of-75 (.747) for 668 yards with 16 TDs and an interception. That translates to a pass efficiency of 217.2.
• Wisconsin has converted 61 of its 70 red zone attempts into touchdowns, leading the country with a .871 TD percentage in the red zone. Overall, UW is second in the country in red-zone scoring (67-of-70, .957). On third-and-goal, Wilson is a perfect 7-of-7 for 28 yards with seven TDs (463.6 pass efficiency).
• The Badgers have been explosive on offense this season. They have 33 scoring drives that have lasted two minutes or less and have 71 plays of longer than 20 yards. QB Russell Wilson has at least one 20-yard completion in each game this season. Last year UW had 55 20+ yard plays in 13 games and 24 scoring drives that lasted two minutes or less.
Dual Threats • Wisconsin is the first team in FBS history to have a player throw at least 30 TD passes (QB Russell Wilson – 31) and a player run for at least 30 TDs (RB Montee Ball – 32) in the same season. Ball leads the country in rushing yards while Wilson ranks second in the nation in pass efficiency.
• Wilson or Ball has had a hand in 69 of the 78 touchdowns the Badgers have scored this season (88.5 percent).
• With 16 passing yards, UW will go over 3,000 yards passing for the first time in school history and would finish the season with 3,000 yards rushing and receiving. The only Big Ten team in history to do that was Michigan, last season. Nevada and Northern Illinois are the only two teams in the country to do that this season, while Oregon needs 146 passing yards to join the club.
Wisconsin-Oregon Notebook • This will be the fifth meeting between Wisconsin and Oregon and the first since 2001. UW holds a 3-1 lead in the series.
• This is the first time the two teams will square off in a bowl game.
• UW and Oregon squared off in an entertaining home-and-home series in 2000 and 2001, with the home team winning each game.
In 2000 in Madison, Badger RB Michael Bennet ran for 290 yards and CB Jamar Fletcher picked off Oregon’s Joey Harrington three times. QB Brooks Bollinger scored the game-winning TD with 5:25 left in the game.
The next year, in Eugene, Harrington got his revenge, scoring the game-winning TD with 4:03 left in the game. The lead changed hands six times in the second half.
• The Badgers are 6-3 against teams currently in the Pac-12 in bowl games, including 3-3 in the Rose Bowl. The last UW loss to a Pac-12 team in a bowl game was a 42-37 defeat by USC in the 1963 Rose Bowl.
• Wisconsin’s last game against a Pac-12 team was a 35-0 win over Oregon State on in Madison on Sept. 10 of this season. Oregon defeated OSU, 49-21, on Nov. 26.
QB Russell Wilson
Welcome to RussellManiaXVI • Senior QB Russell Wilson needs 121 passing yards to become the first Badger player to throw for 3,000 yards in a season.
• Wilson ranks second in the country in pass efficiency (191.6), trailing only Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III of Baylor (192.3). Whoever ends the season leading the country in pass efficiency will most likely break the NCAA record of 186.0 set by Colt Brennan of Hawaii in 2006.
• Wilson leads the country with a 31-3 TD-INT ratio (10.3). Since throwing an interception in the fourth quarter against Michigan State on Oct. 22, Wilson has thrown 139 passes without an interception. Over that span he has tossed 16 TD passes.
• Wilson is fourth in the country in completion percentage (.725). That would rank third in Big Ten history, behind the conference record of .735 set by Dan Persa of Northwestern and Wisconsin’s Scott Tolzien (.729), both set last year.
• Wilson has thrown at least one TD pass in 37 straight games, breaking the NCAA record of 36 held by Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell. Wilson’s favorite NFL QB, Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, has a current 41-game TD streak of his own, the longest in NFL history.
• Wilson has set the school record for TD passes in a season with 31 (John Stocco had 21 in 2005). That is tied for the second-most TD passes in Big Ten history, trailing only Brees’ 39 TD passes in 1998. The only other players in Big Ten history to throw at least 30 TDs in a season are Kyle Orton of Purdue (31 in 2004) and Troy Smith of Ohio State (30 in 2006).
• Wilson has thrown a touchdown every 9.2 passes this season. That leads all QBs in the nation (Kellen Moore of Boise State is second at one every 9.9 passes).
• Wilson is averaging 10.14 yards per pass attempt to lead the country, trailing only Baylor’s Robert Griffin III (10.83).
• Wilson leads the country, averaging 8.96 yards per play. Houston’s Case Keenum ranks second at 8.77 yards per play. Colt Brennan of Hawaii set the NCAA record in 2006 with 9.2 yards per play.
• Wilson is 136-of-180 for 1,945 yards with 21 touchdowns and one interception in the first half of games this season. That equates to a pass efficiency of 203.7.
• Wilson has thrown 107 touchdown passes in his career. That trails only Keenum (152) and Moore (140) for the most among active FBS players. Wilson leads all current major conference players. He is just the 13th QB in FBS history, and just the fifth from a BCS conference, to pass for 100 TDs.
• Wilson ranks third among active FBS players in total offense. Wilson has 12,827 yards in his career, trailing only Keenum (19,572) and Moore (14,242).
• Wilson has accounted for 130 touchdowns in his career with 107 passing, 22 rushing and one receiving. That is third among active FBS players, trailing only Keenum (175) and Moore (144).
• Wilson has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 46 of his 49 career starts. He has thrown for at least two touchdowns 35 times and at least three touchdown passes 18 times. The Minnesota game was his seventh career 4-TD game.
• On third down this season, Wilson is 56-of-75 (.747) for 668 yards with 16 TDs and an interception. That translates to a pass efficiency of 217.2. On third-and-goal, Wilson is 7-of-7 for 28 yards and seven TDs (463.6 pass efficiency).
• When the Badgers are trailing in the fourth quarter, Wilson is 16-of-27 for 256 yards with four TDs and one interception. That translates into a pass efficiency of 180.4 (which would rank third in the country this season). He has also run three times for 31 yards and a score.
• Wilson has started 49 career games between Wisconsin and NC State, going 31-18 in those performances. Wilson leads all active Big Ten players in quarterback starts. Kirk Cousins of Michigan State is second with 38 starts.
RB Montee Ball
Montee 'Money' Ball • Junior RB Montee Ball leads the nation with 38 TDs and has scored at least two touchdowns in every game this season, the longest multiple-TD streak in FBS history. The only player in FBS history to score more touchdowns in a season than Ball is Oklahoma State’s Barry Sanders, who scored 39 in his Heisman Trophy-winning season of 1988. Ball’s 38 total touchdowns are more than 45 TEAMS have scored this season and his 32 rushing TDs are more than 105 teams.
• Ball is just the fifth player in NCAA history to score 30 TDs in a season. The complete list is below: 39. Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State (1988) 38. Montee Ball, Wisconsin (2011) 32. Brock Forsey, Boise State (2002) 31. Troy Edwards, Louisiana Tech (1998) 30. Kevin Smith, UCF (2007)
• Sanders had 344 rushes, 19 receptions, 21 kickoff returns and 10 punt returns in 1988 (394 total touches) and scored a TD every 10.10 times he touched the ball. Ball has 295 touches this season (275 rushes and 20 receptions) and has scored a touchdown every 7.76 times he has touched the ball.
• Ball leads the country with 1,759 rushing yards and 32 rushing TDs, despite rarely playing in the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, he has just 41 carries for 294 yards (7.2 ypc.) and five TDs this season. He has not had a single carry in the fourth quarter in six of 13 games this year.
• In nine games this season against Big Ten opponents, Ball averaged 155.4 yards on the ground and scored 28 touchdowns.
• Ball’s 1,759 rushing yards are the third-best single-season total in school history, trailing only Ron Dayne’s freshman and senior seasons.
• Ball’s 157.8 yards on the ground during Big Ten play were more than 30 yards better than Iowa’s Marcus Coker, who finished in second place.
• Ball leads the Big Ten and ranks 12th in the country in all-purpose yardage, averaging 154.9 yards per game. In addition to his 1,759 rushing yards, Ball ranks fourth on the Badgers with 255 receiving yards.
• In the last five weeks, as Wisconsin faced must-win games for a chance to win the Big Ten title, Ball has been at his best. He averaged 181.2 yards rushing and scored 17 touchdowns. Three of the five teams UW faced are ranked in the top 10 in total defense.
• In five games against teams ranked among the top 25 in the country in total defense (Michigan State twice, Ohio State, Illinois and Penn State), Ball averaged 143.4 rushing yards, 158.4 all-purpose yards and scored 15 touchdowns (11 rushing, four receiving).
• Ball has not lost a fumble in his career. In three seasons at UW, he has carried the ball 536 times and caught 45 passes (581 total touches).
• Ball has scored 362 points in just 34 career games. His average of 10.6 points per game in his career is the best of all active players in the country.
• Ball has scored at least one TD in each of his last 19 games. Over that span of 19 games, he has scored 53 TDs. The next highest total in the FBS is Bernard Pierce of Temple with 27.
• Since the beginning of last November (a span of 18 games), Ball has scored 52 touchdowns and averaged 140.9 rushing yards per game.
• Ball has 54 career rushing TDs (despite starting just 17 games in his career). That leads all active players in the country and ranks second in UW history. Ball is averaging one TD for every 9.9 carries in his career. For comparison, Ron Dayne averaged a touchdown every 17.2 carries.
• Ball has 3,146 rushing yards for his career, placing him ninth all-time at Wisconsin. He is averaging 5.87 yards per rush in his career, best in UW history (Dayne - 5.84) and tied for fourth in the country among RBs with at least 3,000 yards.
WR Nick Toon
Running Wild • Wisconsin has rushed for more than 3,000 yards in each of the last two seasons. That is the first time in school history they have gone over 3,000 yards on the ground in consecutive years.
• The Badgers have a chance to break the school record for yards per carry. UW is averaging 5.48 yards per rush this season, just slightly off the school record of 5.52 set in 1996.
• Wisconsin leads the country with 46 rushing TDs this season. UW needs two rushing TDs in the Rose Bowl to tie the school and Big Ten record of 48 rushing TDs the Badgers set last year.
• RBs Montee Ball and James White have scored touchdowns in the same game nine times over the past two seasons and the Badgers are 9-0 in those games.
Catching On • WRs Nick Toon and Jared Abbrederis each have at least 50 catches and 800 yards receiving this season. It is the first time in UW history that teammates have accumulated at least 800 receiving yards in the same season and the first time two wide receivers have at least 50 catches in the same season.
• Before this season, UW had never had more than one player with seven touchdown receptions in a single season. This year, three Badgers (Toon - 9, Pedersen - 8 and Abbrederis - 7) have at least seven TD grabs.
• Toon has had the most productive season of his career, producing career highs in receptions (55), yards (822) and TDs (nine). His nine touchdown catches surpassed his career total entering this season (eight) and are good for third in the Big Ten. Toon also ranks fifth in the conference in receiving yards per game and fifth in receptions per game.
• Wisconsin is 12-0 in games when Toon scores a touchdown. Toon’s nine TD catches this season are tied for second-most in school history.
• For his career, Toon has 162 catches for 2,345 yards and 17 TDs. He ranks third all-time in school history in career receptions and receiving yards, behind only Lee Evans and Brandon Williams. His 17 career TDs are fifth-best in school history. Toon’s father, Al, played at Wisconsin before embarking on an eight-year NFL career and finished his Badger career with 131 catches for 2,103 yards and 19 TDs.
• Abbrederis, a sophomore walk-on, has 51 catches for 814 yards and seven TDs. His yardage total is sixth-best in the Big Ten. Abbrederis already has 1,103 receiving yards in his career, good for 21st in school history.
• Sophomore TE Jacob Pedersen’s eight TD receptions this year are tied for second among tight ends in the country. Of his 37 career catches, 10 of them have gone for a touchdown (one every 3.7 catches).
• On the season, Badger running backs have 56 receptions for 660 yards. Last year, Wisconsin running backs combined to catch 36 passes for 307 yards.
Holding on to the Ball • A year after leading the country and setting a school record with just nine turnovers, UW is tied for first in the country with a mere eight giveaways this season.
• UW running backs have touched the ball 533 times this season (462 rushes, 56 receptions and 15 kickoff returns) and lost just one fumble, by James White on the Badgers’ last offensive play of their 45-7 win over Penn State on Nov. 26.
• RB Montee Ball has not lost a fumble in his three-year Badger career, spanning 536 carries and 45 receptions.
LB Mike Taylor
Wisconsin Defense • UW is sixth in the country in scoring defense, allowing an average of just 17.0 points per game. Wisconsin has limited four opponents to a touchdown or less this season. Under Bret Bielema, the Badgers are 41-2 when allowing fewer than 20 points, including 18 straight wins.
• The Badgers are third in the country in pass defense, allowing 155.0 yards per game through the air. Oregon State and Michigan State are the only teams to pass for more than 200 yards against UW this season. UW has allowed fewer than 160.0 yards passing just once since 1991.
• Wisconsin forced just one turnover in the first three games this season. In the last 10 games, UW has forced 23 turnovers. In the last nine games, all against Big Ten teams, UW has converted 17 of its 21 turnovers gained into touchdowns. • Wisconsin’s defense has been on the field for 151 possessions this season. Of those, the opposing offense has failed to get a first down 61 times (40.4 percent). The Badgers have recorded 44 3-and-outs, they have forced 11 turnovers and six drives ended halves.
• The Badgers rank eighth in the country in total defense (293.0 yards per game) and have held eight of their 13 opponents under 300 yards of total offense. UW is 31-2 under head coach Bret Bielema when holding its opponent to less than 300 yards.
• After recording just one interception through his first 31 games as a Badger, junior SS Shelton Johnson has intercepted a pass in each of the last three games. Johnson is tied with senior CB Antonio Fenelus with a team-leading four INTs on the season. That is also tied for the Big Ten lead and tied for 19th nationally.
• Fenelus, a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection, has nine interceptions in his career, which is tied for eighth in school history.
• Senior FS Aaron Henry also earned first-team All-Big Ten honors this season and has six career interceptions. A converted cornerback who has only played free safety for two seasons, Henry has started all 26 games the last two years and has 120 tackles over that span.
Dynamic Duo on Defense • Mike Taylor and Chris Borland rank 1-2 in the Big Ten in tackles and both have more than 130 stops this season. The only other Badger duo to do that in school history was Reggie Holt (144 tackles) and Brendan Lynch (131 tackles) in 1991.
• Taylor leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth nationally in tackles with 137. He had 14 tackles, a TFL and an interception in the win over Nebraska. He recorded 22 tackles at Ohio State, the top mark by a Big Ten player this season and tied for the fifth-best in the country this year. It was the most tackles by a Badger since Bob Adamov had 23 against Purdue in 1998.
• Borland ranks third in the Big Ten and 12th in the country with 18.0 tackles for loss. That is the most for a Badger linebacker in school history and the most for a middle linebacker in the country this season.
• In his first season at middle linebacker, Borland also ranks second in the Big Ten and is tied for 11th in the country with 131 tackles. In addition to his 18.0 tackles for loss, Borland is also tied for second in the Big Ten and 14th nationally with four forced fumbles.
K Philip Welch
Wisconsin Special Teams • Sophomore Jared Abbrederis leads the Big Ten and ranks third in the country in punt return average at 16.1 yards per return. That would be second-best in school history, trailing only Ira Matthews’ 16.9-yard average in 1978. Nine of Abbrederis’ 18 punt returns have gone for at least 17 yards.
• Abbrederis is also the Badgers’ leading kickoff returner, taking back 20 kickoffs and averaging 24.4 yards per return. He has 10 returns of at least 25 yards.
• Abbrederis’ 1,653 all-purpose yards are second only to teammate Montee Ball in the Big Ten. Abbrederis and OSU’s Jordan Hall are the only two Big Ten players in the top 10 in all-purpose yardage that have gained yards rushing, receiving and on punt and kickoff returns.
• Senior punter Brad Nortman has handled every punt for UW over the last four years, starting as a true freshman. He ranks third in school history with a career punting average of 42.1 yards and sits fourth in with 8,294 career punting yards.
• Senior kicker Philip Welch returned to action vs. Nebraska after missing the first four games with a quad injury. He has made four of his five field goal attempts, including a 52-yarder as the first half expired vs. Purdue. That is tied for the fifth-longest field goal in school history and was his fourth career field goal of 50-plus yards, the most in school history. Welch ranks second in school history in career field goal percentage at .770, career field goals made with 58 and career points with 376. His 376 career points are third-most among active players in the country while his 58 career field goals are seventh-best. Welch’s 118 points in 2010 were most ever by a UW kicker and fourth-best for one season at UW.
Bret Bielema
Background on Bielema • Bielema has compiled a 60-18 (.769) record in his five seasons at Wisconsin, the fourth-best winning percentage among active FBS head coaches.
• With 60 wins in his first six seasons, Bielema already ranks third in Badger history for head coaching victories (among 27 coaches in UW history).
• For leading last year’s Badgers to an 11-2 record and their first Big Ten title since 1999, Bielema was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson, Bear Bryant and Home Depot Coach of the Year awards as well as a semifinalist for the Joseph V. Paterno Coach of the Year Award.
• Bielema’s 60-18 record is second-best among the 11 head coaches hired prior to the 2006 season. He trails only Chris Petersen of Boise State (72-6). Bielema and Peterson are the only two of those 11 head coaches to have led their teams to five straight bowl appearances.
• Wisconsin has won at least 10 games eight times in school history. Bielema has been a part of five of those seasons (head coach in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011, defensive coordinator in 2005). He has coached UW to the only two 11-win regular-seasons in school history (2006 and 2010).
• Bielema was just the third rookie head coach in NCAA FBS history to guide his team to 12 victories. The 12 wins also were a Wisconsin record.
• Bielema was named 2006 Big Ten Coach of the Year and was one of five finalists for the Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year Award. He also was a finalist for the 2006 Schutt Sports Division I-A Coach of the Year Award.
• Wisconsin is 79-24 (.767) since Bielema arrived in Madison as defensive coordinator in 2004. He served in that role for two years before taking over as head coach in 2006. That is the 10th-best record in the country and second-best in the Big Ten over that time span.
• Bielema was 40 years old when he led the Badgers to the Big Ten title last season. He was the youngest coach to win the Big Ten title since Michigan’s Bo Schembechler in 1969.
• Bielema coached Wisconsin to wins in 17 of his first 18 games. That represents the second-best start to a head coaching career in Big Ten history. Only Michigan’s legendary Fielding Yost, went 55-0-1 from 1901-05, had a better beginning to a career.
J.J. Watt
Taking it to the Next Level • With J.J. Watt going No. 11 to Houston and Gabe Carimi at No. 29 to Chicago in the 2011 NFL Draft, UW was one of just five schools in the country to have multiple first-round picks (Alabama, Auburn, Colorado, Missouri, Wisconsin). Wisconsin and Alabama were the only two schools in the country with at least three players drafted among the top 50 (Watt, Carimi and Lance Kendricks).
• Wisconsin has had 10 first-round picks in the 2000s, tied for second-most in the Big Ten.
• UW had three offensive linemen drafted this year. That gives the Badgers 13 NFL Draft selections on the offensive line since 1999. That is tied with Boston College for the second-most of any school in this span. Only Notre Dame (15) has more. Wisconsin and Florida were the only two schools in the country with multiple offensive linemen selected in 2011 (both had three).
• Lance Kendricks was the fifth Wisconsin tight end selected in the NFL Draft since 2006. It's a list that consists of Owen Daniels, Jason Pociask, Travis Beckum, Garrett Graham and Kendricks.
• A total of 20 former Badgers made opening-day NFL rosters. Of those 20, 12 started on opening day (Carimi, Daniels, Evans, Kendricks, Leonhard, Levy, Moffitt, Nagy, Shaughnessy, Thomas, Urbik, and Watt) and four others saw action (Casillas, Graham, Pressley and Schofield).
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