We all thought Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle-El was the wizard behind Indiana’s potentially potent offense. Although he played a big role, his sidekick, tailback Levron Williams took center stage in Camp Randall Stadium this day. Wisconsin entered the game 3-2, while the supposed lowly Hoosiers hadn’t even one victory to flaunt.
The weather was unseasonably cold for early October and so were the Badgers. Fumbles, bumbles, blocked kicks, gaping convoys in the defense and utter confusion led to a 32-0 score in favor of the Hoosiers with more than three minutes left IN THE FIRST QUARTER! Resounding boos poured from the stands after Indiana’s third and fourth scores. Once they broke thirty, Badger fans seemed stricken with lockjaw – there were no sounds to express the appalling nature of the outcome.
Wisconsin fans who chose to prolong their tailgating parties and come in a bit late were suddenly stricken with awe as they gawked at a lopsided scoreboard and a crowd that was fitting for a library. Some of those tardy fans simply turned around and headed back toward the parking lots. Levron Williams scored six touchdowns on the day, which eclipsed a Camp Randall Stadium record. He was omnipresent on the field. We expected him to not only score touchdowns, but also follow up by playing the fight song and carrying the IU flag around the stadium. He did it all.
The crowd trickled out the exits during the entire game like a slow leak. By the fourth quarter, the parking lots were more full than the stadium and only a few depressed faces dotted the stands. No one in the nation would have predicted this result, and no one knew how it would affect either team as the season marched on.
