Which team can bounce back from their let downs suffered the week prior? The Boilermakers left it all on the field in a close loss to in state rival, Notre Dame. The Badgers were stripped of a chance to kick a game winning field goal at Arizona State due to an aggredious clock management error by the referees. Two teams, needing to move on, charged out into Camp Randall Stadium.
Wisconsin has owned Purdue winning every game since 2004 and doing so recently by large margins. Purdue appears like a better remedy for Wisconsin’s woes as opposed to vice versa. This game featured the Big Ten’s newest faces in the head coaching department. Wisconsin’s Gary Andersen inherited a Badger squad coming off three straight conference titles, while Purdue’s Darrell Hazell has reformatted a struggling Group of Boilers that hasn’t been able to toot their train horn for quite few years.
As expected, the sun shined on a group of determined Badgers who demonstrated that they wouldn’t let Arizona State beat them twice. They focused on Purdue and and followed through with a dominating victory. From a fan perspective, Gary Andersen’s first Big Ten win felt seamless – the first of many ahead. The vibe at Camp Randall really hasn’t changed, which is what Badger fans want after three consecutive Rose Bowl appearances. The “fifth quarter” was just as crazy, and the “jump around” was just as jumpy. Once again, I brought friends who had never attended a college football game, and being able to see it all through their eyes helps to keep me from taking for granted the extraordinary game day experience that Madtown provides. From picking out the perfect Wisconsin tshirt to instagramming the famed jump around, my friends’ day was well documented and thoroughly enjoyable. The importance of that smooth transition in the coaching ranks not only ensures success on the field, but also translates to new memories in the stands for first time visitors and long time season ticket holders. On Wisconsin!
