Tag: Wisconsin

Posted on

Game 137: #19 Wisconsin @ Penn State

The wheels have come off the Bucky Wagon and Penn State holds the lug nuts. On homecoming weekend in Happy Valley, the Badgers played like they ate too much Peachy Paterno ice cream over at the Berkey Creamery. From the first play, it became clear to those wearing red that this Saturday would be a long one. Star tailback P.J. Hill fumbled on the opening play for Wisconsin and Penn State only needed three plays to capitalize. The 109,754 that crammed inside Beaver Stadium would enjoy a stunning blowout of the ranked Badgers and looked to be turning a major corner on their season.

Continue reading “Game 137: #19 Wisconsin @ Penn State”

Posted on

Game 136: #5 Wisconsin @ Illinois

October is not supposed to be this hot in the Midwest. The Illini aren’t really supposed to be that hot either, but with head coach Ron Zook at the controls, no 90 degree weather is going to keep their goals out of reach. Fifth ranked Wisconsin came in as an underdog to the unranked Illini and few people viewed this as surprising. The Badgers have been winning by a thread each week displaying a defense that had a tendency to spring leaks. The expansion and construction of Memorial Stadium served as a nice metaphor for the entire program as it is moving toward a bigger and better future. Today would be the major turning point.

Continue reading “Game 136: #5 Wisconsin @ Illinois”

Posted on

Game 132: Citadel @ #7 Wisconsin

Appalachian State has sparked belief in the creampuffs of the nation that they have the power to upend any juggernaut on the top 25 slate. The Division I-AA Mountaineers shocked the #5 Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor two weeks ago leaving fans to believe that anything is possible. The Citadel, hailing from the same conference as Appalachian State, harbored similar aspirations entering Madison this past weekend. The #7 Wisconsin Badgers didn?t see the Bulldogs? bite coming. A 21-21 tie at halftime had the Camp Randall crowd booing the teams off the field.

Continue reading “Game 132: Citadel @ #7 Wisconsin”

Posted on

Game 129: Washington State @ #7 Wisconsin

First game jitters were not a factor in the opener for the Badgers and Cougars. Both teams had every right to be anxious. Wisconsin held its highest preseason ranking in seven years and title talk has swept the state. Washington State had to play their opener over two thousand miles from home in a hostile environment. Yet, no nervousness could be detected as the Cougars silenced the 81,000+ partisans in Camp Randall Stadium with a solid opening march for a touchdown. Undaunted, the Badgers returned the favor on the next drive. The way these two teams fired out of the gate made them seem more like well oiled mid season machines.

Continue reading “Game 129: Washington State @ #7 Wisconsin”

Posted on

Game 123: #22 Wisconsin @ Purdue

Boilermaker Spirit Weekend at Purdue is saturated with activities culminating with the conference clash on Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium. The festivities were cut short this year thanks to the Badger defense that held Purdue to its lowest offensive output at home in thirteen years. The weather reached perfection and West Lafayette offers a classic Midwest venue that can please even the most sensitive of college football critics. The only missing link this weekend fell on the shoulders of the Purdue offense that couldn’t move a feather with an industrial fan much less a football.

Continue reading “Game 123: #22 Wisconsin @ Purdue”

Posted on

Game 115: Wisconsin vs. Bowling Green

Finally, the first game of this tour since launching collegefootballtour.com and I end up traveling 400 miles to view a game between two teams I have already seen in a venue that doesn’t even count toward my stadium goal. Why? Bret Bielema. Since Barry Alvarez’s departure from the sidelines, many Wisconsin fans have questioned the changes that loomed ahead. Seeing that I have more Badger games on my record than Tommy Lee has tattoos, my interest in the new coaching change was significant.

Continue reading “Game 115: Wisconsin vs. Bowling Green”

Posted on

Game 109: #14 Wisconsin @ Northwestern

Evanston, Illinois is the only place where a wild, exciting shootout resulting in a victory by the home team over the undefeated and fourteenth ranked squad in the nation is experienced in a stadium where large sections appear to have been attacked by a delete button. In what ranks as one of the most entertaining games of the 2005 season, Northwestern fans allowed the stage to give off a high school ambiance. The Wildcat fans managed to fill the upper deck side of the stadium with their purple followers while the other side of the stadium glowed a bright red with all the travelers from the north. Unfortunately, the two sides of fans did not meet at the curved horseshoe portion of the stadium. Rather, a few empty sections separated the masses like the Berlin Wall. This is the nature of Wildcat athletics – unless the team is competing for a championship, don’t expect a flood of backers coming out to support.

Continue reading “Game 109: #14 Wisconsin @ Northwestern”