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Rose Bowl hopes wilt in Iowa
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by Jake Leonard
Monday, November 22, 2004
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Ohio State gave Wisconsin all the help it could. Just before the Badgers kicked off at Kinnick Stadium Saturday, the score between the Buckeyes and the Big Ten-leading Wolverines of Michigan became final: a 37-21 OSU victory meant that UW was playing to go to the Rose Bowl.
“The kids were very excited,” head coach Barry Alvarez said. “I got the score just before we went out and I told them. I thought it’d give them a pretty good lift.”
But, in the end, the Badgers weren’t able to fulfill their part of the deal. UW’s hopes of becoming the co-Big Ten champion and making its first Rose Bowl appearance since 2000 were squashed by a heart-wrenching 30-7 loss to Iowa.
“We lost the game; we lost the Rose Bowl; we lost co-champs,” junior receiver Brandon Williams said. “There’s a lot of stuff we lost today.”
With two losses in their final two games, the Badgers finished with a 6-2 record in Big Ten play. Iowa and Michigan tied for the Big Ten Championship at 7-1.
Predicated by an early-season victory over the Hawkeyes, the Wolverines will go on to represent the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. If Wisconsin had won, it would have held the tiebreaker over Michigan (based on a better overall record).
“We were sitting there with other opportunities, so it’s depressing,” Alvarez said. “We played a lot of good football. We didn’t play particularly well these last two games … I don’t know what you can do. Just move on now: regroup, get healthy and play a good bowl game.”
The Badgers will likely be placed in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day. A representative from the Tampa Bay, FL event was in attendance at the game.
“Monday, we meet at 4:30 and then we make a recommendation to the Board of Directors and they announce Tuesday afternoon,” the representative said.
Wisconsin has appeared in the Outback Bowl — which traditionally pits the third place team from the Big Ten against the third place team from the SEC (Georgia, Florida or LSU this season) — twice, winning in 1995 (when it was called the Hall of Fame Bowl) and losing in 1998.
Though it’s not the bowl the Badgers were shooting for, it is a prestigious national bowl that will bring UW a hefty monetary reward for its play.
“Going to a Jan. 1 bowl, you’re going to get up for the game. We’re still on ABC; it’s still a big game,” Williams said. “We’re still going to prepare as a team. We know we’re not done playing games. And we want to go out winners.”
The Badgers will need to repair their bruised egos in time for a game in which they will face one of the top teams in the country.
“Losing is always tough, but I think it tests your character — the type of person you are. It’s going to test the type of team we are,” added safety Robert Brooks. “The important thing is how we’re going to bounce back.”
Anonymous (November 22, 2004 @ 12:22pm):
Absolute crap. One has to wonder if Bielema is the savior that everyone thought he was, or if the earlier opponents' offsenses just sucked. And Brian White has to be replaced. The offensive play calling is, and has always been without imagination and can't seem to adapt to changes that happen to the team or the opponent's defensive scheme. Having Davis is out is an excuse for poor offensive play calling.
Anonymous (November 22, 2004 @ 12:33pm):
Whoa, buddy calm down. Take a moment and try to WATCH the game. The Defense did fine, they can't help it that Iowa got the ball on the Wisconsin 30 yard line like 5 times! Not to mention the fact that the defense picked off the ball in the first two drives and gave the offense the ball in Iowa terriorty, which they got zero points out of. Stick to bitching about the offense so you don't look like an idiot, why do you stick with Stocco when he obviously couldn't move the team, give Donovan a chance!
Anonymous (November 22, 2004 @ 12:40pm):
These last two games showed how overrated the badgers and their defense was. If you think about it, they didn't beat anybody good all year. Purdue and Ohio State ended up being busts so those victories were watered down. They will more than likely play an SEC team and get their asses kicked because they can't pass. Barry Alvarez will learn one of these days that he needs to go out and get a good quarterback instead of these bums like stocco
Anonymous (November 22, 2004 @ 12:50pm):
Its funny how everybody loved Stocco 2 weeks ago.
Anonymous (November 22, 2004 @ 1:09pm):
I don't think anyone actually loved Stocco.... Face it, we were so overrated it's not even funny. Outback Bowl..... gross.
Anonymous (November 22, 2004 @ 1:22pm):
Is it just me or does the UW have one of the most predomindate histories of CHOKING in every sport in NCAA history? We needs some guys with guts!
Anonymous (November 22, 2004 @ 1:31pm):
Yeah, just like the UW CC team, ranked #1 all season choked today at the Nationals.... sad.....
Anonymous (November 22, 2004 @ 3:27pm):
UW CC team? Who cares?
Anonymous (November 22, 2004 @ 3:37pm):
The UW CC Team? Seriously, Who Cares?
