Thirteen years after he took his final strides in a Wisconsin uniform, Ron Dayne remains inexorably linked to Badger football. He is one of only two University of Wisconsin alums to win college football’s most prized award, the Heisman Trophy. Dayne was twice a Rose Bowl champion and MVP and… Read more »

If there was any concern that the Wisconsin football team would go without a night game in head coach Gary Andersen’s first season, that was wiped away Monday. Wisconsin will face Ohio State on Sept. 28, opening its Big Ten season on either ESPN or ABC at 7 p.m. It… Read more »

Take a quick glance at the results of Wisconsin’s big three sports and you would likely chalk up this year as one of the more successful years in recent memory. The football team appeared in its third Rose Bowl in as many years after winning the Big Ten Championship against… Read more »

Dallas Cowboys surprise with first round pick of Travis FrederickWith the 31st overall pick in the NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys surprised fans and draft analysts alike by selecting Wisconsin center Travis Frederick in the first round. Frederick decided to forgo his senior season with the Badgers for the NFL… Read more »

Travis Frederick perfectly fits the mold of a Wisconsin offensive line product. At 6-foot-4 and 338 pounds, he is the type of burly blocker who bulldozes opponents instead of relying on quick feet to dance in the trenches with an oncoming pass rusher. The top-rated center in this year’s draft,… Read more »

Sometime this weekend, Montee Ball, the former Badger star and recipient of the 2012 Doak Walker Award for best running back in college football, will find out which professional team he will be joining when he hears his name called in the 2013 NFL Draft. In separate phone interviews Monday… Read more »

OffenseWinner: Joel Stave After finding himself stuck in what seemed like second place behind sixth-year senior Curt Phillips for the starting job next fall, Joel Stave was the third quarterback to see the field Saturday at the annual Spring Game. After struggling on his first pass play — underthrowing his… Read more »

On a rare sunny day this April, the Wisconsin football team capped off its spring season with its annual Spring Game at Camp Randall Saturday. Following a different format than in years past, the offense, team “White,” lost to the defense, team “Cardinal,” 61-47 after a second-half collapse saw the… Read more »

With 12,050 fans on hand to witness the annual Wisconsin football spring game, it was the Badgers’ defense that stole the show Saturday afternoon at Camp Randall. At least, what was left of it. “We’re basically missing six starters on the defensive side that didn’t play a snap today,” head… Read more »

After six weeks of hard practice, the Wisconsin football team will be lifting the curtain Saturday when it opens up the final practice of the season for fans to come and watch an intrasquad scrimmage. Saturday marks the first Spring Game for Wisconsin since the arrival of new head coach… Read more »

Spring Game not good indication of team’s progress in offseasonSpring games for a college football program typically generate a lot of hype from fan bases as loyal football gurus get their first look at their team since the bowl season or even earlier. The same goes for the Wisconsin Spring… Read more »

When the Wisconsin football team takes to Camp Randall Stadium for the first Spring Game of Gary Andersen’s career in Madison, newness will cover the field.Transition will not only be a term well known to the fledgling coaching staff on the sidelines. It will be also be visibly apparent between… Read more »

In all of 10 paces, one can catch a glimpse into both the past and future of Wisconsin football. Step down the well-trodden, faded green turf of the tunnel running alongside the nondescript McClain Center, turn right and you now stand on fresh gray carpeting, the walls lined with colorful… Read more »

After leading his team to three consecutive Rose Bowl appearances and winning three consecutive Big Ten titles, Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema decided to leave Wisconsin to coach the Arkansas Razorbacks. A little more than two weeks later on Dec. 20, Gary Andersen was named the new head coach. Four… Read more »

During his 18 years as a football coach, first-year Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Aranda has been with several different schools and in a number of different systems, but one thing has remained constant: His players get to the ball. Aranda has been coaching football for nearly his entire adult life,… Read more »

For the Wisconsin football offensive line, adversity is nothing new. As the Badgers stumbled out of the gates last fall, much of Wisconsin’s slow start was blamed on the offensive line and its inability to open up space for then-senior running back Montee Ball — who was held to one… Read more »

For almost his entire life, James White has never been the lead running back. When he was a three-star running back from Saint Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., White was just an accent to his four-star teammate and UNC-commit Giovanni Bernard. When White arrived at Wisconsin, he… Read more »

After a Wednesday practice that was dominated by the defense, it was the offense of the Wisconsin football team that showed its teeth Saturday afternoon in the team’s scrimmage at Camp Randall. The scrimmage, which was attended by 850 fans, saw impressive performances from senior running back James White and… Read more »

The Wisconsin football team broke in the turf in Camp Randall Stadium for the first time in 2013 this week, with players in full pads working on new schemes brought in by Gary Andersen and his coaching staff. The defense continued to work on implementing the new 3-4 system for… Read more »

The Wisconsin football program gave its first preview of the team that will take the field in Camp Randall this fall in a scrimmage open to the media Wednesday. It was a taste of how players are responding to the new coaching staff and scheme that team has experienced in… Read more »

While the new Wisconsin offense deals with a position battle made up almost entirely of well-groomed quarterbacks, their secondary is trying to fill a critical void left by three exiting seniors. Going into the new season, only one member of the pass defense will have played major minutes last season.… Read more »

If you think the quarterback situation was crowded and full of mystery now, just wait until June when junior college quarterback Tanner McEvoy comes to campus. McEvoy, a transfer from Arizona Western College, was one of the most sought-after recruits in the country. According to ESPN, McEvoy was the No.… Read more »

It isn’t easy chasing after a dream, especially when that dream is to play in the National Football League. It’s even harder to give up that dream after putting so much hard work and commitment into one goal. This offseason, Wisconsin redshirt senior quarterback Jon Budmayr had to come to… Read more »

Four years ago, right around the time of Wisconsin’s first scrimmage of the spring football season, quarterback Curt Phillips tore his ACL. Then a few months later, in October, Phillips tore the same right ACL. Then, in the summer of 2010, Phillips underwent surgery again on the ACL, which had become infected. And… Read more »

He was having the game of his life. Entering the locker room at halftime, then-redshirt freshman quarterback Joel Stave was on top of the world after guiding Wisconsin to an early 7-3 lead against Michigan State. Completing pass after pass against the Spartans, Stave orchestrated a 90-yard drive deep into… Read more »

It’s safe to say the road Danny O’Brien has taken to his fourth year of eligibility resembles a path less traveled, or maybe never traveled. From transfer newbie to starting quarterback to 2-minute drill specialist to sideline signal caller, the parade of pit stops that constructed O’Brien’s first year as… Read more »

If the Wisconsin football coaching staff based its quarterback selection purely on physical tools and mechanics, Bart Houston likely would have already locked up the starting gig. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 230 pounds, the redshirt freshman has the strongest arm in the rotation and the quickest… Read more »

A new coach armed with new rules made for a remarkable day on Saturday as the Badgers officially kicked off the 2013 football campaign with their first practice of the spring season. It’s been nine weeks since the painful loss to Stanford in the Rose Bowl and the team’s first… Read more »

Just a little more than a week after running a 4.66 second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, the 19th best time out of 33 participating running backs, running back Montee Ball posted a 4.46 at the Badgers’ Pro Day. Back on his home turf at the Dave McClain Center,… Read more »

Wisconsin’s head football coach, Gary Andersen, announced the hiring of Jeff Genyk Tuesday. Genyk, after spending the last three seasons at California as an assistant, will coach tight ends and special teams for the Badgers, filling the position left by Jay Boulware, who left for Oklahoma last week. “We are… Read more »

First-year Wisconsin football head coach Gary Andersen wasted little time in addressing the obvious Monday at his first major press conference of the spring season. After the surprising departure for Oklahoma last week by new hire Jay Boulware, Andersen made clear right away where to place the blame for the… Read more »

In the world of athletic directors, the phrase “no news is good news” generally runs pretty true. If the head of the athletic department doesn’t have to set up a press conference and make an announcement, that usually means the department is sailing smoothly on open waters. The tides are… Read more »

Offensive Player of the Year: Montee Ball Montee Ball jogged onto the Camp Randall field Sept. 1 as a Heisman favorite. He left as one of the most accomplished running backs in the history of Wisconsin, a program that counts Ron Dayne and Alan Ameche among its alumni. His career… Read more »

After about six weeks on the job, Wisconsin football coach Gary Andersen’s personal footprint on the program grows stronger every day. Never was that more clear than when he offered his own take on Wisconsin’s 19 signees on National Signing Day at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. With a pair… Read more »

Wisconsin football head coach Gary Andersen is set to sign his first class with his new program, one that has remained remarkably stable following the departure of Bret Bielema. Check back throughout the day for more information on the Class of 2013 as Andersen talks about the players who form… Read more »

A day after addressing the need for a quarterback in his inherited recruiting class with junior college transfer Tanner McEvoy, new Wisconsin head coach Gary Andersen reeled in another commitment from a JUCO player to address needs in the secondary. Needing to replace three starting defensive backs from last season’s… Read more »

Another offseason comes and yet again, so does another transfer quarterback for Wisconsin football. This time, it’s a junior college transfer. Tanner McEvoy, regarded as the top dual-threat quarterback in junior college football, is transferring to Wisconsin, as reported by Evan Flood of 247sports Monday afternoon. McEvoy visited Wisconsin on… Read more »

New Wisconsin head coach Gary Andersen is starting off his coaching career with words that harken back to his identity as a players-first coach. Andersen repeatedly stressed when meeting with the media Thursday afternoon the most important goal for him before the start of spring football was his entire staff… Read more »

LOS ANGELES — New Year’s Eve comes as a time of reflection for many individuals on the stories, accomplishments and struggles that have defined their previous 365 days. For this Wisconsin football program and everyone associated with it, perhaps the greatest focus of any day on the calender should be… Read more »

LOS ANGELES — On the first snap of Wisconsin’s 2012 campaign, Montee Ball stayed on his feet for just two yards before a Northern Iowa defensive back swarmed him, the start of a 14-play drive that stuttered inside the red zone and ended with a field goal. Three months later,… Read more »

Wisconsin’s young defense from 2011 finally came into its own in 2012, helping to propel the team to the Rose Bowl with its consistent, physical play. Even though both co-defensive coordinators, Chris Ash and Charlie Partridge, will be leaving next season for Arkansas, both left their mark in their final… Read more »

LOS ANGELES — They have been through just about every emotional hoop they could possibly jump through. They have been to three Rose Bowls in three consecutive years but left California with as many close losses. They have seen a host of coaches leave their team and welcomed two transfer… Read more »

PASADENA, Calif. —There weren’t any surprises New Year’s Day at the Granddaddy of Them All. Two teams, two old-school styles of football and two relentless defenses graced the field in a low-scoring, smashmouth affair that many already saw coming. But, on one particular afternoon, No. 6 Stanford’s defense (12-2, 8-1… Read more »

PASADENA, Calif. — Before either Stanford or Wisconsin even arrived in Pasadena, much less Los Angeles for the 2013 Rose Bowl, it was already predicted to be a defensive battle. Both the Cardinal and the Badgers’ run-heavy offenses were balanced by tough defenses known for shutting down even some of… Read more »

Pasadena, Calif. — All it took for the Wisconsin football team’s third straight Rose Bowl to slip away was one misguided pass from the hands of quarterback Curt Phillips, a pass that sealed a 20-14 victory for No. 6 Stanford Tuesday evening. The fateful throw came as the Badgers (8-6,… Read more »

PASADENA, Calif. — Welcome to the Badger Herald Live Blog! I’m football beat writer Kelly Erickson coming to you live from the Rose Bowl in sunny Pasadena as Wisconsin (8-5, 4-4 Big Ten) takes on No. 6 Stanford (11-2, 8-1 Pac-12). Alongside me are my fellow beat writers, Sports Editor… Read more »

LOS ANGELES — When asked about his most pressing concern two days ahead of the Rose Bowl, Stanford head coach David Shaw needed no time to gather his thoughts and formulate a response. The biggest concern was Montee Ball, the star senior running back who will do battle with the… Read more »

LOS ANGELES — Barry Alvarez hasn’t coached a football team in seven seasons. His last Rose Bowl appearance and victory came 13 years ago. This time around, he’s the new guy on the sidelines. But with more than a decade between his last Rose Bowl as a coach and seven… Read more »

LOS ANGELES — One of the most intriguing and important battles of the 2013 Rose Bowl will come in a part of the field that the casual fan often overlooks: the battle in the trenches. Lining up across from a typically oversized Wisconsin offensive line on which the five linemen… Read more »

Friday morning Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez finally introduced his new head football coach: Gary Andersen. In his introductory press conference alongside Alvarez, UW’s 29th head coach expressed not only his excitement to be with the program and a commitment to developing his players on and off the field, but… Read more »

Utah State’s Gary Andersen will be the next head coach of the Wisconsin football program, according to an initial report from the Wisconsin State Journal Tuesday night that was later confirmed by several other reports and Utah State players via Twitter.  News broke earlier Tuesday that Andersen — who had… Read more »

Just hours after news broke that Matt Canada was heading to NC State, Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema announced Wisconsin co-defensive coordinator Charlie Partridge will join the Razorbacks as defensive line coach. One of the Badgers’ most talented recruiters, Partridge’s departure could shake up a Class of 2013 commits, most… Read more »

The dominos continue to fall in wake of the departure of Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema, as the North Carolina State Athletic Department announced in a statement Saturday morning that Wisconsin offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Matt Canada has accepted the same position at NC State. “Matt Canada has one… Read more »

One week after leaving Madison, former Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema is taking his first assistant to Fayetteville, as Arkansas announced Tuesday UW co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash will take the same job with the Razorbacks. Ash is honoring his word and will stay with the Badgers through the Rose Bowl… Read more »

After a Big Ten title followed with the stunning departure of former head coach Bret Bielema only three days later, there is no denying that the Wisconsin football team has had an emotional week. But emotions aside, the Badgers still have to get back to work as they prep for… Read more »

It may not have been the Heisman Trophy many expected before his senior campaign, but the Doak Walker Award served as a decent consolation prize for Wisconsin running back Montee Ball Thursday night. Sporting a Badger red bow tie and matching vest as he accepted the award at the Walt… Read more »

Former Wisconsin coaching legend Barry Alvarez had no plans of returning to the sideline for his fourth career Rose Bowl after Bret Bielema left for Arkansas. But a few calls later from seniors Mike Taylor and Curt Phillips, Alvarez was back in the reigns for one more game. As his… Read more »

Barry is back. Yes, the Wisconsin Football legend himself who led the Badgers to three Rose Bowl victories in 1994, 1999 and 2000 will return for a fourth shot at the “Granddaddy of Them All” Jan. 1, 2013. According to Tom Mulhern of the Wisconsin State Journal, the football captains… Read more »

Badgers must contain Stephan Taylor It’s been a change in narrative for the Wisconsin Badgers during the 2012 season. For the past two years, the University of Wisconsin relied rather heavily on its record-setting offense, but this year, on several occasions, it’s been the defense that’s kept the Badgers competitive.… Read more »

Less than four days removed from winning a third-straight Big Ten title with Wisconsin, Bret Bielema sported a tie with a slightly darker shade of red as the University of Arkansas officially introduced him as its new head coach Wednesday afternoon. Standing in front of a podium emblazoned with the… Read more »

University of Wisconsin head football coach Bret Bielema is leaving the program to take the head coaching job at the University of Arkansas, UW Athletic Director Barry Alvarez confirmed Tuesday evening.Arkansas’ Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long also confirmed Tuesday night Bielema had accepted the offer to become… Read more »

Around midnight Dec. 2, the Wisconsin band blared out three notes that caused any Badgers present to instantly link arms and sway in unison. From fans still celebrating the 70-31 Big Ten Championship victory to the players still lingering on the field, carrying roses in their teeth in celebration of… Read more »

INDIANAPOLIS — You can let out that sigh of relief now, Badger fans. The Wisconsin football team is indeed the Big Ten champion for the third year in a row. At the hands of the most creative game plan offensive coordinator Matt Canada has made all season, Wisconsin (8-5, 4-4… Read more »

INDIANAPOLIS­ — The Badgers didn’t look like a team that was supposedly reeling coming into Saturday’s Big Ten Championship Game. Instead, Wisconsin (8-5, 4-4 Big Ten) looked like an offensive juggernaut, manhandling Nebraska (10-3, 7-1) 70-31 at Lucas Oil Stadium as three running backs amassed 100 yards or more for… Read more »

INDIANAPOLIS — Surely it was just one lucky run from the fuel-injected legs of redshirt freshman tailback Melvin Gordon.Then, a bobbled pass off the hands of the Cornhuskers’ Kenny Bell found the outstretched arms of the Badgers’ Marcus Cromartie. As the redshirt senior raced 29 yards to the end zone… Read more »

In the weeks leading up to the Big Ten Championship Game, the Wisconsin football team had made a habit of starting fast and finishing slow. No. 12 Nebraska (10-3, 7-1 Big Ten), meanwhile, had built up a penchant for comeback victories — not the best combination for the Badgers (8-5,… Read more »

Around midnight Dec. 2, the Wisconsin band blared out three notes that caused any Badgers present to instantly link arms and sway in unison. From fans still celebrating the 70-31 Big Ten Championship victory to the players still lingering on the field, carrying roses in their teeth in celebration of… Read more »

Kelly Erickson, Ian McCue, Elliot Hughes and Nick Korger, the finest sportswriters the Badger Herald has to offer, will be covering the game from Indianapolis as the Wisconsin Badgers try to win an unprecedented third-straight Big Ten title in the Big Ten championship game against Nebraska. Also joining the Badger… Read more »

In a season that has been plagued with three overtime losses, most recently to Penn State, the Wisconsin football team has struggled to close the door in late game situations. In two of Wisconsin’s three overtime losses, the Badgers have given a lead away late in the game, eventually losing… Read more »

Wisconsin and Nebraska have a short history — but it’s already a turbulent one. In 2011, the Badgers (7-5, 4-4 Big Ten) welcomed the Huskers (10-2, 7-1) to the conference in a rather insulting manner with a 48-17 victory. One year later, Nebraska evened the score with a 30-27 decision… Read more »

What a difference a year can make. Last season, Curt Phillips wasn’t even at the Big Ten Championship game. Now, he’s the starting quarterback on the biggest stage a conference game can offer. At home in Tennessee still rehabbing from his third surgery on the ACL in his right knee,… Read more »

Another week has passed, and the Wisconsin football team fell in overtime again — 24-21 to Penn State. After its second overtime loss in a row — and third in four games — Wisconsin (7-5, 4-4 Big Ten) will look to rebound quickly in preparation for its Big Ten title… Read more »

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — With two overtime losses in its last three games, Wisconsin’s lone overtime series Saturday evening at Beaver Stadium followed an all-too-familiar path. It all came tumbling down when defensive end Sean Stanley climbed through the Badgers’ offensive line to sack quarterback Curt Phillips on the second… Read more »

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — For the second straight week, the Wisconsin offense stalled in the second half. And for the second straight week, senior quarterback Curt Phillips brought the Badgers back from the brink of defeat in the final seconds to force overtime Saturday. Getting the ball back with three… Read more »

Fact: When you have to punt the ball three times in your opponents’ territory, something on your offense isn’t working. The Wisconsin football team didn’t lose to Ohio State due to a lack of offense — with 206 rushing yards and 154 passing yards for a total of 360 yards,… Read more »

Following an emotional 21-14 overtime loss to Ohio State Saturday at Camp Randall, the Wisconsin football team will be looking to recover quickly from heartbreak as they travel to State College, Pa., to face Penn State in its Big Ten regular season finale. Head coach Bret Bielema addressed the demoralizing… Read more »

When Montee Ball took the ball at the 7-yard line, he cut left, leapt into the air and landed on his left foot before flopping into the Camp Randall end zone. The perfect Senior Day tale, the one where he would tie and then break the all-time NCAA touchdown record,… Read more »

For the second time in as many visits to Camp Randall, No. 6 Ohio State arrives in Madison with an undefeated record. And while the Buckeyes already have at least a share of the Leaders Division title wrapped up, it will be the Wisconsin Badgers (7-3, 4-2 Big Ten) who… Read more »

As a timid freshman more than three years ago, I walked into the McClain Facility to interview a freshman running back I knew nearly nothing about. He was a somewhat lauded four-star recruit who had just earned the first carries of his young college career, a player still buried beneath… Read more »

Exactly one year ago, the Wisconsin football team was in the middle of what would become a four-game winning streak. The Badgers were prepping for a road trip to Illinois — a must-win in the new divisional system. But in their 28-17 second-half comeback, one name in particular was missing… Read more »

Last week, I wrote the BCS was headed towards major controversy this season with four (eligible) teams on the road to perfect records. Well, here we are one week later and that statement no longer applies. Sure, there are still three teams on their way to undefeated regular seasons, but if Alabama can… Read more »

Montee Ball said it best himself: he just has a nose for the end zone. Saturday, as Ball celebrates his final game at Camp Randall and Wisconsin welcomes Ohio State to Madison, the senior running back will attempt to make history. Ball is only a touchdown shy of tying former… Read more »

As the Wisconsin football team prepares to square off against a familiar and unbeaten foe, head coach Bret Bielema will see a new face on the opposing sideline. Ohio State officially hired Urban Meyer as head coach Nov. 28, 2011. Meyer has guided the Buckeyes to a 10-0 mark in… Read more »

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — On a day when Wisconsin running backs Montee Ball and James White each crossed the century mark to help the Badgers gain a school-record 564 rushing yards, coaches didn’t need much help from quarterback Curt Phillips. But, as defined by a 52-yard run in the third quarter,… Read more »

It’s just Indiana. Or so you think. Sure, the Wisconsin Football team (6-3, 3-2 Big Ten) has bested the Hoosiers time and again on the gridiron in recent history — especially with a 59-7 win in Madison last year and an 83-20 decision in 2010. But this year, things are… Read more »

Following every Wisconsin football practice and after each game, a swarm of reporters gather around a 6-foot-4, 338-pound mass of man, his face cloaked by a mammoth beard. Behind the cameras and notepads stands Travis Frederick, the player who, more than any other, acts as the Badgers’ spokesperson, the go-to… Read more »

Week 10 took the top teams in college football by surprise. No. 1 Alabama was losing to SEC West rival LSU until a late touchdown with 51 seconds remaining in the game. USC kept No. 3 Oregon on its toes with 13 fourth quarter points. No. 4 Notre Dame needed… Read more »

Nine days removed from the William Gholston hit that knocked him out for the season, former Wisconsin starting quarterback Joel Stave entered the McClain Center Media Room Sunday with his left arm resting in a black sling. After breaking his collarbone less than 10 seconds into the second half of… Read more »

As the Wisconsin football team prepares for a critical matchup against Indiana Saturday, the biggest question mark is still attached to the quarterback position. Wisconsin (6-3, 3-2 Big Ten) head coach Bret Bielema focused on this issue in detail during his weekly press conference Monday, saying he will let the… Read more »

Since taking the reigns as Wisconsin’s offensive line coach following a Week 2 loss to Oregon State, Bart Miller said he’s tried to rid his unit of relying on excuses for its mistakes. But he did offer some explanation for why the Badgers clawed their way to just 19 net… Read more »

It was almost as if everyone was in denial. As Joel Stave collapsed on the field, rabid fans in the student section and reporters in the press box alike needed a minute to digest the situation. We knew Stave had been driven into the ground by the beast known as… Read more »

If this season has been one of change for the University of Wisconsin football team, the trend will only continue as coaches decide who to move forward with at quarterback. Head coach Bret Bielema confirmed earlier reports that UW (6-3, 3-2 Big Ten) starting quarterback Joel Stave suffered a season-ending… Read more »

In an SEC-style defensive battle where yards quickly turned into a rarefied prize, it only took one mistake to cost the Wisconsin football team its first home defeat in more than three years. Wisconsin (6-3, 3-2 Big Ten) cornerback Darius Hillary couldn’t turn around soon enough when Michigan State (5-4,… Read more »

It looked like quarterback Joel Stave was finally finding his rhythm in the offense — and against one of the best defenses in the nation, nonetheless. But all it took was one destructive hit to leave Wisconsin’s (6-3, 3-2 Big Ten) season in question. With what is now being reported… Read more »

In the beginning, there was nothing. Then, there was the son of TZ.com. And it was good. Star high school athletics has-been and Badger Herald drunkard Sean Zak relived his high school glory days and then some Friday afternoon at Vilas Park, hauling in three Gentle Clown touchdown passes and… Read more »

Wisconsin starting quarterback Joel Stave will miss the remainder of the season after breaking his left collarbone against Michigan State Saturday, according to a report from Jake Zimmermann at WKOW. Stave, a redshirt freshman, went down less than 10 seconds into the third quarter when 6-foot-7, 278-pound Michigan State defensive end… Read more »

The Wisconsin defense’s swagger is back; Montee Ball and James White are running with renewed fury. Both are about to run into their biggest challenge of the season: Michigan State. As the Badgers’ offense continues to build a consistent identity behind a rushing attack that has pounded its way to… Read more »

Baking soda and vinegar, whiskey and fireworks, sorority girls and Lakeshore dorm residents, Bret Bielema and an all-you-can-eat buffet, Keystone Light and Asian Kitchen. All of these pairs are dangerous when combined and make for catastrophic results. But none of these combinations is as dangerous and lethal as the annual… Read more »

When Wisconsin running back Montee Ball hit the spotlight a year ago, national media couldn’t get enough of the fact that at one point, the Heisman finalist was buried at No. 3 on the Badgers’ depth chart. But there’s another player on UW’s roster who has had a similar story… Read more »

Following a 38-13 win Saturday over Minnesota, Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema praised the character shown by running back tandem Montee Ball and James White this season. In his weekly press conference Monday, Bielema said the pair’s production this season is partially a product of their camaraderie. The duo combined… Read more »

In a game that saw the Badgers earn their ninth consecutive victory against Minnesota in the annual border battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe, the offense continued its ascension back to its 2011 form despite shaky play at times from redshirt freshman quarterback Joel Stave. While the running game maintained its… Read more »

For the ninth season in a row, Paul Bunyan’s Axe will call Madison, Wis., home. Wisconsin (6-2, 3-1 Big Ten) leaned on the combined 341 rushing yards and five touchdowns of standout tailbacks Montee Ball and James White to run past border rival Minnesota (4-3, 0-3) 38-13 at Camp Randall… Read more »

Paul Bunyan’s Axe stood in all its glory at the edge of the field at the Dave McClain Athletic Facility Wednesday night. As the Wisconsin players ran off at the conclusion of practice, each tapped the red face of the axe, an homage to the importance of Saturday’s rivalry and… Read more »

Sports Content Editor Nick Korger breaks down the key players in this weekend’s rival game between the Wisconsin Badgers and Minnesota Gophers.… Read more »

Off the field, he’s a gentleman. He’s said to treat everyone as his brother, is well-mannered and apparently has a thing for chewing gum. Talking to him, you notice a slight southern accent in his soft voice to match his manners. Then you have to remind yourself  whom you are… Read more »

When Wisconsin fullback Derek Watt logged onto Facebook during the Packers game Sunday night, high school friends lit up his feed with comments about how difficult it was to believe that was indeed their former high school classmate eyeing Aaron Rodgers from the right edge of the defensive line. There… Read more »

Seven weeks of upsets, domination and struggle have already come and gone in the world of college football. With the midway point to the season now upon us, legitimate BCS talk begins. The first BCS rankings released Sunday put Alabama, Florida, Oregon, Kansas St. and Notre Dame at the top.… Read more »

Coming off a win over Purdue, the Wisconsin football team is looking forward to hosting the Minnesota Golden Gophers this Saturday, where the rivals will fight for Paul Bunyan’s Axe — a trophy that currently resides in Madison. After a 38-14 win over Purdue, head coach Bret Bielema named Montee… Read more »

“Is this the game you’ve been looking for all year?” asked a reporter following Saturday’s game. “Uh, yeah,” Bret Bielema said with a slight smile. The Wisconsin football head coach couldn’t seem to find any more words, stumbling over cliché phrases and something about “moving forward” as usual. But he… Read more »

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The race was on, and as the clock expired and Wisconsin cruised to a 38-14 victory over Purdue Saturday, the Badgers had created a sizable gap from the competition. In pursuit of the front seat for the Big Ten Leaders Division title and locking down its… Read more »

WEST LAYFAYETTE, Ind. — With the rain pouring down throughout an afternoon game between Purdue and Wisconsin, it became evident the winner at the line of scrimmage would likely determine the victor. And the Badgers didn’t just win the battle. They annihilated their opponent. With a complete effort from both… Read more »

When Wisconsin lines up on the offensive side of the ball against Purdue Saturday, the game will have the vintage trademarks of smash mouth Big Ten football. A physical, explosive running back deftly reading blocks behind a massive offensive line, a physically overpowering group of defensive linemen awaiting Montee Ball… Read more »

As the buzz began surrounding the 2012 football season, Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema repeatedly stated his excitement for the depth and experience returning on the defensive line. More specifically, the group with the deepest depth on the roster belonged to the Badgers’ defensive ends. Returning five players who saw… Read more »

Ever since he first stepped foot on campus, James White has been labeled as second-best. As a freshman, White was tabbed as the second running back behind then-returning 2009 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year John Clay. A year later, he found himself slotted behind the record-breaking stats of… Read more »

Considering the strong play of his linebackers this season, perhaps it’s good that Wisconsin head football coach Bret Bielema is getting them confused. In his weekly press conference Monday, Bielema mistakenly named Mike Taylor the defensive most valuable player for the week. Later, however, he realized he had given the… Read more »

Providing a much-needed boost out of the backfield in Wisconsin’s 31-14 win over Illinois Saturday was not former Heisman finalist Montee Ball, the tailback who faced enormous expectations coming into this year. Rather it was James White, the quick-footed junior running back known more for his flashy cutbacks than his… Read more »

Before the Wisconsin football team took the field Saturday, it had yet to put together a full four-quarter game. While it still didn’t accomplish that task in a 31-14 win over Illinois, the team did at least play a complete game in the fourth quarter. The Badgers (4-2, 1-1 Big… Read more »

Fall is the king of all seasons. It’s not just the leaves on the trees becoming picturesque in their changing colors, the crisp smell of the cool autumn air that pierces your lungs or even the wafting smell of an early-afternoon barbeque. Fall is simply the best because it means… Read more »

Four quarters of complete, mistake-free football. That is what the Wisconsin Badgers (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten) need to accomplish going into this week’s conference matchup with Illinois (2-3, 0-1) in their first Leaders Division matchup of the year. The Fighting Illini are just one of three teams aside from the… Read more »

Drew Meyer plays a position the Wisconsin football team would rather not have on the field. The redshirt freshman is a punter — and based off his statistics through five games — a pretty darn good one, too. “It’s kind of funny,” Meyer said. “Family and friends are always like,… Read more »

A season ago, tight end Jacob Pedersen was the unexpected breakout player, the bonus threat to an elite quarterback in Russell Wilson and a receiving crew led by Nick Toon and Jared Abbrederis. Finishing third on the team behind Abbrederis and Toon with 356 receiving yards on 30 receptions, the… Read more »

Heading into Lincoln, most expected the Badgers to lose, but they didn’t go down without a fight as they built a 17-point lead before Nebraska scoring the game’s final 20 points to win 30-27 in front of its home crowd. The fact that this was the team’s Big Ten opener… Read more »

Every Wisconsin fan watching the game Saturday did a double take when No. 6 entered the game on the game-deciding drive with just under three minutes left in a Memorial Stadium growing louder with each snap. No, there was no way Danny O’Brien, the transfer savior-turned backup quarterback and clipboard manager could… Read more »

LINCOLN, Neb. — When it comes to third-and-short, or fourth-and-short, Wisconsin has not had much luck converting the once-easy situational downs. And it’s a problem that made the trip with them to Memorial Stadium this weekend. With just more than a minute left in the game, Wisconsin (3-2, 0-1 Big… Read more »

LINCOLN, Neb. — It came down to a battle of wills. And some bad luck. Down on the scoreboard with just more than a minute remaining, the Badgers attempted to run senior tailback Montee Ball off the right side on a fouth-and-1 behind their usually-dominant offensive line. But Saturday night,… Read more »

One year ago, Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez fell apart under the lights of Camp Randall. He threw three interceptions and connected on just half of his 22 passing attempts. He served as the microcosm of a Cornhuskers team that looked overmatched in its Big Ten debut. But it’s a new… Read more »

Three hundred and sixty four days ago, Camp Randall roared. The normally solid red bowl was freckled black. Nebraska was finally in town. But little to its knowledge, Nebraska was about to receive one of the worst welcomes to the Big Ten it could have feared. It was highly… Read more »

Purdue is riding high heading into the opening weekend of Big Ten play. The Boilermakers handily defeated Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Michigan by a combined score of 102-22. Purdue’s one loss came in a 20-17 loss on the road to No. 10 Notre Dame on a field goal with seven… Read more »

Joel Stave knows about being in pressure-filled situations. Last April, the Badgers’ redshirt freshman took the stage in front of a large audience at the 2012 “Buckinghams,” a formal event that showcases student-athletes’ talents off the field and honors success academically and athletically. Playing and singing a rousing rendition of… Read more »

USC, Oklahoma, Michigan, Arkansas, Michigan State and our own Wisconsin Badgers. The list could go on and on of teams that have underperformed this season. Some have just not played well and others have had their road to a national title game decimated by upset losses. This story line of… Read more »

The Wisconsin football team showed promising signs of improvement in its 37-26 victory over the UTEP Miners Saturday, but the biggest question heading into this weekend’s trip to Nebraska was the health of star running back Montee Ball. Head coach Bret Bielema did not offer a decisive answer to that… Read more »

Nick Lamaison looked poised and confident as he led the Miners on a clock-eating drive, converting three consecutive third downs. Down 23-16, University of Texas at El Paso’s offense appeared destined for the end zone before a key pass breakup from free safety Dezmen Southward forced a field goal. It… Read more »

Let the Joel ‘Sunshine’ Stave era begin. For now, anyway. As the first freshman quarterback to start for Wisconsin since Jim Sorgi in 2000, Stave led Wisconsin to a 37-26 win over University of Texas at El Paso in its final nonconference match of the season Saturday. The Greenfield, Wis.,… Read more »

Wisconsin’s offense cannot seem to avoid drama from week to week. With a new offensive line coach last week, this week a perceived quarterback competition obscured who would start under center Saturday against Texas at El Paso (1-2). Last Saturday, as the Badgers (2-1) trailed Utah State 14-3 at halftime,… Read more »

Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema confirmed redshirt freshman Joel Stave will start at quarterback against Texas-El Paso at his press conference Thursday. Stave landed the first game experience of his career in the second half of a 16-14 win over Utah State Saturday, connecting on two of the six passes… Read more »

Quantity doesn’t always equal quality. When it comes to measuring a player’s impact in any sport, a particular focus — sometimes even to the level of obsession — is paid on statistics. So it comes as no surprise that the Badgers’ defensive tackles haven’t received the credit they deserve for… Read more »

The first snap against Northern Iowa. That was when redshirt freshman and newly crowned No. 2 wide receiver Jordan Fredrick knew he had officially locked up a starting wide receiver spot, donning the jersey of his hometown team, the very one he grew up cheering for. A lifelong Madison resident… Read more »

Rose • ŸBowl-itis (n.): a disorder leaving fans with excessive feelings of confidence or hope before the season starts; symptoms include booking flights to Los Angeles and hotels in Pasadena in August; most prevalent in the Midwest I, too, was a victim of the hype, my dreams driving deeper with… Read more »

Change has become a common thread for the Wisconsin football team in 2012. But with the near endless change around the team through the first three weeks of the season, head coach Bret Bielema has tried to maintain a sense of stability around the program. “It’s really just kind of… Read more »

For nearly three quarters Saturday night, Badger fans were eerily quiet. With the Wisconsin offense stagnant and the team down 14-3, Kenzel Doe took it upon himself to change that. The sophomore returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown, electrifying the crowd as Wisconsin (2-1) scored 13 of its… Read more »

Wisconsin is not accustomed to having a tough defense bail out a struggling offense time and again. Say it ain’t so, but through three games in the 2012 season, the defense’s play has been the key factor in keeping the Badgers (2-1) within striking distance of a win. As the… Read more »

Following the humbling loss to Oregon State last weekend, senior tight end Jacob Pedersen stood in front of the offense at a meeting Sunday with a simple message: Believe. Clearly shaken by the upset at Reser Stadium, the Badgers sit at a pivotal point in the season, with more… Read more »

One play. That’s all it took this past Saturday for redshirt sophomore Michael Trotter to go from backup to starting strong safety on the Wisconsin defense. While battling in the third quarter of last week’s loss to Oregon State, starting strong safety Shelton Johnson went to fill in on a… Read more »

Shock and surprise rocked the Wisconsin football program Sunday night when head coach Bret Bielema announced the departure of offensive line coach Mike Markuson. But the surprises didn’t end there. Markuson’s replacement was none other than an untested UW graduate assistant, Bart Miller. “Oh I was definitely surprised,” running backs… Read more »

A week of non-conference matchups with the top teams being favored by double-digits ended with three teams dropping out of the Top 25 and seasons left in question. Wisconsin’s loss to Oregon State was not the only major upset of the weekend for teams that expected to breeze by opponents.… Read more »

Bret Bielema just launched a high-stakes experiment. When Wisconsin’s head coach decided to replace offensive line coach Mark Markuson after a rocky start, he showed unbridled confidence not only in himself, but also in new coach Bart Miller. A program swept by change over the last nine months, Bielema’s decision… Read more »

Following the first nonconference loss of his career as the head coach at Wisconsin, Bret Bielema opted to stay positive as his team returns home to host Utah State Saturday night. Bielema praised the team’s defensive and special teams effort in Wisconsin’s 10-7 loss Saturday to Oregon State University. Bielema… Read more »

At his Monday press conference, Wisconsin head football coach Bret Bielema confirmed reports he fired Mike Markuson as the team’s offensive line coach Sunday after just two games with the team. The Wisconsin offensive line has severely underperformed this season, and Bielema cited “personal matters and a lot of things… Read more »

Corvallis, Ore. — Aspirations of something even greater than a Rose Bowl berth for Wisconsin football almost certainly came to a humbling end at Reser Stadium Saturday, as Oregon State defeated the Badgers 10-7. Perhaps, based on postgame interviews, nobody informed UW transfer quarterback Danny O’Brien what exactly was expected.… Read more »

Although his team suffered a 35-0 thrashing against Wisconsin in 2011, Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion probably holds a special place in his heart for Camp Randall. After all, that’s where the Beavers’ quarterback won his starting job. Replacing starter Ryan Katz early in the game, then-freshman Mannion went on… Read more »

Linebacker Ethan Armstrong spends his career on the field in the shadow of two of Wisconsin’s top defensive stoppers. He’s the new face in the backfield; the third wheel on a unit stacked with talent. But this summer he finally earned due recognition for two years of regular, on-the-field action.… Read more »

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The new college football season promises to be another year of fierce competition with teams ready to give their fans something to cheer about. As in recent years, it also means a changing landscape for many programs. Conference realignment has increased dramatically in the past few years. Since 2010, 32… Read more »

Ball will always play in shadow of incredible 2011 stats Ball has the speed, power and vision to be one of the elite runners in the nation this season, but he simply set too high a bar last season to live up to this year’s preseason Heisman hype. It’s not… Read more »

Not much has changed for Wisconsin football’s defensive line since last year. With a junior, two redshirt juniors and a redshirt senior, the line is one of the most experienced groups on this 2012 Wisconsin squad. “We have definitely high expectations and high standards for ourselves because we’re a group… Read more »

It was an all too familiar sight for Badgers fans as Northern Iowa threaded the ball down the field, completing pass after pass and scoring in bunches. Panthers quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen threw for two touchdowns and 173 yards in the final 15 minutes, evoking painful memories of the aerial beatdowns… Read more »

It was 4th-and-two at the Wisconsin 41. The Wisconsin football team was holding onto a 26-21 lead, but its defense was struggling and Northern Iowa was threatening to take the lead with just under three minutes left in the game. As UNI redshirt freshman Sawyer Kollmorgen released his pass on… Read more »

Football season is finally upon us. I’m football beat writer Kelly Erickson here at the Herald, joined today by Sports Editor Ian McCue. Wisconsin opens its season at home today against Northern Iowa. High expectations surround the Badgers this season as they attempt to win their third Big Ten title… Read more »

It’s hard to remember a time when football wasn’t America’s game. Sure, baseball is heralded as America’s pastime, but for decades football has grown to such an extent of popularity that it outstrips any other TV programming by a mile. But the rise of football has also gone hand-in-hand with… Read more »

A fresh ACC quarterback transfer, six new assistant coaches and the surprising return of a Heisman finalist later, expectations for Wisconsin football are soaring. As Wisconsin continues its march to stamping its name among college football’s elite, a third consecutive Big Ten title and BCS berth are no longer simply… Read more »

CHICAGO – It’s just a handful of minutes before 8 a.m., the beginning of Day 2 of the Big Ten Media Days, when Wisconsin running back Montee Ball finds the table marked with a paper-made desk plate displaying his name, position and team written on both sides. It’s one of… Read more »

CHICAGO — In a room full of about 48 football players and head coaches, there is no shortage of confidence. Each player is incredibly hopeful about the upcoming season, never willing to admit nerves about their chances, especially in rivalry matchups. The Big Ten is riddled with rivalries, but perhaps… Read more »

CHICAGO – Despite a free agency-type situation befalling Penn State’s football team, the majority of Big Ten coaches said Thursday they are not jumping at the chance to woo any Nittany Lions. Among that majority is Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema, who said he decided not to contact any players… Read more »

CHICAGO — Just as Hermione Granger corrected Ron Weasley’s incorrect pronunciation (“it’s levioooosa, not leviosaa”), Brett Bielema confirmed the correct way to pronounce his Heisman candidate’s name. Start getting used to it kids, it’s Mon-tay, not Mon-tee. As Bret Bielema addressed the media on the first day of the Big… Read more »

Jared Abbrederis has taken the path less traveled in becoming one of the best wide receivers in the Big Ten.Coming onto campus as a walk-on just three years ago out of Wautoma High — where he started and starred at quarterback — the redshirt junior’s transformation to an honorable mention… Read more »

After going unselected in the NFL draft in late April, former Wisconsin safety Aaron Henry nevertheless found a home for the time being, signing with the Oakland Raiders shortly afterwards. Henry, a first-team all-Big Ten selection by the coaches in 2011, set aside some time to talk to Sports Editor… Read more »

This past spring camp marked Chase Hammond’s most important month of collegiate football to date. Entering his third year with the Wisconsin football program as a redshirt sophomore wide receiver out of Youngstown, Ohio, Hammond hadn’t quite been healthy since he broke his right ankle in his junior year of… Read more »

On a linebacking corps that features two of Wisconsin’s most explosive playmakers in Chris Borland and Mike Taylor, a high stakes sweepstakes is underway for the chance to complete that trio. But as Saturday’s spring game concluded the spring football season, the battle for the outside linebacker spot alongside this… Read more »

While Wisconsin’s battle for the starting quarterback gig headlined the 2012 spring game, the Badgers’ No. 1 defense kept the backup offense out of the endzone in a 21-10 victory for the Cardinal. In a game that paired the Cardinal — Wisconsin’s probable starters this fall — with their backups… Read more »

It wasn’t anything fancy, but the Wisconsin football team’s offense made two trips to the endzone in Saturday’s spring game, which is twice more than anyone could have said about the team a year ago at this point in the offseason. The starting units of the “Cardinal” team took out… Read more »

It’s finally time to start thinking about next year. Almost five months have passed since Wisconsin fans last saw the Badgers play some football, and Saturday offers the only public sneak peak until the 2012 opening kickoff against Northern Iowa on Sept. 1. With spring camp coming to a close,… Read more »

Newly anointed Wisconsin wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni is thankful it is only spring camp. With possibly one of the youngest, least experienced positions under his watch, he feels blessed that the season still lies months away. “Thank God,” Azzanni said when a reporter mentioned the season was still far… Read more »

While Danny O’Brien silenced many of the questions around Wisconsin’s wide-open quarterback competition for the time being, coaches can’t say the same about the tight end spot. With one established receiving option in Jacob Pedersen, a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2011, there’s a lengthy list of candidates for filling… Read more »

As the Wisconsin football team’s spring game draws nearer, head coach Bret Bielema has been pleased with the progression of his players so far in camp. Even though there hasn’t been much full contact in camp yet, Bielema said he’s been surprised at the level of intensity on the field.… Read more »

Nobody in his or her right mind would label the Wisconsin football team’s backfield a place of consternation heading into the 2012 season. But the departure of fullback Bradie Ewing has, however, left the backfield somewhat lopsided. For the last two years, Ewing has been the trusty 6-foot, 245-pound hammer… Read more »

At a program renowned for the pure mass of its offensive linemen who often manhandled opponents, more impressive skills such as versatility are often overlooked. Standing as a testament of each player’s deep understanding of the different techniques and responsibilities of each position, the ability to line up at several… Read more »

It’s been four years since Michael and Marcus Trotter’s brother committed suicide. Aleksas Trotter was a state-champion high school gymnast, training for college and a shot at the Olympics before a shoulder injury put an end to his career. At the age of 21, on April 19, 2008, after a… Read more »

The 2012 offseason has been one of significant turnover for the Wisconsin football team, with six assistant coaches leaving and a body of seniors jockeying for position on NFL draft boards. And while several positions are only now beginning to start anew with spring practice in top gear, the defensive… Read more »

The Wisconsin Football team is only five practices into its spring season. Yet, head coach Bret Bielema and company have already managed to make things pretty interesting. Between landing another graduate transfer quarterback in Maryland’s Danny O’Brien and Sporting News’ continued reports on the recruiting issues between Bielema and Ohio… Read more »

One year ago, Thomas Hammock was the newcomer on the coaching staff of Wisconsin’s offense — all of his colleagues had walked the halls and sidelines of Camp Randall Stadium for years. But only a few weeks after that first season ended did Hammock suddenly become the guy with the… Read more »

When the Wisconsin secondary lines up for the season opener against Northern Iowa this September, there will be an unfamiliar absence in the backfield. With the departures of Aaron Henry and Antonio Fenelus, the two most celebrated members of the Badgers’ secondary last season, the team lost two of its… Read more »

For the second consecutive year, the Wisconsin football team may have found its answer to the quarterback position in the arm of an ACC transplant. Wednesday afternoon, Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema announced the addition of former Maryland quarterback Danny O’Brien to the Badgers’ roster. O’Brien is set to graduate… Read more »

For the second year in a row, the Wisconsin football team will welcome in a transfer quarterback. Former Maryland quarterback Danny O’Brien has decided to transfer to Wisconsin with two years of eligibility. Like Russell Wilson before him, O’Brien is graduate transfer and will be able to play immediately for… Read more »

In collegiate athletics, turnover is simply unavoidable. Athletes come and go as they graduate or cash in on professional deals. So at the start of the 2011 season, the Wisconsin football team — with all its high hopes and expectations riding on the shoulders of a senior class, which instantly… Read more »

As is the case with any college football team, spring football can be a crucial time for the coaching staff as it tries to find the puzzle pieces to replace the holes left by graduating seniors. This will be an especially difficult task for the reigning Big Ten champion Wisconsin… Read more »

On the same day the Wisconsin basketball team exited the NCAA Tournament in heartbreaking fashion, the football team kicked off its spring camp. It’s been a tumultuous offseason for head coach Bret Bielema & Co., as the Badgers had to replace six assistant coaches — a majority of whom were… Read more »

Roped off onlookers silently watching from afar; the occasional brief and quiet oohs and aahs; the sight of football players dressed in a full regalia of Under Armour. It must be pro day. Former members of the Wisconsin football team hosted a multitude of representatives from NFL teams Wednesday at… Read more »

In one of the final scenes of “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope,” Darth Vader’s spacecraft is shot by Han Solo and spins out of control into the bleakness of space. Ohio State football was largely in that same situation of an out-of-control ride this past year, quickly trying… Read more »

With National Signing Day in the past, caught up with Midwest analyst Josh Helmholdt of Rivals.com to talk about the Wisconsin football team’s 2012 recruiting class of 12 scholarship players and seven preferred walk-ons. Helmholdt touched on the highs and lows of the 2012 class, including the highly-anticipated new quarterback,… Read more »

Turns out Pittsburgh can’t have them all. Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema announced Monday the addition of Eddie Faulkner as the program’s new tight ends coach. The move for Faulkner comes nearly one month after accepting a job to coach running backs for Paul Chryst at Pittsburgh. Faulkner’s arrival… Read more »

Amid offseason turmoil on its coaching staff, the Wisconsin football team was nevertheless able to glue together its new recruiting class. As National Signing Day came and went, the Badgers amassed 19 letters of intent, seven of which came from preferred walk-ons. Head coach Bret Bielema knew it would be… Read more »

Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema announced the latest addition to his staff Wednesday afternoon, introducing Andy Buh as the program’s new linebackers coach. Buh spent the previous two seasons at Nevada, his alma matter, where he acted as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He also has two years of… Read more »

PASADENA, Calif. — It was the storyline from the beginning. The 98th Rose Bowl was expected to be a shootout. All season long, the No. 5 Oregon Ducks (12-2, 8-1 Pac-12) were a fast-paced offensive machine, while the No. 12 Wisconsin Badgers (11-3, 6-2 Big Ten) were methodical giants. Neither defense… Read more »

PASADENA, Calif. — Once again, the Wisconsin Badgers took a game of great magnitude down to the very last second. This time, however, time passed by a little too quickly for an offense forced to overcome a seven-point deficit more than halfway through the fourth quarter. Consequently, the No. 5… Read more »

PASADENA, Calif. — The scoreboard flashed a Rose Bowl record of 83 points, and more than half a mile’s worth of yards were covered. But once the dust settled in the fourth quarter of the wild west shootout between Oregon and Wisconsin, there sat a lifeless football along the sideline.… Read more »

With the departure of six assistant coaches directly following the 2012 Rose Bowl, the Wisconsin football team became a true land of opportunity for football coaches. As such, head coach Bret Bielema is already well at work to fill those vacancies, hiring Matt Canada as the program’s new offensive coordinator… Read more »

Following a disappointing 45-38 loss to Oregon in the Rose Bowl, the number of players and coaches set to leave the Wisconsin football team surely left Badger faithfuls with the sourest of tastes on their tongues. But on Jan. 5, Montee Ball delivered a heck of a tasty treat. Ball,… Read more »

The shape of the Wisconsin football team’s coaching staff continues to take shape as head coach Bret Bielema announced the hiring of Matt Canada as the squad’s new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tuesday afternoon.Canada spent the 2011 season in an identical role with Northern Illinois, although he has a… Read more »

Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema began filling the void left by his departed assistants Monday by announcing the addition Zach Azzanni as the team’s wide receivers coach.Azzanni will call Wisconsin his third home in as many years, as he spent the 2011 season as the offensive coordinator and wide… Read more »

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Welcome to the Badger Herald Live Blog! I’m Kelly Erickson, sports content editor here at the Herald, joined by Elliot Hughes, sports editor, coming to you live from the Rose Bowl in sunny Pasadena, Calif. We’ll be bringing you all the action as the Badgers (11-2) take on the Oregon… Read more »

LOS ANGELES — Come Jan. 2, when the Wisconsin football team emerges from its month-long hibernation to take the field for the 98th Rose Bowl Game against Oregon, it’ll be easy to get caught up in what the Badger offense will be losing on the field next season. Quarterback Russell… Read more »

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LOS ANGELES — Since their resounding victory over Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game almost a month ago, not much has changed within the Wisconsin Badgers’ roster. That’s not to say they haven’t received a bit of a makeover, though. When the No. 10 Badgers (11-2, 6-2 Big… Read more »

LOS ANGELES — In football, statistics rule. Passer ratings track the best quarterbacks. Rushing yards denote the finest running backs in the game. Tackles and yards allowed indicate the fiercest of defenses. But the mark of a strong offensive line is hard to find. “Offensive linemen don’t really have too… Read more »

When the Wisconsin Badgers arrived in Pasadena for last year’s Rose Bowl, Chris Borland climbed to the top deck of the 89-year-old stadium and just watched. At that point, a few days before Wisconsin was set to take the field against the Texas Christian Horned Frogs, Borland hadn’t suited up… Read more »

His announcement to join the Wisconsin football team came in late June, and now, just six months later, Russell Wilson will soon be departing. Come Jan. 2, Wilson, the quarterback who fell out of the blue sky into the laps of the one-puzzle-piece-missing Badgers, will don a cardinal and white… Read more »

They’ve been there before. Last time it was a whole new world. Bright lights, walking among the stars — literally — and a whole new experience. This time around, when it comes to the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2, the Wisconsin Badgers mean business. “We’re going to take this trip… Read more »

Bradie Ewing was the first Wisconsin Badger to emerge from the Lucas Oil Stadium visitors’ locker room just about two weeks ago, more than happy to greet the horde of reporters awaiting him. Ewing’s Badgers had just avenged one of the most harrowing moments of their wild season — a… Read more »

Despite his late surge onto the forefront of the Heisman Trophy debate, Montee Ball will not be Wisconsin’s third running back to bring the 25-pound bronze trophy back to Madison. Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III became the 77th winner of the Heisman on ESPN’s live broadcast of the award’s presentation… Read more »

In 2010, Travis Frederick was redshirted due to the Badgers’ surplus of talented offensive linemen. Wisconsin made the Rose Bowl that year, and after three starting offensive linemen graduated and were selected in April’s NFL Draft, Frederick had a prized opportunity staring him right in the face. When the Badgers… Read more »

After meeting Travis Frederick for the first time, three things immediately stand out. The first is his sheer size. As an offensive lineman for the University of Wisconsin, Frederick stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 330 pounds. As big as that seems, those figures place him near the average of a typical… Read more »

On the night of his 21st birthday, Montee Ball received a gift he’ll never forget. Monday evening, Wisconsin’s junior running back was named one of five finalists for the 77th Heisman Trophy, awarded annually to the top player in college football. The winner will be revealed Saturday night in New… Read more »

Every week, Herald Sports will look back at the most recent Wisconsin football game and assign grades to each position group on a scale of zero to five. Here’s a look at how Wisconsin edged out Michigan State 42-39 for the Big Ten title and a berth in the Rose… Read more »

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INDIANAPOLIS — At halftime of the Big Ten Championship Game, the Wisconsin football team couldn’t help but feel a little incredulous about the situation it found itself in against Michigan State. In a storyline that paralleled their Oct. 22 meeting with the Spartans, the Badgers had, at one point, held… Read more »

INDIANAPOLIS — The drama, the wait and the heartbreak are over. The Wisconsin Badgers are the 2011 Big Ten champions. In a game frighteningly similar to the team’s first matchup Oct. 22, No. 15 Wisconsin (11-2, 6-2) edged out No. 13 Michigan State (10-3, 7-2) 42-39 for the outright Big… Read more »

INDIANAPOLIS - Welcome to Herald Sports’ live blog of the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game between No. 15 Wisconsin  (10-2, 6-2) and No. 13 Michigan State (10-2, 7-1). It’s a rematch of the Oct. 22 meeting in East Lasing, Mich., when the Spartans won, 37-31, on the last play of… Read more »

For the past month, all the Wisconsin Badgers asked for was another chance. Saturday night in Indianapolis, they’ll get it. In the Big Ten’s inaugural conference championship game, the No. 15 Badgers (10-2, 6-2) will get a rematch against No. 13 Michigan State (10-2, 7-1) at Lucas Oil Stadium, home… Read more »

Ask any Badger defenseman about their trip to East Lansing earlier this season and they will mention something about a Hail Mary pass, a safety and a double reverse. While all these plays were major factors in Wisconsin’s demise against Michigan State, another factor was the defense’s inability to get… Read more »

It’s a big week for Wisconsin sports as the football team prepares for the inaugural Big 10 Championship Game, and the men’s basketball team heads to North Carolina to play the #5 ranked Tar Heels. Badger Herald sports editors Mike Fiammetta and Elliot Hughes will fill you in!Badger Sports Press… Read more »

The Big Ten football conference is commonly romanticized as a “black and blue” league, where teams utilize traditional offenses and exude a physical nature while playing in the outdoors of the chilly Midwest. But when competition in the Big Ten will reach its apex this Saturday when Wisconsin and Michigan… Read more »

The first ever Big Ten Championship Game trophy is up for grabs, but do not tell Bret Bielema. At his weekly Monday press conference, Wisconsin’s head coach said that while the Badgers are preparing for an undeniably different road experience, they are treating it just like any other regular season… Read more »

Every week, Herald Sports will look back at the most recent Wisconsin football game and assign grades to each position group on a scale of zero to five. Here is a look at how the University of Wisconsin thrashed Penn State 45-7 for the Big Ten Leaders Division title. Quarterbacks… Read more »

Camp Randall Stadium is notorious for its game day atmosphere and the overall difficulty teams face when playing there. So when the Wisconsin football team pummeled Penn State 45-7 for a chance to play in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game, it also concluded another perfect season at home. For… Read more »

Wisconsin beat Penn State to earn a berth in the Big 10 Championship game in Indianapolis against Michigan State. Montee Ball closed in on the NCAA record for the single most touchdowns in a season with 34 touchdowns behind Barry Sanders with 39.… Read more »

At the end of October, the Wisconsin football team’s hopes and dreams of playing for a conference title in Indianapolis seemed dim, at best. One month later, the Badgers find themselves making reservations for a date with Michigan State in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game. No. 16 Wisconsin (10-2,… Read more »

Badger Herald sports editors Mike Fiammetta and Elliot Hughes bring you the latest on the Badgers as the football team hosts Penn State, looking to reach the inaugural Big Ten Championship game. UW men’s basketball also looks to go 4-0 against UKMC Tuesday night.… Read more »

Down by two scores in a game they absolutely had to have Saturday afternoon, the University of Wisconsin Badgers turned to running back Montee Ball, arguably their most consistent player throughout the season. At Illinois, Wisconsin trailed 14-0 in the second quarter before a 1-yard Ball rush up the middle… Read more »

Every week, Herald Sports will look back at the most recent University of Wisconsin football game and assign grades to each position group on a scale of zero to five. Here’s a look at how Wisconsin’s second-half comeback helped the Badgers grind out a 28-17 win on the road against… Read more »

In a game that was won with his Badger teammates squarely on his back, Montee Ball made a swift, resounding statement to the rest of college football — the Wisconsin running back is an undeniable Heisman Trophy candidate. Ball’s 38 carries, 224 rushing yards and three total touchdowns at Illinois… Read more »

By halftime, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball had gained 60 of the Badgers’ 93 meager yards thanks to an inspired Illinois’ defense on Senior Day at Memorial Stadium. Then, Ball ran away for 164 yards and two touchdowns in the second half and the Badgers (9-2, 5-2) erased a 17-7… Read more »

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It was gritty. It was ugly. But it might have been Wisconsin’s most impressive victory of the season. Despite trailing, in every sense of the word, 17-7 at half, the No. 17 Badgers (9-2, 5-2) launched a second-half comeback to beat Illinois 28-17 (6-5, 2-5). After a… Read more »

Hear the latest news about Badger football, basketball and hockey from the Badger Herald’s Mike Fiammetta, Elliot Hughes and Kelly Erickson!Recap/Preview Nov. 11 - Nov. 20… Read more »

After its Rose Bowl aspirations were taken to the brink three weeks ago, the Wisconsin football team already finds itself back in control of its destiny. With two games left in the regular season, Wisconsin is eight quarters away from clinching a berth in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game.… Read more »

Last year, J.J. Watt led the Badger defense statistically, but, most importantly, vocally — on and off the field. Without a doubt, Aaron Henry is UW’s vocal leader this season. He may not be able to figuratively carry the city around in the palm of his hand like Watt, but… Read more »

The first time Ryan Groy stepped into a starting role on Wisconsin’s starting offensive line, he might have had an excuse for a mistake. This time, with starting center Peter Konz sidelined two to four weeks with a dislocated ankle? There’s little margin for error. Wisconsin, now ranked No. 17… Read more »

Paul Bunyan’s Axe was a worthy prize for the Wisconsin Badgers this weekend, though Saturday’s 42-13 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers was a costly one. Junior center Peter Konz suffered a dislocated ankle early in the fourth quarter after running back Montee Ball was tackled backward into Konz’s left… Read more »

Every week, Herald Sports will look back at the most recent Wisconsin football game and assign grades to each position group on a scale of zero to five. Here is a look at how the Badgers managed to claim Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the eighth consecutive year with a 42-13 win in… Read more »

MINNEAPOLIS — Eight years running. The Wisconsin football team proved it can win on the road in the Big Ten, gaining control of its own destiny and holding onto Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the eighth consecutive year Saturday after defeating rival Minnesota 42-13 at TCF Bank Stadium. Senior Nick Toon… Read more »

MINNEAPOLIS — Paul Bunyan’s Axe returned to the state of Minnesota this weekend, but only for a few hours to sight-see. In the 121st edition of the Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry — the nation’s oldest — the No. 18 Badgers (8-2, 4-2) retained the game’s trophy for the eighth consecutive year, beating… Read more »

It’s all about the axe. The Wisconsin football team travels to Minnesota this Saturday to attempt to hold onto Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the eighth year running. According the linebacker Chris Borland, the main focus all week has been all about the legendary trophy. “Keeping the axe, that’s the biggest… Read more »

One season ago, Marcus Cromartie found himself buried in the depth chart of the Wisconsin football team’s defensive backfield. He appeared in just five games in 2010, amassing five tackles. But one year later, he has found himself manning the starting cornerback position opposite All-Big Ten selection Antonio Fenelus. Football… Read more »

If one game could adequately encapsulate what Montee Ball has become to the Wisconsin football team, it came last Saturday against Purdue. With the Badgers having suffered two agonizing last-minute losses at Ohio State and at Michigan State, Wisconsin was in dire need of a victory to preserve its Big… Read more »

Paul Bunyan’s Axe is finally up for grabs again. In his weekly press conference Monday, head coach Bret Bielema addressed the looming border battle with Minnesota and what it means to Wisconsin football, especially in light of the fact that the program’s standout quarterback has never played a down in… Read more »

Every week, Herald Sports will look back and evaluate the most recent game by the Wisconsin football team on a scale of zero to five. The Badgers (7-2, 3-2) finally rebounded from a brutal two-game losing streak Saturday, returning to the friendly confines of Camp Randall Stadium to trounce the… Read more »

In its 62-17 victory over Purdue Saturday, the Wisconsin football team’s offense returned to the high-powered attack fans saw in September and early October, while the defense enjoyed an improved game as well, allowing just 284 yards of offense. But the special teams still appeared to be stuck in the… Read more »

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After two grueling weekends away from Madison, the Wisconsin Badgers finally got a taste of some welcoming home cooking. Riding a career day from running back Montee Ball, the No. 20 Badgers (7-2, 3-2) snapped a two-game losing skid with a 62-17 win over the Purdue Boilermakers (4-5, 2-3) Saturday… Read more »

Suddenly, the Wisconsin football team finds itself in a dogfight to come out on top of its own division. Following two consecutive losses at the hands of last-second touchdown passes, the Badgers have fallen from No. 6 in the BCS rankings to No. 20 and now find themselves locked in… Read more »

With slightly more than four minutes remaining in Saturday’s 33-29 loss at Ohio State, Wisconsin’s defense faced a 3rd-and-2 just past midfield that held serious game-defining potential. A stop would have given Wisconsin the ball back with ample time to recover from a 20-14 deficit and possibly exit Columbus, Ohio,… Read more »

Just less than two years ago, the Wisconsin football team went on the road and was shockingly held to only 99 rushing yards in a very un-Wisconsin-like manner. Last weekend against Ohio State it happened again, except this time Wisconsin was held to only 89 yards. For a program like… Read more »

Every week, Herald Sports will look back and evaluate the most recent game by the Wisconsin football team on a scale of zero to five. The Badgers suffered their second consecutive loss Saturday night, falling to Ohio State 33-29 at Ohio Stadium. The loss drops Wisconsin into a three-way tie… Read more »

After more than 10 minutes of seemingly exhausting questions about his team’s ability to respond from its last two crushing losses, Bret Bielema outwardly welcomed the first question regarding Wisconsin’s next opponent, Purdue. “Fifteen minutes into this thing, and I don’t get to answer a Purdue question,” Bielema said in… Read more »

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Halloween weekend was truly horrific for the Wisconsin Badgers. For the second consecutive week, a last-second heave to the endzone felled No. 15 Wisconsin (7-2, 3-2), as Ohio State (5-3, 2-2) freshman quarterback Braxton Miller evaded the UW pass rush, rolled right and lobbed the football to… Read more »

COLUMBUS, Ohio — For the second week in a row, torments continued for the Wisconsin football team: a blocked punt and a late comeback squandered by a last-second touchdown pass upheld upon further review. Ohio State freshman quarterback Braxton Miller threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Devin… Read more »

Bret Bielema sent the message out Monday afternoon, and his players sure got it throughout the week. The Wisconsin Badgers had better move on quick, because it only gets harder from here. UW’s head coach was referring to last Saturday’s 37-31 stunning last-second loss at Michigan State that gave Wisconsin… Read more »

If Brendan Kelly could trade in his two fourth quarter sacks of Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins for a win, he would. In Wisconsin’s heartbreaking 37-31 loss Saturday in East Lansing, Mich., the redshirt junior defensive end was in Cousins’ face all game, sacking him twice for 19 yards and… Read more »

Walk-ons always make for an encouraging story in college sports, mainly because of their humble beginnings and goals. Wisconsin wide receiver Jared Abbrederis certainly fits that storyline, but what sets him apart is the kind of impact he is making in just his third year in the program. The redshirt… Read more »

As cruel as Saturday night’s last-second 37-31 loss at Michigan State was, the Wisconsin Badgers don’t have any time to dwell on it. That was head coach Bret Bielema’s central message to the media in his weekly Monday press conference, an indicator of UW’s mindset as it prepares to rebound… Read more »

Every week, Herald Sports will look back at the most recent Wisconsin football game and assign grades to each position group on a scale of zero to five. Here’s a look at Wisconsin’s performance in its heartbreaking 37-31 loss at Michigan State for the second year in a row. Quarterbacks… Read more »

Saturday night, in quite possibly the cruelest way possible, the nation discovered what perhaps we should’ve known all along — the Wisconsin Badgers are not perfect. Russell Wilson, heroic as he almost was Saturday night (and boy, was he close), is not perfect. Bret Bielema, confident and calculated as he… Read more »

EAST LANSING, MICH. — Football people like to talk about the football gods as if what happens on the field is a matter beyond the observed strategizing and execution, as if the events of a game were predestined to develop as they do. Saturday night at Spartan Stadium, regardless of… Read more »

EAST LANSING, MICH. — Any hopes the Wisconsin football team had of playing for a national championship almost certainly ended Saturday night after Michigan State wide receiver Keith Nichol grabbed a miraculous, last-second and bobbled Hail Mary bomb to cap off what will surely go down as an instant classic… Read more »

It’s not too common of a thing in sports for both teams in an upcoming match to have grounds for a grudge against the other. Usually it’s just one team that gets rebuffed while the other holds the bragging rights until next time. But between Wisconsin (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten)… Read more »

It was 2nd and 2; Indiana wasn’t having a great day, but the run was working. From his own 33-yard line, IU running back Stephen Houston saw UW linebackers Mike Taylor and Chris Borland shift inside. Houston bounced outside and took it down the Indiana sideline 67 yards and into… Read more »

The way Montee Ball celebrated his last of three touchdowns in Saturday’s 59-7 demolition of Indiana with barely any emotion at all, it seemed as though the Wisconsin offense was just waiting for a legitimate test. The Badgers surely must have expected one two weeks earlier when Nebraska came to… Read more »

The Wisconsin Badgers are looking to get back to full strength against Michigan State Saturday with injured wide receiver Nick Toon expected to return to practice this week. Toon was sidelined against Indiana with a left foot injury he sustained during the Nebraska game. Toon sat out as a precautionary… Read more »

Every week Herald Sports will look back at the most recent Wisconsin football game and grade to each position group on a scale of zero to five. Here’s a look at how the Badgers picked apart the Indiana Hoosiers in a 59-7 victory. Quarterbacks — 4.5 out of 5 This… Read more »

While its rule over the journalism world remains as unquestioned as ever since its birth in 1969, The Badger Herald reaffirmed its supremacy on the football field Friday for the second year in a row. Quarterback Elliot Hughes picked apart the hapless Dirty Bird defense with three touchdown passes in… Read more »

Considering its arsenal of weapons, sometimes it’s pretty hard to keep track of everybody on the Wisconsin football team’s offense. In Saturday’s 59-7 victory over Indiana at Camp Randall Stadium, the most obvious example came early in the second quarter when one of the least suspected players on the Badger… Read more »

It may not have been 83 points like last year, but no one can complain about 59. The Wisconsin football team continued to dominate as its offense, defense and special teams all scored in a 59-7 win over Indiana Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium, moving to 6-0 in the process.… Read more »

When the Indiana football team visited Camp Randall Stadium last year, it was greeted by an unstoppable Wisconsin offense, the likes of which hadn’t been seen in nearly a century. The Badgers ran wild over the Hoosiers in that game, winning 83-20. It was the largest number of points scored… Read more »

Competition is the name of the game. It’s the base of all sports: one player pitted against another, even if they’re on the same team. During his weekly Monday press conference, Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema noted an open competition between two of his outside linebackers — senior Kevin… Read more »

As the Wisconsin Badgers continue to batter opponents like jumbo shrimp in a deep fryer, Jeff Duckworth can’t be blamed for wanting in on the action. While UW has scored the third-most points in the nation (48.4 per game) on its way to a perfect 5-0 record, Duckworth, a redshirt… Read more »

Following an electrifying win against new Big Ten foe Nebraska and coming off a bye week, Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema had only one worry — the focus on the upcoming Indiana game. Bielema said he was “a little bit” worried about the praise that was streaming into Madison, but… Read more »

About this time a year ago, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball began to see his carries shrink to the point where he didn’t receive any at all. It’s almost hard to believe, considering the tear that Ball has been on ever since he earned those carries back. The junior ballcarrier… Read more »

Through five games of purely dominant football, the University of Wisconsin Badgers might have become their own worst enemy. After allowing a combined 34 points against their four non-conference opponents, the Badgers limited the Nebraska Cornhuskers — the nation’s ninth-ranked rushing attack — to only 17 points in their Big Ten conference… Read more »

With a bye week immediately after their biggest win so far this season, the Wisconsin football team is focusing on getting healthy and developing the underclassmen. Head coach Bret Bielema addressed the media Tuesday and urged the need to get healthy, rather than ride the momentum from the Nebraska win… Read more »

The Badger Herald sports editors welcome ESPN and Nebraska to Madison for the first Big Ten football game of the season, and show them how UW does gameday.… Read more »

Every week Herald Sports will look back at the most recent Wisconsin football game and award grades to each position group on a scale of zero to five. Here’s a look at how the Badgers handled their toughest opponent yet in a 48-17 victory over Nebraska. Quarterbacks — 5 out… Read more »

At the hands of quarterback Russell Wilson, the Wisconsin football team has silenced critics and proven that it means business. In the days before the Big Ten opener against newcomer Nebraska, critics felt neither team had faced any major tests through their nonconference schedule. But Saturday night was the test… Read more »

Those questions about Wisconsin simply beating up on weaker opponents? Saturday night — with abandon — the Badgers rendered them irrelevant. Behind a brilliant performance by quarterback Russell Wilson, the No. 7 Badgers (5-0) dispatched the No. 8 Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-1), 48-17, Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium. Wilson completed… Read more »

It’s time. Nebraska is in town. Saturday night, under the Camp Randall Stadium lights, the No. 7 Wisconsin football team opens conference play against the newest Big Ten addition, No. 8 Nebraska. In a showdown between the undefeated Leaders and Legends frontrunners, both teams face their toughest opponents to… Read more »

Over the past several days, several media outlets have reported that a fleet of 20,000 fans of the Nebraska football team will make the journey this weekend to Madison to witness the Huskers’ inception to Big Ten play. For those fans lucky enough to score a ticket — only 3,000… Read more »

Illinois The last time Illinois started a season like this, Harry Truman was president, a gallon of gas cost 20 cents and the Big Ten comprised of nine teams. Sixty years after their 1951 national championship season, the Illini sit at 4-0 heading into conference play. Ranked No. 24, the… Read more »

Just as leaves begin to brown and plummet to the ground and temperatures cool, college football encounters changes of its own. The No. 7 Wisconsin Badgers host the No. 8 Nebraska Cornhuskers Saturday night at Camp Randall, a primetime, nationally televised affair that also ushers in the beginning of Big… Read more »

Every week, Herald Sports will look back at the most recent Wisconsin football game and award grades to each position group on a scale from zero to five. Here is a look at how the Badgers fared in Saturday’s 59-10 victory over South Dakota. Quarterbacks — 4.5 out of 5… Read more »

In years past, a matchup with the University of Nebraska meant opponents had to be prepared to grind offensively, as the Cornhuskers have routinely fielded one of the nation’s top defenses. But so far this season, the Huskers have posted defensive numbers very uncharacteristic of a Bo Pelini-led team. Through… Read more »

So much for looking ahead. With the hotly anticipated game against Nebraska waiting one week away, Wisconsin (4-0) easily dispatched their Football Championship Subdivision foe South Dakota (2-2), 59-10, Saturday afternoon at Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers were carried by several big plays, including many by wide receiver Nick Toon, who… Read more »

Add blowout No. 4 to the record books. In its final non-conference game of the season, the Wisconsin football team crushed the South Dakota Coyotes, 59-10. While the Badgers weren’t necessarily in top form to begin the game, quarterback Russell Wilson opened up the field with the passing game, proving… Read more »

Seemingly every cliché involving trap games and overlooking opponents has been thrown in the face of the Wisconsin Badgers this week, but to no avail. Even outside of head coach Bret Bielema’s patented ‘1-0’ philosophy, the Badgers (3-0) have made it abundantly clear this week that despite Saturday’s opponent, the… Read more »

After dispatching its first three opponents by a combined score of 135-24, the Wisconsin football team has been forced to get a little picky in terms of keeping with the old sports saying of “never be satisfied.” But for the defense, there’s still one important ingredient missing: takeaways. Despite playing… Read more »

Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema has often gone on the record describing his offense as “not sexy.” The run game has always been a prominent feature moving the ball down the field. It’s a dink-and-dunk affair the University of Wisconsin has been famous for. Wisconsin may always be a… Read more »

As the Wisconsin football team prepares for its final test before the advent of Big Ten play with a home game Saturday against Football Championship Subdivision opponent South Dakota, head coach Bret Bielema made clear that his squad’s mindset in preparation is consistent — regardless of the opponent. “If our… Read more »

Every week Herald Sports will look back at the most recent Wisconsin football game and award grades to each position group on a scale of zero to five. Here’s a look at how the Badgers managed Soldier Field’s environment in downing the Northern-Illinois Huskies 49-7. Quarterbacks — 4.5 out of… Read more »

CHICAGO — Opposing defenses are going to have to learn not to turn their backs on Wisconsin’s passing game. Time and time again in Wisconsin’s (3-0) 49-7 win over Northern Illinois (1-2) Saturday, quarterback Russell Wilson feigned a handoff and connected downfield to an open teammate, taking advantage of the… Read more »

CHICAGO — It turns out the Badgers have nothing to fear about Soldier Field or former defensive coordinators. Wisconsin (3-0) committed more than enough penalties in its 49-7 win over Northern-Illinois (1-2), but still showed a strong offensive front both passing and running the ball. After the Huskies tied the… Read more »

If only for the day, old friends become new enemies Saturday when No. 7/8 Wisconsin meets Northern Illinois in Chicago’s famed Soldier Field. Ending his stay as defensive coordinator of the Wisconsin football team following the Rose Bowl, Dave Doeren will now be standing across the field from the Badger… Read more »

Standing at a lofty 5-foot-9 and sporting a wide smile, Antonio Fenelus isn’t exactly the most intimidating cornerback at first glance. Fenelus’ friendly off-field demeanor and his below-average height don’t necessarily reflect his play on the field. The senior cornerback does as much as he can to get his hands… Read more »

Badger Herald Gridiron Podcast: Northern Illinois by The Badger Herald If there was any doubt about whether the SEC was heading into the season with plans other than taking home another BCS Championship, the first two weeks of the season have erased that notion beyond a shadow of a… Read more »

With his four most recent predecessors at tight end currently playing in the National Football League, the Wisconsin football program has given Jacob Pedersen quite the lineage to live up to. The St. Louis Rams drafted Lance Kendricks in April, while Garrett Graham has been a Houston Texan since 2010.… Read more »

Wisconsin senior cornerback Devin Smith is out for the remainder of the season and will seek a medical redshirt after undergoing surgery on a left foot injury. University of Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema announced Tuesday over the Big Ten telephone conference that the extent of Smith’s injury was uncertain… Read more »

Following Wisconsin’s convincing 35-0 victory over Oregon State Saturday that earned the Badgers their first shutout victory since 2009, UW football coach Bret Bielema emphasized the amount of depth and talent the Badgers have. Some of the Badgers are even getting recognized by the Big Ten for their achievements. In… Read more »

For every Russell Wilson touchdown throw or scamper, the sight of Nick Toon hauling in passes up and down the field might still be the most pleasant sight for the Wisconsin Badgers. Saturday, Toon caught seven passes for 69 and one touchdown in Wisconsin’s 35-0 win over Oregon State. The… Read more »

So far the Wisconsin football team has had a taste of the great, the alright and the bite of injuries. Don’t let the shutout completely fool you: The Badgers’ (2-0) 35-0 trouncing of the Oregon State Beavers (0-2), while dominating, wasn’t initially pretty or their most efficient play, thanks to… Read more »

Holding strong after a season-opening trouncing of University of Nevada-Las Vegas, the Wisconsin football team is looking for similar success against the Oregon State Beavers Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium. While the Badgers opened their season under the lights with a dominant 51-17 win over UNLV, Oregon State struggled against… Read more »

Staying unsatisfied and keeping the legs of the frontline fresh — that’s what the Wisconsin football team’s defensive line is all about in 2011. And with a posse of capable lineman — numbering as high as 10 — shuffling each other on and off the field, the theme of the… Read more »

At Wisconsin, luxury comes in the form of depth. Following last Thursday’s season-opening 51-17 win over Nevada-Las Vegas, one of the perhaps only two or three drawbacks from the game was the left knee injury suffered by left guard Travis Frederick. The Badgers racked up 499 yards of total offense… Read more »

The Wisconsin football team could not have asked for a better season opener. Not only did it play under the lights on national television, it showcased its talent in almost every way possible, thrashing the Nevada-Las Vegas Rebels, 51-17. Only to add to all the perks, quarterback Russell Wilson single-handedly… Read more »

No need to worry, the juggernaut offense of last season’s Wisconsin football team is back for another round. In rumbling off 499 yards of total offense, the No. 10/11 Badgers (1-0) opened the 2011 season with a 51-17 victory over Nevada-Las Vegas (0-1) under the lamps of Camp Randall Stadium… Read more »

As painful a memory as it remains, the Wisconsin Badgers’ two-point loss in the Rose Bowl has given them everything they have entering the 2011 season. New quarterback Russell Wilson chose Wisconsin over Auburn and his professional baseball career because, above all else, his best chance for winning football games… Read more »

Wisconsin football is mainly known for three things: offensive linemen, tight ends and running backs. Between one 1,000-yard rusher and one four-yards-shy-of-being-a-1,000-yard rusher, James White and Montee Ball are ready to pick up where they left off last season. Entering the much anticipated 2011 season, White and Ball present a… Read more »

You would almost start to think that certain stars have to align in order for Wisconsin linebackers Chris Borland and Mike Taylor to see the field together. Taylor, a redshirt junior, and Borland, a sophomore who received a medical redshirt in 2010, have been standout defenders for the Badgers for… Read more »

One season opener ago, the Wisconsin Badgers received a considerable scare from the Nevada-Las Vegas Rebels. Since then, both teams have taken considerably different routes to the present day. The Badgers (11-2, 7-1 Big Ten in 2010), of course, bullied their way through most of the Big Ten and capped… Read more »

The dawn of a new season is quickly approaching, and all things are falling into place for the Wisconsin football team’s 2011 season opener against Nevada-Las Vegas Thursday night. The Badgers, who experienced an influx of bumps and bruises over the course of fall camp, are, for the most part,… Read more »

The college football season, just under way, is probably a breath of fresh air to student athletes, coaches and fans all across the country. And it’s not just your everyday run-of-the-mill oxygen; it has the healing powers of the grade-A stuff found in hyperbaric chambers. The season will hopefully numb… Read more »

There’s already been a lot of talk surrounding the Badgers this season. High expectations and Rose Bowl hopes are often mentioned whenever a whisper of Wisconsin is mentioned. With the season opener days away, head coach Bret Bielema addressed the media in his weekly press conference. With expectations in tow,… Read more »

The ice tubs are filled, water bottles cooled and coaches’ whistles are all chirping away. It’s August; football season is right around the corner. The Wisconsin football team opened its fall camp Friday at Camp Randall Stadium, where the Badgers will open their 2011 season in a little less than… Read more »

After months of waiting in NFL lockout limbo, four former members of the Wisconsin football team who went unselected in April’s draft finally got their call up to the big leagues. WKOW-TV reported Tuesday morning that quarterback Scott Tolzien agreed to a deal with the San Diego Chargers, while the… Read more »

Earning an invitation to the Rose Bowl is one thing, but making the trip two consecutive years is another entirely. After the mass exodus of talent that followed last year’s shared Big Ten title and Rose Bowl appearance, Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema is now faced with the task… Read more »

The Big Ten will gain a new member this upcoming football season, but if you’ve only followed the conference for the past few months, you might not even know it. The Nebraska Cornhuskers are the newest addition to the now 12-team Big Ten, which has led the conference to divvy… Read more »

Summer temperatures are rising throughout the Midwest, and with Russell Wilson now a Badger, Wisconsin especially can look forward to more heat. In a press conference Tuesday, UW football head coach Bret Bielema expressed his excitement for what his new quarterback’s presence on campus will mean for the team. “He’s… Read more »

After a lengthy stretch of rumors and speculation, Russell Wilson will officially transfer to Wisconsin, the university announced Monday. After earning his degree at North Carolina State University, Wilson is eligible to play immediately. The 5-foot-11, 201-pound quarterback was released from his scholarship at N.C. State in the spring after… Read more »

After the breakout successes of Montee Ball and James White complemented John Clay to give the Wisconsin Badgers one of the most talented running back trios in the nation last season, Zach Brown seemed to be left behind. Now, Brown will look for more playing time elsewhere this fall after… Read more »

It was perfect. The underdog had the No. 1 team in the nation at home, a place where those rankings haven’t mattered much. It was time to make a statement, to let the rest of the country know Wisconsin was for real. Mission accomplished — twice. As soon as the… Read more »

After back-to-back Rose Bowl championships in 1999 and 2000, the Wisconsin football program had its fair share of talented teams. But in the years following, the Badgers regularly crumbled under the weight of high expectations. That changed in 2010 as the Badgers won a Big Ten title and earned a… Read more »

NEW YORK — J.J. Watt and Gabe Carimi stole the headlines Thursday night, but three other Wisconsin Badgers still found their way to the National Football League this weekend. Tight end Lance Kendricks, offensive tackle John Moffitt and offensive guard/center Bill Nagy were drafted in the final two days of… Read more »

NEW YORK — Once a pizza boy from Pewaukee, J.J. Watt worked his way from a Central Michigan University tight end to a scholarship with the Wisconsin Badgers. From there, he grew into a star defensive end. Now, he’s the newest member of the Houston Texans. With the 11th pick… Read more »

With spring camp over and done with, the Wisconsin football team is now gearing up for summer conditioning before practice resumes for fall camp. Here’s a look back at how spring camp went for the Badgers with a position-by-position breakdown. Quarterbacks: How the Badgers replace quarterback Scott Tolzien is the… Read more »

Entering last week, Curt Phillips was a prime candidate to challenge Jon Budmayr for Wisconsin’s starting quarterback job in the fall. By Friday, he was declared out until June with his third right knee injury in less than two years. After the Badgers’ spring game Saturday, head coach Bret Bielema… Read more »

Despite losing several key players from a year ago, there remained plenty of reasons to talk up the Wisconsin football team’s offense. Just a few include returning backs Montee Ball, James White, another sure-to-be solid offensive line and two rising wide receivers. However, in Saturday’s spring football game at Camp… Read more »

Last season, Wisconsin’s offense averaged 41.5 points per game. In its annual spring game, UW failed to score a single touchdown. Saturday, with a new format pitting first-team offense against first team-defense, head coach Bret Bielema got the more competitive game he was hoping for, with the defense winning 29-27.… Read more »

When the Wisconsin Badgers take the Camp Randall Stadium field for Saturday’s spring game, they will do so without one of their top quarterbacks. Redshirt junior Curt Phillips, who tore the ACL in his right knee twice last season, suffered another injury to that same knee. The severity and exact… Read more »

A few months removed from enjoying a passing game that boasted a 168.1 passer rating, the Wisconsin football team now finds itself in the midst of an overhaul with its aerial attack. Among the quarterback, wide receiver and tight end positions, only one starting incumbent from 2010 remains on the… Read more »

Get ready for change: Wisconsin football is mixing things up this year. With the annual spring game Saturday, head coach Bret Bielema revealed at his Monday press conference he will pit the first-string offense against the first-string defense in this year’s spring game. “One of the changes that we’re going… Read more »

If you asked fans of the Wisconsin football team what they know about redshirt junior Shelton Johnson, they would probably all refer to a specific play from last year’s duel with Arizona State in Madison. Quarterback Scott Tolzien had just found Lance Kendricks in the end zone before halftime to… Read more »

If spring football can be used as any sort of barometer for where the Wisconsin Badgers’ personnel stand, one fact stood out as Saturday’s practice came to a close. The offense has a ways to go in catching up to the defense. In a practice with live tackling and situational… Read more »

Tuesday afternoon, the Wisconsin Badgers’ offense seemed to be rounding into shape. The shape, at least, expected as the end of spring practice approaches. On the second play of the first-team scrimmage, quarterback Jon Budmayr dropped back, faked a handoff to running back James White and let rip a high-arching… Read more »

When he graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Luke Swan desperately wanted to keep playing football. The former Badger walk-on, who became a 2-year scholarship starter at wide receiver, was a fan favorite at UW, finishing his career with 60 receptions for 1,046 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2007 —… Read more »

On the field, Gabe Carimi and John Moffitt were two of the best offensive linemen in the country. They also happened to be just as good off of it. Carimi protected Scott Tolzien’s blind side at left tackle for the Badgers and received the Outland Trophy — given annually to… Read more »

Conor O’Neill, from the beaches of Florida and reputable St. Thomas Aquinas High School, came to Wisconsin as one of the most hyped recruits UW head coach Bret Bielema had managed to secure. Somewhat surprisingly, O’Neill went four semesters in the program without finding his way onto the field for… Read more »

Being spring camp and all, there aren’t many new faces at the Wisconsin football team’s practices quite yet. In fact, there are only two, as far as true freshman go. One of them, a short and fleet-footed wideout, is pretty hard to miss among the typical giants that roam the… Read more »

Turns out Badger and Hawkeye football fans won’t have to wait too long to renew their rivalry. The Big Ten revealed the 2013 and 2014 conference schedules yesterday and Wisconsin is set to play Iowa again at Kinnick Stadium on November 2, 2013. The following year, the two teams will… Read more »

Cross brings NFL experience to UWTo have once coached in the National Football League, it’s certainly implied that you have a great knowledge and understanding of the game of football. But for newly appointed special teams and safeties coach DeMontie Cross, it’s his grasp of the game as well… Read more »

Replacing a quarterback can be like replacing the tires on your car or the hard drive in your computer. Doing so tends to be tedious and stressful, but if you do it right, you can ultimately get the whole operation rolling again in due time. After coming within three points… Read more »

There are typically more than 100 players on a college football team, and they all have two things in common. (1) They all have a craving for playing time.(2) They have five years of eligibility to satisfy it. That means college football teams are rife with competition, and no player’s… Read more »

The Wisconsin football team scrimmaged Saturday for the first time this spring and head coach Bret Bielema knew it was going to be a learning experience — especially for his young players. Referees were on hand to oversee the action and they were put to work. Flags were thrown left… Read more »

Chris Borland seemed to be in the middle of everything during the 2009 season when he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, forcing turnovers and recording sacks on a regular basis. Now, after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last season, Borland is set to become the official man… Read more »

Pat Muldoon showed flashes of potential last season in a limited role on Wisconsin’s defensive line. But the fact that he was on the field and contributing for the Big Ten champion Badgers was an accomplishment in and of itself. Muldoon suffered a major setback in November of his freshman… Read more »

Despite losing a former Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year to the NFL, you won’t find much anxiety aimed at the Wisconsin football team’s running game for the upcoming season. As John Clay prepares for the next stage in his career, the long bloodline of great Wisconsin running backs… Read more »

Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema wasn’t expecting Curt Phillips to do much this spring while recovering from a second ACL injury to his right knee. But lo and behold, Phillips is back on the practice field, whipping the ball around in skeleton passing drills. “He’s kind of a genetic… Read more »

There are two position groups that football coaches at Wisconsin have little problem convincing highly rated, elite high school talent to become Badgers for. One is the offensive line. This makes sense. If there is any place in the country where offensive lineman get as much fanfare as the quarterback,… Read more »