Despite obscene amounts of alcohol consumption, thousands congregating to pre-party for what will be an event to go down in Badger history, a streaker running the length of the field at Camp Randall with just minutes left in the game, thousands rushing the field after Wisconsin’s win and yet again, thousands congregating on State Street for even more celebration, many city members and students alike are stating how impressive it was for UW to party responsibly.
“Everything was awesome last night,” District 4 Ald. Mike Verveer said. “I think once again Badger fans showed that they know how to party right … safely and smartly. There were absolutely no problems of any kind.”
Despite the band immediately busting out with “Varsity” after the Badgers’ win and the fireworks show just feet above the heads of students sitting in the top rows of the student section, thousands still rushed the field for the first time since Wisconsin’s win over Michigan in 1993. Students also jumped on the goal post attempting to knock it to the ground, as tradition states students should after an upset of this magnitude.
Verveer, also a UW law student, sat in the student section at the game and was one of the many to rush the field. He noted the atmosphere being a bit scary at times but feeling safe for the better part of it. However, UW junior Andrea Smiltneek, who was sitting in section P, row 21, explains the situation differently. Smiltneek reports being pushed down from her seat, falling down and almost being trampled on by the crowd. She was then picked up by an “elated” Jim Sorgi and given a hug.
“I was just getting swept away,” Smiltneek said. “I almost got stuck on the bleachers … people were pinned against railings. It was scary.”
Despite the pushing and shoving of the crowd, Verveer said no serious injuries were reported, noting that the ambulances brought onto the field were just a precaution. Verveer also said that according to UW’s Dean of Students Luoluo Hong, the number of arrests, citations and ejections made was not hugely higher than other games this season.
“This is surprising because of how many people had been drinking the day away,” Verveer said.
Following the celebration at Camp Randall, many continued with the crowd to the 500 block of State Street, coincidentally the same location as last year’s Halloween riots. Police estimate that approximately 5,000 people were present in this area after the game.
The 44 additional Madison police officers dispatched to the area managed to keep everyone under control by forcing partiers to stay on the sidewalks and off of the street. However, by midnight police officers began letting the swarms of people off the sidewalks.
Madison Police Sgt. Dave McCaw said they changed their tactics when it became tactically undesirable to continue.
“We waited long enough to tell cab companies, bus companies and fire trucks that traffic would not be an issue,” he said. “It was not a safety issue.”
Badger fans celebrated on State Street by chanting in unison with cheers such as “Overrated” and “Fuck you, OSU.”
Despite the vulgarity common of Wisconsin cheers, fans stayed calm yet excited throughout the game.
“I thought the atmosphere may have been better than the night we clinched the Rose Bowl and the night Ron (Dayne) broke the record; they were in a fever pitch,” coach Barry Alvarez said about the game itself, which managed to keep fans hyped-up despite the cold and rain.
“I give huge credit to Badger fans for proving to the country once gain that we know how to celebrate in a cool way and aren’t like, for example, our friends in Columbus who have a long history of engaging in riots in both win or lose,” Verveer said. “We kept our record in tact of not having celebratory riots in Madison.”
