22 Winning Seasons: Looking Back
December 21, 2023 | Football, Andy Baggot, Bowl Central
The Badgers extend their bowl streak with a trip to Tampa to take on No. 13 LSU
It stands as one of the most enduring achievements in Wisconsin football history. Some would argue it’s No. 1 on the list.
UW has pieced together 22 consecutive winning seasons, the longest-ongoing streak of any Power 5 football program.
The previous mark for the Badgers was 19 straight from 1891 to 1909, back when they played as few as five games and the list of opponents included high schools and alumni teams.
When Wisconsin closed out the regular season with a 28-14 victory over Big Ten Conference rival Minnesota on Nov. 25, it also became bowl eligible for the 22nd-straight time, which is the third-longest among FBS schools behind Georgia (26) and Oklahoma (24).
The Badgers have crafted this streak of winning seasons amid four coaching changes and two episodes of expansion that have helped turn the Big Ten into a 14-team entity.
The streak of winning seasons began modestly in 2002. UW started 5-0, but endured multiple three-game losing streaks before closing things out with a 31-28 overtime victory over Colorado in the Alamo Bowl that left it at 8-6 overall.
Since then, a lot of great moments, players, memories and trends have come to life. Here is a list of 22 to consider:
One: UW coaches inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame (Barry Alvarez, 2010).
Two: Combined number of Big Ten losses to Nebraska (11-1) and Purdue (17-1).
Three: Tailbacks with at least 300 yards rushing in a single game: Melvin Gordon (408 vs. Nebraska, 2014); Jonathan Taylor (321 vs. Purdue, 2018); Anthony Davis (301 vs. Minnesota, 2002).
4??-0??-8????#OTD in 2014, Melvin Gordon ran for a then-FBS record 408 yards in a win over Nebraska. pic.twitter.com/dRGFWHq5nl
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 15, 2022
Four: Wisconsin players inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame: Ron Dayne (2013); Tim Krumrie (2016); Joe Thomas (2019); Troy Vincent (2023).
Five: Quarterbacks with multiple 300-yard passing performances: John Stocco (4), Joel Stave (3), Tyler Donovan (2), Jim Sorgi (2), Russell Wilson (2).
Six: Appearances in the Big Ten title game (2011, ’12, ’14, ’16, ’17, ’19).
Seven: Touchdown runs of 80-plus yards: Braelon Allen (96 vs. Illinois State, 2022); James White (93 vs. Indiana, 2013); David Gilreath (90 vs. Indiana, 2008); Isaac Guerendo (89 vs. Maryland, 2022); Jonathan Taylor (88 vs. Nebraska, 2018); Melvin Gordon (80 vs. Arizona State, 2013); Jonathan Taylor (80 vs. Purdue, 2018).
Eight: Overtime victories: Colorado (2002); Cal Poly (2008); Fresno State (2009); Auburn (2015); Nebraska (2016); Purdue (2018); Minnesota (2020); Nebraska (2023).
Nine: Defensive players named first-team All-America: S Jim Leonhard (2002-’03-’04); DE Erasmus James (2004); DE J.J. Watt (2010); LB Chris Borland (2013); LB Joe Schobert (2015); LB T.J. Watt (2016); LB T.J. Edwards (2017); LB Zack Baun (2019); LB Leo Chenal (2021).
Ten: Tailbacks with at least one 200-yard rushing performance: Jonathan Taylor (12); Melvin Gordon (7); Montee Ball (4); Anthony Davis (3); Brian Calhoun (2); P.J. Hill (2); Braelon Allen (1); Zach Brown (1); Dwayne Smith (1); James White (1).
Eleven: Regular-season games in which UW scored at least 50 points against a Big Ten opponent: Michigan State (56 in 2003); Indiana (52 in 2006); Indiana (55 in 2008); Indiana (83 in 2010); Northwestern (70 in 2010); Indiana (62 in 2012); Illinois (56 in 2013); Indiana (51 in 2013); Maryland (52 in 2014); Nebraska (59 in 2014); Rutgers (52 in 2021).
Twelve: Bowl victories (12-9 record).
Thirteen: Overtime games (8-5 record).
Fourteen: Fourth-quarter comeback wins vs. Big Ten opponents.
Fifteen: Winning records in Big Ten play.
Sixteen: Shutout victories, including five vs. Big Ten opponents: Purdue (2009); Rutgers (2014); Minnesota (2017); Michigan State (2019); Illinois (2021).
Seventeen: Games in which the Wisconsin offense passed for at least 300 yards: Central Michigan (400 yards in 2019); Illinois (392 in 2007); Michigan State (385 in 2003); Northern Illinois (355 in 2011); South Dakota (345 in 2011); Penn State (339 in 2013); New Mexico (335 in 2022); Indiana (330 in 2006); Marshall (329 in 2008); Northwestern (326 in 2005); Nebraska (322 in 2015); Purdue (322 in 2015); Northwestern (322 in 2022); Penn State (313 in 2005); Buffalo (308 in 2006); Minnesota (305 in 2003); Auburn (301 in 2006).
Eighteen: Quarterbacks who made their UW debuts while starting at least one game: Tanner Mordecai (2023); Braedyn Locke (2023); Chase Wolf (2022); Graham Mertz (2020); Jack Coan (2018); Alex Hornibrook (2016); Bart Houston (2016); Tanner McEvoy (2014); Curt Phillips (2012); Joel Stave (2012); Danny O’Brien (2012); Russell Wilson (2011); Scott Tolzien (2009); Dustin Scherer (2008); Allan Evridge (2008); Tyler Donovan (2006); John Stocco (2004); Matt Schabert (2003).
Nineteen: Instances where a UW tailback topped 1,000 yards rushing in a season: Anthony Davis (2002); Brian Calhoun (2005); P.J. Hill (2006, ’07, ’08); John Clay (2009, ’10); James White (2010, ’13); Montee Ball (2011, ’12); Melvin Gordon (2013, ’14); Corey Clement (2016); Jonathan Taylor (2017, ’18, ’19); Braelon Allen (2021, ’22).
Twenty: States in which UW has played at least one road game (Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, New York, Washington, West Virginia).
Twenty-one: Offensive players named first-team All-America: G Dan Buenning (2004); T Joe Thomas (2005-’06); TE Travis Beckum (2007); K Taylor Mehlhaff (2007); G Kraig Urbik (2008); T Gabe Carimi (2010); TE Lance Kendricks (2010); G John Moffitt (2010); TB Montee Ball (2011-’12); C Peter Konz (2011); G Kevin Zeitler (2011); C Travis Frederick (2012); G Kyle Costigan (2014); TB Melvin Gordon (2014); T Rob Havenstein (2014); T Ryan Ramczyk (2016); G Beau Benzschawel (2017 ’18); T David Edwards (2017); G Michael Deiter (2018); TB Jonathan Taylor (2018-’19); C Tyler Biadasz (2019).
Twenty-two: Over the last 22 seasons, the Badgers are 201-84 (.705).
