2012 Wisconsin Badgers football team

The 2012 Wisconsin Badgers football team represent the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers, led by seventh-year head coach Bret Bielema, through December 4th, 2012, and Barry Alvarez for the Rose Bowl presented by Vizio are members of the Leaders Division of the Big Ten Conference and play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers lost their final game 20-14 in the Rose Bowl to the Stanford Cardinal of the Pacific-12 Conference on January 1, 2013.

Watchlists/Preseason awards

 * Jared Abbrederis
 * Biletnikoff Award


 * Montee Ball
 * Doak Walker Award
 * Maxwell Award
 * Walter Camp Award


 * Chris Borland
 * Bednarik Award
 * Butkus Award
 * Lombardi Award
 * Nagurski Trophy


 * Travis Frederick
 * Lombardi Award
 * Outland Trophy
 * Rimington Trophy


 * Jacob Pedersen
 * Mackey Award


 * Mike Taylor
 * Lombardi Award
 * Nagurski Trophy


 * Ricky Wagner
 * Lombardi Award
 * Outland Trophy


 * James White
 * Doak Walker Award

Schedule
The schedule is as follows:

Northern Iowa
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 32 Car, 120 Yds, 1 TD
 * Passing: Danny O'Brien – 19/23, 219 Yds, 2 TDs
 * Receiving: Jared Abbrederis – 6 Rec, 84 Yds, 2 TDs
 * Defense: Mike Taylor – 13 Tkls, 2.0 TFL, PBU

at Oregon State
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 15 Car, 61 Yds
 * Passing: Danny O'Brien – 20/38, 172 Yds, TD, INT
 * Receiving: Jacob Pedersen – 4 Rec, 36 Yds, TD
 * Defense: Ethan Armstrong – 10 Tkls

Utah State
Sources:

Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 37 Car, 139 Yds, TD
 * Passing: Danny O'Brien – 5/10, 63 Yds
 * Receiving: Brian Wozniak – 2 Rec, 24 Yds
 * Defense: Mike Taylor – 15 Tkls, TFL

UTEP
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: James White – 15 Car, 65 Yds, 2 TDs
 * Passing: Joel Stave – 12/17, 217 Yds, TD, INT
 * Receiving: Jared Abbrederis – 6 Rec, 147 Yds, TD
 * Defense: Chris Borland – 12 Tkls, 2 sack, 3.5 TFL, 2 PBU

at Nebraska
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 31 Car, 93 Yds, 3 TDs
 * Passing: Joel Stave – 12/23, 214 Yds, TD
 * Receiving: Jared Abbrederis – 7 Rec, 142 Yds, TD
 * Defense: Mike Taylor – 15 Tkls, 1.0 TFL

Illinois
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 19 Car, 116 Yds, 2 TDs
 * Passing: Joel Stave – 16/25, 254 Yds, 2 TDs, INT
 * Receiving: Jared Abbrederis – 7 Rec, 117 Yds, TD
 * Defense: Mike Taylor – 12 Tkls, 1.5 TFL

at Purdue
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 29 Car, 247 Yds, 3 TDs
 * Passing: Joel Stave – 12/21, 178 Yds, TD, INT
 * Receiving: Jacob Pedersen – 4 Rec, 77 Yds, TD
 * Defense: Chris Borland – 7 Tkls, 2.0 TFL, Sack

Minnesota
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: James White – 15 Car, 175 Yds, 3 TDs
 * Passing: Joel Stave – 7/15, 106 Yds
 * Receiving: Jared Abbrederis – 2 Rec, 68 Yds
 * Defense: Mike Taylor – 12 Tkls, 1.0 TFL

Michigan State
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 22 Car, 46 Yds
 * Passing: Joel Stave – 9/11, 127 Yds, TD
 * Receiving: Jacob Pedersen – 3 Rec, 65 Yds, TD
 * Defense: Ethan Armstrong – 8 Tkls, 1.0 TFL, QBH

at Indiana
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 27 Car, 208 Yds, 3 TDs
 * Passing: Curt Phillips – 4/7, 41 Yds, TD
 * Receiving: Sam Arneson – 1 Rec, 2 Yds, TD
 * Defense: Chris Borland – 8 Tkls, 0.5 TFL, FR

Ohio State
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 39 Car, 191 Yds, TD
 * Passing: Curt Phillips – 14/25, 154 Yds, TD
 * Receiving: Jacob Pedersen – 6 Rec, 66 Yds, TD
 * Defense: Shelton Johnson – 11 Tkls, PBU

Notes
 * During the game, there was a ceremony to honor the 1962 Wisconsin Badgers football team on the 50th anniversary of their Big Ten Championship.

at Penn State
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 27 Car, 111 Yds, TD
 * Passing: Curt Phillips – 12/25, 191 Yds, 2 TDs, INT
 * Receiving: Melvin Gordon – 1 Rec, 57 Yds, TD
 * Defense: Mike Taylor – 11 Tkls, 2 TFL, Sack, PBU

vs. Nebraska (Big Ten Championship)
Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 21 Car, 202 Yds, 3 TDs
 * Passing: Curt Phillips – 6/8, 71 Yds
 * Receiving: Sam Arneson – 1 Rec, 3 Yds, TD
 * Defense: Marcus Cromartie – 7 Tkls, INT, 2 PBUs, TD

Notables Wisconsin had 2 running backs run for over 200 yards (Montee Ball and Melvin Gordon) and Badgers running backs accounted for 8 rushing touchdowns on the day (along with a passing touchdown by running back James White). The 70 points tied the second-highest mark in Wisconsin history, set against Northwestern in 2010 and Austin Peay in 2010 (the Wisconsin record for most points in a game is 83 against Indiana in 2010). The Badgers returned their first interception for a touchdown, as senior defensive back Marcus Cromartie returned a deflected Taylor Martinez pass 29 yards to put Wisconsin up 14-0 less than 3 minutes into the game.

A wild rushing touchdown by Taylor Martinez and a Brett Maher field goal narrowed Wisconsin's advantage to 14-10, but the Badgers went 45 yards on two plays to set up another scoring drive, capped off by a 9-yard rushing touchdown by James White. When Nebraska's offense stalled, Wisconsin's offense roared into gear and scored three more touchdowns in the 2nd quarter alone, taking a 42-10 lead at the half with a James White passing touchdown to TE Sam Arneson.

In the second half, Nebraska managed to gain a grand total of 3 yards before Martinez threw his second interception on Nebraska's first drive of the half. Wisconsin scored on the next play, taking a 49-10 lead.

The Badgers secured their third consecutive Big Ten Championship and a third consecutive Rose Bowl berth with the blowout win, improving to 8-5 on the year and snapping their 2-game losing streak.

On December 4th, 2012, head coach Bret Bielema announced he would take the head coaching vacancy at the University of Arkansas, ending his career at Wisconsin after 7 seasons (from 2006 to 2012). Bielema had a 68-24 overall record in 7 seasons at Wisconsin and his teams went 37-19 in Big Ten conference games. In addition, Bielema won both of the first two Big Ten Conference Championship Games.

vs. Stanford (Rose Bowl)


Statistical Leaders
 * Rushing: Montee Ball – 24 Car, 100 Yds, TD
 * Passing: Curt Phillips – 10/16, 83 Yds, TD, INT
 * Receiving: Jared Abbrederis – 3 Rec, 44 Yds
 * Defense: Chris Borland – 9 Tkls

Awards

 * Jared Abbrederis
 * First Team All-Big Ten (Consensus)


 * Beau Allen
 * All-Big Ten Honorable mention (Consensus)


 * Montee Ball
 * Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year
 * First Team All-Big Ten (Consensus)
 * First Team All-American (American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, ESPN)
 * Consensus All-American


 * Chris Borland
 * First Team All-Big Ten (Coaches) / Honorable mention (Media)


 * Marcus Cromartie
 * All-Big Ten Honorable mention (Consensus)


 * Travis Frederick
 * First Team All-Big Ten (Media) / Honorable mention (Coaches)


 * David Gilbert
 * All-Big Ten Honorable mention (Consensus)


 * Ryan Groy
 * Second Team All-Big Ten (Coaches) / Honorable mention (Media)


 * Ethan Hemer
 * All-Big Ten Honorable mention (Coaches)


 * Drew Meyer
 * All-Big Ten Honorable mention (Media)


 * Jacob Pedersen
 * Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year
 * First Team All-Big Ten (Coaches) / Honorable mention (Media)


 * Devin Smith
 * Second Team All-Big Ten (Media) / Honorable mention (Coaches)


 * Dezmond Southward
 * All-Big Ten Honorable mention (Consensus)


 * Mike Taylor
 * First Team All-Big Ten (Media) / Honorable mention (Coaches)


 * Ricky Wagner
 * First Team All-Big Ten (Consensus)
 * Second Team All-American (CBS Sports)

2012 stats
(as of January 2, 2012)

Passing
Note: G = Games played; COMP = Completions; ATT = Attepmts; COMP % = Completion percentage; YDS = Passing yards; TD = Passing touchdowns; INT = Interceptions; EFF = Passing efficiency

Rushing
Note: G = Games played; ATT = Attempts; YDS = Yards; AVG = Average yard per carry; LG = Longest run; TD = Rushing touchdowns

Receiving
Note: G = Games played; REC = Receptions; YDS = Yards; AVG = Average yard per catch; LG = Longest catch; TD = Receiving touchdowns

Kick and punt returning
Note: G = Games played; PR = Punt returns; PYDS = Punt return yards; PLG = Punt return long; KR = Kick returns; KYDS = Kick return yards; KLG = Kick return long; TD = Total return touchdowns

Kicking
Note: G = Games played; FGM = Field goals made; FGA = Field goals attempted; LG = Field goal long; XPT = Extra points made; XPT ATT = XPT attempted; TP = Total points

Punting
Note: G = Games played; P = Punts; YDS = Yards; AVG = Average per punt; LG = Punt long; In20 = Punts inside the 20; TB = Touchbacks

Defensive
Note: G = Games played; Solo = Solo tackles; Ast = Assisted tackles; Total = Total tackles; TFL-Yds = Tackles for loss-yards lost; Sack = Sacks; INT = Interceptions; PDef = Passes defended ; FF = Forced fumbles; FR = Forced recoveries