Badgers to Host Thompson Foundation Football Classic
February 22, 2002 | Football
The University of Wisconsin will host the second annual John Thompson Foundation Football Classic on Friday, Aug. 23. The Badgers face Fresno State at 7 p.m. in Camp Randall Stadium. The game will be nationally televised by ESPN.
This addition to the schedule means that Wisconsin will play eight home games for the first time in school history. The Badgers' 13 regular season games this fall will be the most in Wisconsin history.
'Our university is excited to host this contest,' said Coach Barry Alvarez. 'Our players, loyal fans and the Madison community will enjoy this showcase event, and we're honored to be involved.'
The game will be a rematch of last year's battle between the Bulldogs and Badgers, which was won by Fresno State 32-20.
Wisconsin's most recent appearance in a preseason game was last season's Eddie Robinson Classic vs. Virginia. The Badgers also participated in the 1997 Kickoff Classic vs. Syracuse. The Aug. 23rd starting date for the Fresno State game is the earliest in school annals. The Kickoff Classic was contested on Aug. 24, 1997.
The Badgers' non-conference slate this fall now includes Fresno State (Aug. 23), at UNLV (Aug. 31), West Virginia (Sept. 7), Northern Illinois (Sept. 14) and Arizona (Sept. 21).
Some of the game's proceeds will go to the John Thompson Foundation, which funds scholarships for minority students. Thompson is the former men 's basketball coach at Georgetown. Louisville defeated New Mexico State 45-24 in the initial John Thompson Foundation Football Classic last August.
