UW Highlights of Big Ten Openers
September 22, 2005 | Football
The University of Wisconsin football team is 9-6 in Big Ten Conference openers under head coach Barry Alvarez heading into Saturday's contest against Michigan at Camp Randall Stadium. Here are some of the highlights of the Badgers' conference openers from the past 15 years.
Oct. 3, 1992 ' Alvarez gets his first Big Ten-opening win, a 20-16 upset over 12th-ranked Ohio State at Camp Randall. RB Brent Moss scored two third-quarter touchdowns in the triumph, which snapped a streak of 10 consecutive losses in league openers.
Sept. 25, 1993 ' The Badgers rush for 354 yards and three TDs (198 yards and one TD from Moss) to knock out Indiana 27-15 in Bloomington, Ind., for a 1-0 start in the Big Ten. The record eventually became 6-1-1 as UW won a share of its first Big Ten title since 1962 en route to beating UCLA 21-16 in the Rose Bowl.
Sept. 30, 1995 ' Although Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993, Wisconsin did not play them for two years. In this first match-up since 1970, the Badgers toppled the sixth-ranked Nittany Lions 17-9 in State College, Pa. Darrell Bevell completed 18-of-22 passes for 192 yards and two TDs in the win.
Sept. 26, 1998 ' QB Mike Samuel throws for one TD and runs for another to help UW pummel Northwestern 38-7 in Madison. The victory was the fourth of nine straight as the Badgers ended up with another share of a Big Ten championship and later defeated UCLA 38-31 in the Rose Bowl.
Sept. 25, 2004 ' With injuries hitting the tailback position hard, fullback Matt Bernstein took over, hurdling would-be tacklers to reel off career-highs of 27 carries and 123 yards as Wisconsin takes down Penn State 16-3. That win was the fourth of nine straight for UW.
