ANDY BAGGOT Insider

BY ANDY BAGGOT

MADISON, Wis. — The most unusual Wisconsin football season is about to get underway, in many ways defying the 131 that came before it.

The Badgers have played through world wars, economic upheaval, terrorist attacks and, yes, pandemics since 1889, but this is the first time they'll negotiate an abbreviated schedule in empty stadiums not knowing if they'll get to finish what they start due to the coronavirus.

The most important statistics being measured within the UW locker room are connected to COVID-19 test results, but there are others worth weighing.

Here are 50 football-related numbers to consider as the Badgers prepare for their Big Ten Conference season opener with Illinois at Camp Randall Stadium on Oct. 24:

1 is 14: It's been 14 years since UW opened without at least one running back on the depth chart with a 100-yard rushing game at the college level. Yes, the departure of record-setting junior Jonathan Taylor to the NFL has created a lot of opportunities, not to mention intrigue.

2 is 236: Senior quarterback Jack Coan completed that many passes in 2019, the most in a season in school history. Yes, more than Russell Wilson.

3 is 102: Wisconsin won 102 games over the last 10 seasons. That was the sixth-most among Power Five conference teams behind Alabama's 124, Ohio State's 117, Clemson's 117, Oklahoma's 109 and LSU's 103.

4 is .762: The Badgers had a .762 winning percentage in conference games over the last decade (64-20). That's the fifth-best among Power Five schools behind Ohio State (74-10, .881), Alabama (69-11, .863), Clemson (68-12, .850) and Oklahoma (73-16, .762).

5 is 6: Wisconsin has finished among the top 15 in the Associated Press poll six times since 2010. That's the sixth-most among FBS teams behind Alabama's 10, Ohio State's nine, Clemson's eight, Oklahoma's eight and LSU's seven.

6 is 18: The Badgers have played in a bowl game for 18 consecutive seasons. That's the longest streak in the Big Ten and fifth-longest in the nation behind Virginia Tech's 27, Georgia's 23, Oklahoma's 21 and LSU's 20.

7 is 11: Wisconsin had 11 first-team All-Americans in the last decade. That's the most in the Big Ten and fourth-most in the country behind Alabama's 27, Florida State's 13 and LSU's 13.

8 is 9: In the last decade, Wisconsin has had nine major individual award winners, including the Doak Walker Award (three times), Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Outland Trophy, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Rimington Trophy, Burlsworth Trophy and Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year.

9 is .884: Wisconsin's home winning percentage over the last 10 seasons is .884 (61-8). That ranks fourth-best among Power Five schools behind Ohio State (67-5, .931), Alabama (65-5, .929) and Clemson (64-5, .928).

10 is 5,436,168: In the last 10 years, the Badgers have drawn that many fans to Camp Randall Stadium. That's roughly 2 million more than the population of the state of Iowa.

11 is 86: The overall graduation success rate for UW football players is 86 percent. The FBS average is 77.

12 is 100: Over the last three years, Wisconsin football graduates seeking employment have a 100-percent job placement rate within four months of graduation.

13 is 4: Since 2014, the Badgers have finished in the top five nationally in total defense four times despite three different coordinators.

14 is 34: That's how many former UW players were on NFL rosters last season.

15 is 23: Of those former Wisconsin players who were on NFL rosters last season, 23 started at least one game.

16 is 39: Over the last 10 years, 39 former Badgers have been chosen in the NFL draft, including seven in the first round.

17 is 10: In the last decade, 10 different Wisconsin players won Super Bowl rings.

18 is 69.6: Coan completed 69.6 percent of his passes in 2019, the best single-season accuracy mark for a non-senior in UW history.

19 is 35:37.71: The Badgers led the nation in average time of possession last season at 35 minutes, 37.71 seconds, the third time they've done so since 2009.

20 is 287.1: Wisconsin ranked fourth nationally in total defense, allowing 287.1 yards per outing in 2019. It's the eighth time since 1990 that the Badgers have limited opponents to fewer than 300 total yards per game for a season.

21 is 99.8: UW ranked sixth nationally in run defense last season, limiting opponents to 99.8 yards per contest. It's the seventh time in the modern era (since 1946) that the Badgers held opponents under 100 yards rushing per game for a season.

22 is 963: That's how many plays the Badgers ran from scrimmage in 2019, the fourth-most in a season in program history.

23 is 48.2: Wisconsin converted 48.2 percent of its third downs in 2019, the sixth-best ratio in school history.

24 is 7: The Badgers finished 10-4 overall last season, the seventh time since 2010 that they've reached double digits in wins. There were six 10-win seasons in the previous 121 years.

25 is 8: Wisconsin has finished among the nation's top 15 in total defense eight times since 2011.

26 is 125: In the last 10 seasons, Wisconsin running backs have rushed for 100 yards or more in a game 125 times.

27 is 27: Junior tight end Jake Ferguson has caught at least one pass in all 27 games he's played for UW.

28 is .813: Before electing to turn pro, Taylor racked up 32 games of 100 rushing yards or more. The Badgers were 26-6 (.813) in those outings.

29 is 37.2: Taylor amassed 2,255 yards — 2,003 rushing, 252 receiving — last season, which represents 37.2 percent of Wisconsin's entire offensive output.

30 is 41.0: Taylor finished with 7,801 total yards in his career, or 41.0 percent of the Badgers' offense over that time.

31 is 51: UW recorded a school-record 51 quarterback sacks in 2019. That total ranked second in the nation behind Ohio State (54).

32 is 28: The Badgers registered 91 tackles for loss last season. That total was 28 more than their showing in 2018 (63).

33 is .971: During the Paul Chryst coaching era, which began in 2015, Wisconsin is 34-1 (.971) when scoring 30-plus points.

34 is 11: Since Chryst took over, the Badgers are 11-9 in games decided by one score.

35 is 5: There are five returning UW players who have appeared in 40-plus career games: Long snapper Adam Bay 41, safety Eric Burrell 41, running back Garrett Groshek 41, nose tackle Garrett Rand 41 and offensive tackle Cole Van Lanen 40.

36 is 20: The Badgers return four players with 20-plus pass receptions, the first time that's happened in program history.

37 is 6: Wisconsin has six returnees on defense who recorded multiple sacks and six who had a game-high in tackles in 2019.

38 is 34: The Badgers totaled 56 plays from scrimmage that gained at least 20 yards last season, 34 of which involved 2020 returnees.

39 is 339: Coan attempted that many passes last season, the second-most for one year in school history.

40 is 2,727: Coan had six outings where he passed for 200 yards or more last season, finishing with the third-highest yardage total in program history (2,727).

41 is 39: The last time Wisconsin opened the regular season with a Big Ten opponent at home was 39 years ago (1981) when Michigan came to Madison.

42 is .782: The Badgers converted 18 of 23 (.782) fourth-down plays last season, the third-best ratio in the nation.

43 is 30: En route to becoming No. 2 on the all-time UW career rushing list, Taylor had four outings with 30-plus carries. For reference, Ron Dayne had 18 and James White had zero. No other Wisconsin back in the 1,000-yard club had more than seven.

44 is 29: Groshek and wide receivers Danny Davis, Jack Dunn and Kendric Pryor are the only current UW players with rushing and receiving TDs in their careers. Their combined touchdown total is 29.

45 is 113: Until now, the only other time the Badgers faced Illinois to start a season was 113 years ago (1907). The Illini knocked off the defending Big Ten champions 14-5.

46 is 42: With Coan out indefinitely and redshirt freshman Graham Mertz sitting atop the depth chart, it helps to know the last time a freshman quarterback started the season opener for the Badgers was 42 years ago. John Josten did the honors vs. Richmond in 1978.

47 is 72: That's how many different ball-carriers — running backs, quarterbacks and wide receivers — have rushed for at least 100 yards in a game for UW since 1946.

48 is 444: That's how many 100-yard rushing performances have been recorded by the Badgers in program history.

49 is 30: During the Chryst era, opponents have failed to compete at least 50 percent of their passes 30 times.

50 is 27.3: The Badgers led the nation in limiting opponents to 27.3 percent of third-down conversions in 2019.