The idea that a one-time member of the Wisconsin football team would wind up playing a key role as the enemy is unique, but not new.
In fact, the concept goes back at least 80 years and involves a College Football Hall of Famer and NFL legend.
As UW prepares to host Iowa in a pivotal Big Ten Conference duel at 3 p.m. at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, a major topic of conversation is that Deacon Hill is projected to start at quarterback for the Hawkeyes.
Hill, who spent two seasons with the Badgers (5-1 overall, 2-0 in the Big Ten) before entering the transfer portal in 2022, became the starter for Iowa earlier this month when former Michigan transfer Cade McNamara suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Hill is walking the same path cleared most recently by quarterback Jack Coan, who transferred from UW to Notre Dame, and running back Nakia Watson, who transferred from Wisconsin to Washington State.
Coan played for the Badgers from 2018 to ’20 and was the starter in 2019. He left after Graham Mertz became the go-to starter in 2020. Coan was the starter for the Irish in 2021 when they walloped Wisconsin 41-13.
Watson played for UW in 2019 and ’20 before transferring. He scored touchdowns against his old team in 2022 and ’23, helping the Cougars to a 17-14 win in Madison and a 31-22 victory in Pullman, Wash., on Sept. 9.
In terms of volume and star power, no exodus compares to what happened to the Badgers in 1943 when World War II dominated the headlines.
Without a Navy or Marine training program at UW, the school lost most of its talent to Michigan, which did have those accommodations. Ten former Badgers played against Wisconsin, helping the Wolverines to a 27-0 victory in Ann Arbor, Mich.
A year after going 8-1-1, UW finished 1-9 in large part because its stars were now gridiron enemies. Elroy Hirsch, a college and pro football hall of famer whose number 40 is retired at Wisconsin, played sparingly due to a shoulder injury, but the starting lineup for Michigan included five former starters from UW: tackle Bob Hanzlik, guard Johnny Gallagher, center Fred Negus, quarterback Jack Wink and running back Wally Dreyer.
Here are five more things to know:
