You would be hard-pressed to find a more entertaining, meaningful and impactful run of success than the one the Wisconsin football team has enjoyed versus Nebraska.
The Badgers have won 10 straight games over the 'Huskers, and just about every single one has been laced with drama or controversy, including two overtimes, two fourth-quarter comebacks, a one-point victory and five one-score outings.
It began in 2012 when unranked UW crushed the No. 12 Cornhuskers 70-31 to win its third straight Big Ten Conference title. Melvin Gordon and Montee Ball both produced 200-yard rushing days in what was the final regular season game of the Bret Bielema era.
Two years later, the Freedom Trophy was introduced to spice up the rivalry, but Nebraska players, coaches and fans still don't know what it looks like. Meanwhile, five UW coaches have won it at least once.
In Gary Anderson's final matchup with Nebraska, Gordon set the then-FBS single-game rushing record with 408 yards during a 59-24 rout of the Huskers.
Paul Chryst took over the following season and won six straight meetings, including a fourth-quarter comeback decision in 2015 (23-21) and an overtime victory in ’16 (23-17).
When Chryst was dismissed five games into the 2022 season, interim coach Jim Leonhard saw the Badgers erase a 14-3 fourth-quarter deficit and claim a 15-14 victory.
Then, Luke Fickell made his coaching debut in the series and watched Wisconsin claim a 24-17 victory in OT, which enabled his program to clinch its 22nd consecutive bowl appearance.
The stakes are the same Saturday at 2:30 p.m. when the Badgers (5-5 overall, 3-4 in the Big Ten) take on the Cornhuskers (5-5, 3-4) at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Here are five more things to know:
