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Yahoo report says Bielema is headed for Arkansas

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Bret Bielema

Yahoo Sports is reporting this afternoon that the University of Arkansas is set to hire Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema as its next head football coach. 

Yahoo’s Pat Forde says sources said the announcement will come today but Bielema won’t be introduced until Wednesday.

Bielema just led his Badgers to a 70-31 thumping of Nebraska in the Big Ten title game and will lead them to their 3rd straight Rose Bowl on New Years Day against Stanford. 

We’ll have more details on this story as it develops.

Wisconsin runs through Nebraska on the way to Pasadena

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Last week, many were questioning whether the (then) 7-5 Wisconsin Badger Football team deserved a spot in the Big Ten Title Game.  After Saturday’s 70-31 win over Nebraska at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the Badgers validated their appearance and punched their ticket to a third straight Rose Bowl.

Wisconsin will take on #6 Stanford, the Pac-12 Champions, January 1st in Pasadena.   The Badgers will be the first Big Ten team since the 1977 to 1979 Michigan Wolverines to play in three straight Rose Bowls.

Wisconsin did all their damage on the ground.  The Badgers piled up 539 rushing yards, the most ever given up by a Nebraska team.  Melvin Gordon racked up 216 yards on 9 carries, Montee Ball added 202 yards on 21 carriers while James White added 109 yards on 15 carries.  The game marked the 2nd time Wisconsin had 3 players rush for over 100 yards and was the first time 2 players hit the 200 yard plateau.  The Badgers also set a school record with 8 rushing TDs.

[Read more…]

Badgers face Nebraska in Big Ten Championship game (AUDIO)

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The Wisconsin Badgers get a second chance to beat Nebraska this season and this time, it’s for the Big Ten Championship and a trip to

Big Ten Trophy

the Rose Bowl. 

When the teams met back on Sept. 29, the Badgers rushed for only 56 yards on 41 carries.  Everything went their way early and they built a 17-point lead before caving and falling 30-27 to the Cornhuskers. 

Joel Stave was the quarterback back then, taking over for the benched Danny O’Brien.  Stave and the Badgers led it 27-10 before the Huskers mounted their comeback.

Stave is out himself now and this time it’s the turn of 5th year senior Curt Phillips.  He’ll try to lead the Badgers to the Big Ten title and a trip to the Rose Bowl.

AUDIO: Bret Bielema on Curt Phillips trying to lead the Badgers to the Rose Bowl. :38

The Badgers beat Michigan State in last years Big Ten title game and those that were along for the ride will have gained some valuable experience.  Phillips isn’t a part of that group.  Last season, Phillips didn’t even make the trip. [Read more…]

3rd place Badgers get shot at Big Ten Title this week

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The Wisconsin Badgers will be reminded all week that they don’t belong in the

Bret Bielema

Big Ten Title game this Saturday against Nebraska.  They finished 3rd in the Big Ten Conference Leaders Division, but were granted the spot in the conference title game against Nebraska, because Ohio State and Penn State are both in ineligible.

AUDIO: Bret Bielema isn’t bothered by those that feel the Badgers don’t belong :21

The Badgers played Nebraska once already this season.  They blew a 17 point lead in the second half back in September, falling 30-27 to the Huskers in Lincoln. [Read more…]

Badgers fall to Buckeyes in OT

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The Wisconsin Badgers are still in the Big Ten title game in two weeks, but it

Curt Phillips

won’t take the sting away from Saturday’s 21-14 overtime loss to the 6th ranked Ohio State Buckeyes at Camp Randall Stadium.

Wisconsin (7-4, 4-3 Big Ten) will close out the regular season at Penn State next Saturday.

Ohio State’s (11-0), 7-0) Carlos Hyde scored the overtime game winner, a 2-yard rushing touchdown to give the Buckeyes the win.  The Buckeyes defense turned around and stopped the Badgers on their offensive series to pull out the win. [Read more…]

Borland may not be a full strength against OSU

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The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported last night that Wisconsin

Chris Borland

Badger linebacker Chris Borland suffered what’s believed to be a strained right hamstring and he may not be at full strength when the Badgers host 6th ranked Ohio State Big Ten action Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.

Borland is the Badgers team leader in sacks (4 1/2) and is second on the team in tackles (82), including 9 for loss.

Bret Bielema on Monday indicated that he didn’t plan to hold players out to save them for the Big Ten title game on Dec. 1st.

AUDIO: Bret Bielema says all hands on deck against Ohio State :12

The Badgers are headed to the Big Ten title game because Ohio State and Penn State can’t go.  But the Buckeyes can still win the Big Ten Leaders Division regular season title.  The Badgers will be trying to hand the Buckeyes their first loss of the season.

Badgers run over Indiana and into Big Ten title game

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Head coach Bielema impressed with record setting run game against Indiana

The Wisconsin Badgers have solidified their spot in the Big Ten title game by blowing out the Indiana Hoosiers 62-14 in Bloomington on Saturday.  They will face 14th ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers or the 21st ranked Michigan Wolverines.

The Badgers (7-3, 4-2 Big Ten) racked up a school-record 564 rushing yards against the Hoosiers (4-6, 2-4 Big Ten).  Junior running back James White rushed for 163 yards on 14 carries and had two touchdowns.  Senior running back Montee Ball rushed for 208 yards on 27 carries and three touchdowns.

AUDIO: Bielema on Ball’s performance :13

Senior quarterback Curt Phillips, in his first collegiate start,  threw for only 41 yards and a touchdown, but added 68 yards on the ground.   Bielema’s plan was to keep the pressure off Phillips, but was impressed with the senior quarterback.

AUDIO: Bielema on plan for QB Phillips :20 [Read more…]

Wisconsin’s Russell demoted

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Wisconsin football freshman kicker Jack Russell has struggled with his first

Jack Russell

kicking opportunity.  That means sophomore Kyle French is going to get a second chance.

Russell struggled in last week’s loss in Nebraska, missing both a field goal and an extra point. 

Kyle French, who had earlier been demoted after a missed field goal and a kick out of bounds, gets a part of the job back again.

French will handle field goals and extra points for the Badgers when they host Illinois on Saturday.  Russell will continue to handle kickoffs for Bret Bielema’s Badgers. 

French is 3 for 4 on field goals this season, while Russell is 0 for 2 with the missed extra point.

Stave takes over at QB for Badgers

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It was one of the worst kept secrets in Madison this week.  Redshirt freshman

Joel Stave

Joel Stave (Whitnall High School) is taking over at quarterback for the Badgers when they host Texas-El Paso on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.

Stave replaces Danny O’Brien, who started the first three games for Wisconsin (2-1), but was benched at halftime last week against Utah State.

AUDIO: Bret Bielema likes Joel Stave’s poise :15

The Badgers are 2-1, but they’ve struggled offensively this season.  They’ve already switched offensive line coaches and are starting to see some improvement. [Read more…]

Bielema is quiet on this weeks starting QB

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Wisconsin Badger coach Bret Bielema has already informed his quarterbacks

Joel Stave

who will start against UTEP (Texas-Elpaso) this week, but he’s not saying and won’t make his quarterbacks available to the media this week.

Danny O’Brien was pulled at halftime after the Badgers trailed Utah State 14-3 at halftime.  He fumbled and threw an interception prior to being pulled at the half.  The Badgers went with redshirt freshman Joel Stave in the second half and rebounded for a 16-14 victory. 

Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator, Matt Canada said he would prefer to stick with O’Brien and it would appear that O’Brien hasn’t done enough to lose his job.  But Bielema has spoken highly of Stave.

AUDIO: Bret Bielema on Joel Stave’s strengths :21