Capital One Bowl

Badgers bowl losing streak hits four (AUDIO)

January 1, 2014 By Bill Scott

Gary Anderson’s first bowl game as the head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers

Melvin Gordon

didn’t go according to plan.

The 19th ranked Badgers had no answer for (8) South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw, who completed 22 of 25 passes for 312 yards and 3 touchdowns. Shaw also caught a touchdown pass and rushed for a fifth as the Gamecocks beat another Big Ten team in a bowl game and won an 11th game for the third straight season.

The Badgers ended their season with two straight defeats and finished 9-4. That’s four straight bowl defeats for the Badgers, which means the current group of 22 seniors has never finished a season at Wisconsin with a victory.

In Wisconsin’s regular season ending loss to Penn State, they didn’t get enough from their passing game. That was the case again yesterday. Joel Stave left with a shoulder injury late in the third quarter, but even when he was in the game, the Badgers offered little threat down field. Stave finished 9 of 13 for 80 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. [Read more…]

Stave is key in today’s game against South Carolina (AUDIO)

January 1, 2014 By Bill Scott

Joel Stave has thrown for 20 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions this season, but he’s missed more open receivers in the second half of the

Gary Anderson & Steve Spurrier set to square off in today’s Capital One Bowl

season and the Wisconsin Badgers ability to throw the home run ball has disappeared down the stretch. Stave’s inability to make the big play late in the season cost the Badgers in their 31-24 loss to Penn State in the regular season finale on senior day at Camp Randall.

In turn, teams have crowded the line of scrimmage and made it more difficult for the Badgers to run the ball. The way to make them pay is hit the big pass down field. Wisconsin couldn’t do it late in the season.

South Carolina watches film and you can bet they’ll try to shut down the Badgers running attack as well, inviting the inconsistent Stave to beat them down field. Stave also needs time to stand in the pocket and deliver the long ball. Time to throw the ball also was tough to come by for Stave.

The Badgers are well aware of the problem. Following the loss to Penn State, coach Gary Anderson pulled no punches. He said Stave has to play better if the Badgers offense is going to work the way it’s supposed to.

Jared Abbrederis has been the number 1 target for Stave and he knows he and Stave need to connect today against the Gamecocks.

The 19th ranked Badgers have been labeled 2-point favorites and South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier has mentioned that fact to his team once or twice.

AUDIO: Steve Spurrier on talking with his team about being underdogs :22

Badgers head for Orlando and the Capital One Bowl

December 25, 2013 By Bill Scott

The 19th ranked Wisconsin Badgers will do the rest of their Bowl Prep in Orlando, where they’ll meet 8th ranked South Carolina in the Capital One

James White – One of 22 seniors on the roster!

Bowl on New Years Day.

The Badgers shook off their 32-30 loss to Arizona State in mid-September, to go 7-1 in their next eight games, including a six game winning streak.

The final bump in the road came on November 30th when the Badgers, who were playing for placement in a BCS Bowl game, lost their regular season finale, 31-24 to Penn State on Senior Day in Madison.

Now the Badgers will try to rebound again as the 22 seniors playing their final games, will try to close out a season with a victory for the first time in their careers at Wisconsin. The Badgers lost in the Rose Bowl each of the last three years.

AUDIO: Senior Dez Southward says they want this last game :17

The Badgers avoided going in the wrong direction after they had the opportunity to attempt a game winning field goal against Arizona State taken away from them by poor officiating. We’ll see in a week if a disappointing season ending loss to Penn State will see the Badgers rebound again and win a Bowl game for the first time since stepping on the Madison campus.