Wisconsin's Rose Bowl history

By OnMilwaukee Staff Writers Published Jan 01, 2011 at 1:04 PM

Wisconsin makes its seventh appearance in the "Grandaddy of them All" when it faces TCU this afternoon. Here's a look back at the Badgers' previous Rose Bowl adventures:

1953 -- No. 5 USC 7, No. 11 Wisconsin 0

The Badgers' snapped the Big Ten's six-game winning streak in the Rose Bowl, losing 7-0 to the Trojans, despite outgaining them 353-233. Wisconsin got inside the red zone five times but couldn't convert and lost in their first-ever trip to Pasadena.

1960 -- No. 8 Washnigton 44, No. 6 Wisconsin 8

Four fumbles doomed the favored Badgers, who some suggest were weary from either partying a little too hard in Southern California or working too hard in practice. It was just the second loss for the Big Ten since the agreement between that league and the Pacific Coast Conference (Later the Pac 10) was created -- the other loss coming in '53. Washington jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and Wisconsin never recovered.

1963 -- No. 1 USC 42, No. 2 Wisconsin 37

Nearly 40 years later, people still talk about this game, no so much because of the outcome, but because of the Badgers' memorable second-half performance. In the first Rose Bowl to match the nation's top two teams, the Trojans jumped out early on the Badgers and led, 42-14 early in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Ron Vander Kelen and wide receiver Pat Richter (better known to recent generations as Wisconsin's former athletic director) teamed up to lead Bucky on a furious comeback, scoring 23 unanswered points. The game set 11 Rose Bowl records.

1994 -- No. 9 Wisconsin 21, No. 14 UCLA 16

The Badgers, after a long absence were back, and their return to Pasadena was memorable. Up against the UCLA Bruins, the Badgers went up, 21-10 when quarterback Darrell Bevell lumbered 21 yards for a touchdown.

1999 -- No. 9 Wisconsin 38, No. 6 UCLA 31

Another memorable game in Rose Bowl history, partially for the events which preceeded it. Just a few weeks earlier, UCLA was undefeated and riding high and figured to be playing in the Fiesta Bowl for the first-ever BCS Championship. But a rescheduled game due to Hurricane Georges, sent the Bruins to Miami where they were upset, 49-45, by the Hurricanes and fell out of title contention and into the Rose Bowl. Wisconsin, behind running back Ron Dayne, rumbled through the Big Ten but wasn't winning over any of the national media, especially analyst Craig James, who called the Badgers the "worst team to ever play in the Rose Bowl."

The game itself was a defense-optional slugfest with Dayne carrying the bulk of the Badgers' offensive load. He set a Rose Bowl record with four touchdowns and just narrowly missed the record for rushing yards.

The Badgers put the game away in the fourth quarter when Jamar Fletcher returned a Cade McNown interception 46 yards for a touchdown and true freshman Wendall Bryant sacked McNown on fourth down at the Wisconsin 47 with under two minutes to play.

After the game, head coach Barry Alvarez said "we're at least the second-worst."

2000 -- No. 4 Wisconsin 17, No. 22 Stanford 9

The Badgers won their third Rose Bowl behind a 200-yard effort by running back Ron Dayne, who won Rose Bowl MVP honors for the second consecutive year. Dayne put Wisconsin ahead for good with a 64-yard run, followed two plays later by a four-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Quarterback Brooks Bollinger put the game away with a two-yard keeper as Wisconsin became the first Big Ten team to win back-to-back Rose Bowls.

Wisconsin Bowl Game History

The 2011 Rose Bowl marks the 22nd all-time postseason appearance for the Badgers, who are 11-10 in bowl games.

(Year listed represents season, not date of bowl game)

1952 Rose -- USC 7, Wisconsin 0

1959 Rose -- Washington 44, Wisconsin 8

1962 Rose -- USC 42, Wisconsin 37

1981 Garden State -- Tennessee 28, Wisconsin 21

1982 Independence -- Wisconsin 14, Kansas State 3

1984 Hall of Fame -- Kentucky 20, Wisconsin 19

1993 Rose -- Wisconsin 21, UCLA 16

1994 -- Hall of Fame -- Wisconsin 34, Duke 20

1996 Copper -- Utah 38, Wisconsin 10