The 2003 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the 2003 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Barry Alvarez, the Badgers completed the season with a 7–6 record, including a 4–4 mark in the Big Ten Conference, finishing in a tie for 7th in the Big Ten.
Schedule
| Date |
Time |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
TV |
Result |
Attendance |
|---|
| August 30 |
11:00 AM |
at West Virginia* |
No. 21 |
Mountaineer Field • Morgantown, WV |
ESPN |
W 24–17 |
60,663[1] |
| September 6 |
2:30 PM |
Akron* |
No. 18 |
Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI |
ESPN |
W 48–31 |
75,401[1] |
| September 13 |
11:00 AM |
UNLV* |
No. 14 |
Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI |
ESPN2 |
L 5–23 |
78,043[1] |
| September 20 |
11:00 AM |
North Carolina* |
|
Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI |
ESPN |
W 38–27 |
77,439[1] |
| September 27 |
5:00 PM |
at Illinois |
|
Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL |
ESPN2 |
W 38–20 |
58,495[1] |
| October 4 |
11:00 AM |
at Penn State |
|
Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA |
ESPN |
W 30–23 |
107,851[1] |
| October 11 |
8:00 PM |
No. 3 Ohio State |
No. 23 |
Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI |
ESPN |
W 17–10 |
79,793[1] |
| October 18 |
11:00 AM |
No. 13 Purdue |
No. 14 |
Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI |
ESPN |
L 23–26 |
79,541[1] |
| October 25 |
11:00 AM |
at Northwestern |
No. 20 |
Ryan Field • Evanston, IL |
ESPN2 |
L 7–16 |
36,233[1] |
| November 8 |
11:00 AM |
at No. 24 Minnesota |
|
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome • Minneapolis, MN (Paul Bunyan's Axe) |
ESPN |
L 34–37 |
59,543[1] |
| November 15 |
11:00 AM |
No. 21 Michigan State |
|
Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI |
ESPN2 |
W 56–21 |
79,256[1] |
| November 22 |
2:30 PM |
No. 17 Iowa |
|
Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI (Rivalry) |
ABC |
L 21–27 |
79,931[1] |
| December 31 |
11:00 AM |
vs. Auburn* |
|
The Coliseum • Nashville, TN (Music City Bowl) |
ESPN |
L 14–28 |
55,109[1] |
| *Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Central Time. |
Season summary
Wisconsin entered the 2003 season ranked, after an 8–6 campaign the year before. The Badgers defeated West Virginia and Akron to open the season, but then were shocked by perennially underachieving UNLV at home, 23–5. The stunning upset knocked the Badgers (then ranked 14th) out of the polls entirely, and they would not return until after wins in their first two Big Ten games, against Illinois and Penn State (teams that would combine for a 1–15 Big Ten record). With defending National Champion Ohio State coming to town on a 19-game winning streak, the Badgers put together a solid game, and ended the Buckeyes' winning streak in a 17–10 upset.
At 3–0 in the Big Ten and having defeated Ohio State, the Badgers were looking to put together a run at a Big Ten title. Unfortunately for the Badgers, Kyle Orton and the Purdue Boilermakers ended Wisconsin's undefeated Big Ten campaign with a 26–23 win in Camp Randall. The next week in Evanston, the 20th ranked Badgers lost 16–7 to Northwestern.
With Paul Bunyan's Axe on the line against Minnesota, the Badgers were unable to avoid giving up another late drive, and Minnesota beat the Badgers in Minneapolis for the 2nd time in a row, 37–34. Disheartened but not yet finished, the Badgers dealt a massive blow to Michigan State (which was riding a losing streak of its own) as they routed the Spartans, 56–21. It was their second straight win over MSU. WR Lee Evans caught 10 passes for 258 yards and 5 touchdowns[2] in the game.
Against Iowa the next week, the Badgers took a 21–7 lead, which they proved unable to hold. Iowa defeated Wisconsin 27–21, a devastating loss on Senior Day that left the Badgers tied for 7th in the Big Ten. The Badgers accepted an invitation to the 2003 Music City Bowl against Auburn, a team ranked 6th in the nation in the preseason. The Badgers lost 28–14, closing out their 3rd season in a row with 6 or more losses.
FS Jim Leonhard caught 7 interceptions on defense for Wisconsin, leading the Badgers and the Big Ten. However, Wisconsin's defense gave up late scoring drives against Purdue, Minnesota, and Iowa, all games the Badgers lost.
West Virginia
#21 Wisconsin at West Virginia
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| • Wisconsin |
7 |
0 | 3 | 14 |
24 |
| West Virginia |
10 |
0 | 7 | 0 |
17 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
|
| Q1 |
| WIS | Timbers recovered blocked punt in end zone (Campbell kick) | WIS 7–0 |
|
| Q1 |
| WVU | Cooper 27 yard field goal | WIS 7–3 |
|
| Q1 |
| WVU | Wilson 10 yard run (Cooper kick) | WVU 10–7 |
|
| Q2 |
| WVU | Wilson 3 yard run (Cooper kick) | WVU 17–7 |
|
| Q2 |
| WIS | Campbell 29 yard field goal | WVU 17–10 |
|
| Q4 |
| WIS | Evans 20 yard pass from Sorgi (Campbell kick) | Tie 17–17 |
|
| Q4 |
| WIS | Davis 2 yard run (Campbell kick) | WIS 24–17 |
|
[3]
Ohio State
#3 Ohio State at #23 Wisconsin
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| Ohio State |
0 |
3 | 0 | 7 |
10 |
| • Wisconsin |
0 |
7 | 3 | 7 |
17 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
|
| Q2 |
| WIS | Stanley 2 yard run (Allen kick) | WIS 7–0 |
|
| Q2 |
| OHST | Nugent 24 yard field goal | WIS 7–3 |
|
| Q3 |
| WIS | Allen 38 yard field goal | WIS 10–3 |
|
| Q4 |
| OHST | Jenkins 6 yard pass from Krenzel (Nugent kick) | Tie 10–10 |
|
| Q4 |
5:20 | WIS | Evans 79 yard pass from Schabert (Allen kick) | WIS 17–10 |
|
[4]
Wisconsin snapped Ohio State's 19-game winning streak and handed them their first loss since the 2002 Outback Bowl.
Michigan State
#21/#22 Michigan State at Wisconsin
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| Michigan State |
0 |
7 | 7 | 7 |
21 |
| • Wisconsin |
14 |
14 | 21 | 7 |
56 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
|
| 1 |
11:22 | Wisconsin | Lee Evans 9-yard pass from Jim Sorgi (Mike Allen kick) | Wisconsin 7-0 |
|
| 1 |
0:27 | Wisconsin | Dwayne Smith 3-yard run (Mike Allen kick) | Wisconsin 14-0 |
|
| 2 |
4:21 | Wisconsin | Lee Evans 75-yard pass from Jim Sorgi (Mike Allen kick) | Wisconsin 21-0 |
|
| 2 |
2:51 | Michigan St | Kyle Brown 21-yard pass from Jeff Smoker (Dave Rayner kick) | Wisconsin 21-7 |
|
| 2 |
1:39 | Wisconsin | Lee Evans 18-yard pass from Jim Sorgi (Mike Allen kick) | Wisconsin 28-7 |
|
| 3 |
9:13 | Wisconsin | Lee Evans 70-yard pass from Jim Sorgi (Mike Allen kick) | Wisconsin 35-7 |
|
| 3 |
7:49 | Michigan St | Aaron Alexander 30-yard pass from Jeff Smoker (Dave Rayner kick) | Wisconsin 35-14 |
|
| 3 |
4:05 | Wisconsin | Lee Evans 18-yard pass from Jim Sorgi (Mike Allen kick) | Wisconsin 42-14 |
|
| 3 |
1:32 | Wisconsin | Dwayne Smith 14-yard run (Mike Allen kick) | Wisconsin 49-14 |
|
| 4 |
13:11 | Wisconsin | Dwayne Smith 26-yard run (Mike Allen kick) | Wisconsin 56-14 |
|
| 4 |
4:56 | Michigan St | Drew Stanton 13-yard run (Dave Rayner kick) | Wisconsin 56-21 |
|
Lee Evans tied the Big Ten record for touchdowns receptions in a single game while breaking the school records for single-game receiving yardage and career receiving touchdowns.
Regular starters
Players selected in the 2004 NFL Draft
[5]
References
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