2002 Wisconsin Badgers football team

2002 Wisconsin Badgers football
Alamo Bowl champion
Alamo Bowl, W 31–28 OT vs. Colorado
Conference	Big Ten Conference
2002 record	8–6 (2–6 Big Ten)
Head coach	Barry Alvarez (13th year)
Offensive coordinator	Brian White
Defensive coordinator	Kevin Cosgrove
Home stadium	Camp Randall Stadium (Capacity: 76,634, Astroturf)
Seasons ← 2001 2003 →

2002 Big Ten football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
#1 Ohio State $+		8	–	0					14	–	0
#8 Iowa %+		8	–	0					11	–	2
#9 Michigan		6	–	2					10	–	3
#16 Penn State		5	–	3					9	–	4
Purdue		4	–	4					7	–	6
Illinois		4	–	4					5	–	7
Minnesota		3	–	5					8	–	5
Wisconsin		2	–	6					8	–	6
Michigan State		2	–	6					4	–	8
Northwestern		1	–	7					3	–	9
Indiana		1	–	7					3	–	9
# – BCS National Champion $ – BCS representative as conference champion % – BCS at-large representative + – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

1 2 3 4 Total Fresno St 7 0 7 7 21 • Wisconsin 0 10 7 6 23 Date: August 23 Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin Game start: 8:00 p.m. EST

Scoring summary 1 FRES Bernard Berrian 22 yard pass from Jeff Grady (Asen Asparuhov kick) Fresno St 7–0 2 WIS Matt Bernstein 1 yard run (Mike Allen kick) Tie 7–7 2 WIS Mike Allen 27 yard field goal Wisconsin 10–7 3 FRES Adam Jennings 8 yard pass from Jeff Grady (Asen Asparuhov kick) Fresno St 14–10 3 WIS Matt Bernstein 3 yard run (Mike Allen kick) Wisconsin 17–14 4 WIS Mike Allen 35 yard field goal Wisconsin 20–14 4 FRES Alec Greco 23 yard pass from Jeff Grady (Asen Asparuhov kick) Fresno St 21–20 4 WIS Mike Allen 34 yard field goal Wisconsin 23–21

Scoring summary
1		FRES	Bernard Berrian 22 yard pass from Jeff Grady (Asen Asparuhov kick)	Fresno St 7–0
2		WIS	Matt Bernstein 1 yard run (Mike Allen kick)	Tie 7–7
2		WIS	Mike Allen 27 yard field goal	Wisconsin 10–7
3		FRES	Adam Jennings 8 yard pass from Jeff Grady (Asen Asparuhov kick)	Fresno St 14–10
3		WIS	Matt Bernstein 3 yard run (Mike Allen kick)	Wisconsin 17–14
4		WIS	Mike Allen 35 yard field goal	Wisconsin 20–14
4		FRES	Alec Greco 23 yard pass from Jeff Grady (Asen Asparuhov kick)	Fresno St 21–20
4		WIS	Mike Allen 34 yard field goal	Wisconsin 23–21

1 2 3 4 Total • Wisconsin 0 24 0 3 27 UNLV 0 7 0 0 7 Date: August 31 Location: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada Game start: 8:45 p.m. EST

1 2 3 4 Total West Virginia 0 3 7 7 17 • Wisconsin 7 27 0 0 34 Date: September 7 Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin Game start: 12:10 p.m. EST

1 2 3 4 Total N Illinois 3 3 3 12 21 • Wisconsin 0 10 7 7 24 Date: September 14 Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin Game start: 12:10 p.m. EST

1 2 3 4 Total Arizona 0 0 7 3 10 • Wisconsin 0 24 7 0 31 Date: September 21 Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin Game start: 12:10 p.m. EST

1 2 3 4 Total • Penn St 10 11 7 6 34 Wisconsin 0 14 6 11 31 Date: October 5 Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin Game start: 3:30 p.m. EST

1 2 3 4 Total Wisconsin 6 10 13 0 29 • Indiana 3 7 7 15 32 Date: October 12 Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana Game start: 12:10 p.m. EST

The 2002 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin in the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season.

Coming off a disappointing 5–7 2001 season, the Badgers of 2002 wanted improvement. Despite amazing statistics from WR Lee Evans and RB Anthony Davis, the Badgers had issues closing out games, and an overworked defense managed lackluster efforts when the team could hardly afford them.

In the spring game, Wisconsin's offense suffered a devastating blow when top receiver Lee Evans was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Evan's loss was a significant blow, but despite it, Wisconsin managed to start off the season by winning all five of their nonconference games. From there, though, things did not go Wisconsin's way; the Badgers lost their first three Big Ten games by less than 7 points. Among those was a near-upset of eventual National Champion Ohio State, a 19–14 Ohio State win that was Jim Tressel's first over the Badgers (having lost 20–17 to Wisconsin the previous year). After going 0–3 to open their Big Ten slate, Wisconsin defeated Michigan State in Spartan Stadium 42–24 for their first conference win of the season. After that game, Wisconsin would lose their next 3 games against Big Ten opponents, including a 20–3 loss to Big Ten co-champion Iowa, and yet another close game against a Lloyd Carr-coached Michigan team. The loss to Michigan dropped Wisconsin to 1–6 in Big Ten play.

To close out the regular season, Wisconsin finally put together a complete game in a 49–31 blowout of rival Minnesota, taking back Paul Bunyan's Axe and keeping Minnesota's losing streak in Camp Randall alive. The Badgers improved to 7–6 on the season.

Wisconsin was awarded a berth in the Alamo Bowl, having gotten the required 6 wins in the regular season, and faced Colorado, a Big Twelve opponent that had won the Big Twelve North outright and lost the Big Twelve Championship Game 29–7 to Oklahoma. At 9-4, Colorado entered the game ranked 14th in the nation, and hoping for a ten-win season. But Wisconsin managed to keep up with Colorado, and won the game 31–28 in overtime for their 8th win of the season, knocking Colorado to 9–5 on the year.

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