The 1996 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by seventh-year head coach Barry Alvarez, the Badgers compiled an overall record of 8–5 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, placing seventh in the Big Ten. Wisconsin was invited to the Copper Bowl, where the Badgers defeated Utah. The team played home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|
| September 7 | 11:30 a.m. | Eastern Michigan* | | ESPN2 | W 24–3 | 74,279 |
| September 14 | 9:00 p.m. | at UNLV* | | | W 52–17 | 40,091 |
| September 21 | 11:30 a.m. | Stanford* | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| ESPN2 | W 14–0 | 77,894 |
| September 28 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 3 Penn State | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| ABC | L 20–23 | 79,607 |
| October 12 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 2 Ohio State | | ABC | L 14–17 | 94,215 |
| October 19 | 11:30 a.m. | No. 14 Northwestern | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| ESPN | L 30–34 | 79,576 |
| October 26 | 11:30 a.m. | at Michigan State | | ESPN2 | L 13–30 | 69,217 |
| November 2 | 11:30 a.m. | Purdue | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| ESPN | W 33–25 | 78,330 |
| November 9 | 11:00 a.m. | Minnesota | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI (rivalry)
| ESPN Plus | W 45–28 | 78,006 |
| November 16 | 11:30 a.m. | at Iowa | | ESPN | L 0–31 | 66,570 |
| November 23 | 1:00 p.m. | at Illinois | | | W 35–15 | 37,814 |
| November 30 | 11:00 p.m. | at Hawaii* | | | W 59–10 | 26,819 |
| December 27 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. Utah* | | ESPN | W 38–10 | 42,122 |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Central time
|
Season summary
Wisconsin started off quickly in 1996, winning their first three games against Eastern Michigan, UNLV, and Stanford. However, the Badgers then encountered far stiffer opposition against Penn State, Ohio State, Northwestern, and Michigan State. In the Northwestern game, Wisconsin RB Ron Dayne stunningly fumbled with just under a minute remaining. Northwestern recovered and scored the winning touchdown, sealing Wisconsin's third consecutive loss. The Badgers lost their fourth straight game the next week, falling 30–13 to Michigan State.
The Badgers snapped their four-game losing streak with consecutive wins against Purdue and rival Minnesota, before suffering a humiliating 31–0 loss at the hands of Hayden Fry's Iowa Hawkeyes. After falling to 5–5, the Badgers would win the final games on their regular season slate by beating Illinois and Hawaii, earning a bid to the Copper Bowl. The Badgers defeated the Utah Utes 38–10 in the 1996 Copper Bowl.
Wisconsin RB Ron Dayne ran for over 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns in the 1996 season, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year Honors in the process.
Personnel
Roster
| 1996 Wisconsin Badgers football team roster
|
| Players
|
Coaches
|
| Offense
|
Defense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| S
|
29
|
Bob Adamov
|
So
|
| S
|
45
|
Giscard Bernard
|
Sr
|
| DB
|
3
|
Onjai Bryant
|
Jr
|
| DT
|
74
|
Tom Burke
|
So
|
| CB
|
38
|
Lamar Campbell
|
Jr
|
| DE
|
25
|
Marcus Carpenter
|
Fr
|
| LB
|
19
|
Daryl Carter (C)
|
Sr
|
| DE
|
36
|
Azree Commander
|
Sr
|
| DE
|
99
|
Dave Cruickshank
|
So
|
| LB
|
96
|
Pete Diatelevi
|
Sr
|
| LB
|
55
|
Brian Flanigan
|
Jr
|
| LB
|
16
|
Chris Ghidorzi
|
Fr
|
| DB
|
22
|
Trent Gross
|
Jr
|
| S
|
6
|
Kevin Huntley
|
Jr
|
| DT
|
59
|
Joe Innis
|
Jr
|
| DT
|
58
|
Chris Janek
|
Fr
|
| DE
|
85
|
Bryan Jurewicz
|
Sr
|
| LB
|
57
|
David Lysek
|
Jr
|
| DT
|
94
|
Neil Miklusak
|
Sr
|
| LB
|
48
|
Pete Monty (C)
|
Sr
|
| S
|
26
|
Bobby Myers
|
Fr
|
| S
|
15
|
Tim Rosga
|
Fr
|
| DE
|
42
|
Tarek Saleh (C)
|
Sr
|
| DT
|
91
|
Rod Spiller
|
Sr
|
| CB
|
28
|
Jason Suttle
|
Jr
|
| CB
|
34
|
Leonard Taylor
|
So
|
| CB
|
33
|
Scott Wagner
|
Jr
|
| CB
|
7
|
Cyrill Weems
|
Sr
|
| DT
|
92
|
Brian Williams
|
So
|
| S
|
21
|
Tony Williams
|
Fr
|
|
Special teams
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Brad Childress – Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
- Kevin Cosgrove – Defensive coordinator/inside linebackers
- Mike Cassity – Defensive backs
- Jay Hayes – Outside linebackers/special teams
- Jim Hueber – Offensive line
- Henry Mason – Wide receivers
- John Palermo – Assistant Head Coach/defensive line
- Brian White – Running backs
- Bernie Wyatt – Tight ends/recruiting coordinator
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
Roster
|
Regular starters
|
|
| Position
|
Player
|
| Defensive end
|
Tarek Saleh
|
| Defensive tackle
|
Neil Miklusak
|
| Defensive tackle
|
Rod Spiller
|
| Defensive end
|
Bryan Jurewicz
|
| Outside linebacker
|
Daryl Carter
|
| Inside linebacker
|
Pete Monty
|
| Outside linebacker
|
David Lysek
|
| Cornerback
|
Cyrill Weems
|
| Free safety
|
Kevin Huntley
|
| Strong safety
|
Bob Adamov
|
| Cornerback
|
Jason Suttle
|
|
Team players selected in the 1997 NFL draft
[1]
References
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