2012 Wisconsin Badgers football team


The 2012 Wisconsin Badgers football team represent the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers, led by seventh-year head coach Bret Bielema, through December 4, 2012, and Barry Alvarez for the Rose Bowl are members of the Leaders Division of the Big Ten Conference and play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers lost their final game 20-14 in the Rose Bowl to the Stanford Cardinal of the Pac-12 Conference on January 1, 2013.

Recruiting

Watchlists/Preseason awards

The schedule is as follows:

Rankings

Regular season

Northern Iowa

Statistical Leaders
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Sources:
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Notes
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Notables
Wisconsin had 2 running backs run for over 200 yards and Badgers running backs accounted for 8 rushing touchdowns on the day. The 70 points tied the second-highest mark in Wisconsin history, set against Northwestern in 2010 and Austin Peay in 2010. The Badgers returned their first interception for a touchdown, as senior defensive back Marcus Cromartie returned a deflected Taylor Martinez pass 29 yards to put Wisconsin up 14-0 less than 3 minutes into the game.
A wild rushing touchdown by Taylor Martinez and a Brett Maher field goal narrowed Wisconsin's advantage to 14-10, but the Badgers went 45 yards on two plays to set up another scoring drive, capped off by a 9-yard rushing touchdown by James White. When Nebraska's offense stalled, Wisconsin's offense roared into gear and scored three more touchdowns in the 2nd quarter alone, taking a 42-10 lead at the half with a James White passing touchdown to TE Sam Arneson.
In the second half, Nebraska managed to gain a grand total of 3 yards before Martinez threw his second interception on Nebraska's first drive of the half. Wisconsin scored on the next play, taking a 49-10 lead.
The Badgers secured their third consecutive Big Ten Championship and a third consecutive Rose Bowl berth with the blowout win, improving to 8-5 on the year and snapping their 2-game losing streak.
On December 4, 2012, head coach Bret Bielema announced he would take the head coaching vacancy at the University of Arkansas, ending his career at Wisconsin after 7 seasons. Bielema had a 68-24 overall record in 7 seasons at Wisconsin and his teams went 37-19 in Big Ten conference games. In addition, Bielema won both of the first two Big Ten Conference Championship Games.

vs. Stanford (Rose Bowl)

Statistical Leaders

2012 statistics

Passing

Note: G = Games played; COMP = Completions; ATT = Attempts; COMP % = Completion percentage; YDS = Passing yards; TD = Passing touchdowns; INT = Interceptions; EFF = Passing efficiency
Pos.PlayerGCOMPATTCOMP %YDSTDINTEFF
WRJared Abbrederis1311100.02700326.8
QBDanny O'Brien7528660.552331120.7
QBCurt Phillips7468156.854052128.2
QBJoel Stave87011958.8110463148.3
RBJames White141250.0310227.6

Rushing

Note: G = Games played; ATT = Attempts; YDS = Yards; AVG = Average yard per carry; LG = Longest run; TD = Rushing touchdowns
Pos.PlayerGATTYDSAVGLGTD
WRJared Abbrederis1388310.4240
RBMontee Ball1435618305.16722
WRKenzel Doe142115.5120
RBMelvin Gordon146262110.0603
RBJeffrey Lewis34133.261
QBDanny O'Brien715-82-5.570
TEJacob Pedersen1411010.000
QBCurt Phillips727993.7520
QBJoel Stave819-51-2.7160
FBDerek Watt14252.530
RBJames White141258066.46912

Receiving

Note: G = Games played; REC = Receptions; YDS = Yards; AVG = Average yard per catch; LG = Longest catch; TD = Receiving touchdowns
Pos.PlayerGRECYDSAVGLGTD
TESam Arneson134194.892
WRJared Abbrederis134983717.1605
RBMontee Ball1410727.2160
WRKenzel Doe14161217.6190
WRJeff Duckworth139606.7101
WRJordan Fredrick141719611.5201
RBMelvin Gordon1426532.5571
WRChase Hammond1255010.0300
WRReggie Love511919.0190
TEJacob Pedersen142735513.1314
QBCurt Phillips712727.0270
FBDerek Watt141215012.5330
RBJames White14813216.5621
TEBrian Wozniak1499410.4210

Kick and punt returning

Note: G = Games played; PR = Punt returns; PYDS = Punt return yards; PLG = Punt return long; KR = Kick returns; KYDS = Kick return yards; KLG = Kick return long; TD = Total return touchdowns
Pos.PlayerGPRPYDSPLGKRKYDSKLGTotal Return TDs
WRJared Abbrederis1317111340000
DTBeau Allen141220000
WRKenzel Doe13899827195471
RBMelvin Gordon140007151320
RBJames White140006114260
RBKyle Zulegar14000229200

Kicking

Note: G = Games played; FGM = Field goals made; FGA = Field goals attempted; LG = Field goal long; XPT = Extra points made; XPT ATT = XPT attempted; TP = Total points
Pos.PlayerGFGMFGALGXPTXPT ATTTP
KKyle French13101646384068
KJack Russell8020141514

Punting

Note: G = Games played; P = Punts; YDS = Yards; AVG = Average per punt; LG = Punt long; In20 = Punts inside the 20; TB = Touchbacks
Pos.PlayerGPYDSAVGLGIn20TB
PDrew Meyer1480332341.561365

Defensive

Note: G = Games played; Solo = Solo tackles; Ast = Assisted tackles; Total = Total tackles; TFL-Yds = Tackles for loss-yards lost; Sack = Sacks; INT = Interceptions; PDef = Passes defended ; FF = Forced fumbles; FR = Forced recoveries
Pos.PlayerGSoloAstTotalTFL-YdsSackINTPDefFFFR
LBMike Taylor14695412315.0-5930401
LBChris Borland12564810410.0-404.50633
LBEthan Armstrong145439932.0-601500
SDezmen Southward144425698.0-1801510
CBMarcus Cromartie143824620.0-0011310
CBDevin Smith143522571.0-4141710
SShelton Johnson113026560.5-000400
DEDavid Gilbert142121429.5-4640130
DTBeau Allen141819377.5-312.50210
DEBrendon Kelly111711286.0-2950201
LBDerek Landisch141513281.0-100100
DTEthan Hemer141410242.5-1210300
SMichael Trotter131410241.0-810100
CBDarius Hillary14167230.0-000200
DETyler Dippel131010205.5-3450100
DEPat Muldoon1197165.5-182.50200
LBConor O'Neill14105150.0-001100
DTWarren Herring1476131.0-60.50101
FBDerek Watt14103130.0-000010
CBMichael Caputo1382100.0-000000
DTBryce Gilbert1355100.0-000000
RBKyle Zulegar144370.0-000000
WRLance Baretz124260.0-000000
LBMarcus Trotter42350.0-000000
DTKonrad Zagezebski131340.0-000100
LBJake Keefer42020.0-000000
CBDeven Gaulden40220.0-000000
LSJames McGuire142020.0-000000
CBJerry Ponio100220.0-000000
WRKenzel Doe141120.0-000000
DEJacob Ninneman11010.0-000000
DEJames Adeyanju31010.0-000000
CBPeniel Jean51010.0-000100
WRJake Stengel61010.0-000001
CBTerrance Floyd71010.0-000000
RBDerek Straus41010.0-000000
DEJosh Harrison11011.0-400000
GRyan Groy141010.0-000000
CTravis Frederick141010.0-000000
TEJacob Pedersen140110.0-000000
RBMelvin Gordon141010.0-000000
PDrew Meyer140110.0-000000
RBMontee Ball140110.0-000000

Regular starters

PositionPlayer
QuarterbackJoel Stave
Running BackMontee Ball
FullbackDerek Watt
Wide ReceiverJared Abbrederis
Wide ReceiverJordan Fredrick
Tight EndJacob Pedersen
Brian Wozniak
Left TackleRicky Wagner
Left GuardRyan Groy
CenterTravis Frederick
Right GuardKyle Costigan
Right TackleRob Havenstein

PositionPlayer
Defensive EndDavid Gilbert
Defensive TackleBeau Allen
Defensive TackleEthan Hemer
Defensive EndPat Muldoon
Outside LinebackerMike Taylor
Middle LinebackerChris Borland
Outside LinebackerEthan Armstrong
CornerbackDevin Smith
Strong SafetyDezmen Southward
Free SafetyShelton Johnson
CornerbackMarcus Cromartie

2013 NFL Draft class

Signed undrafted free agents