Badger Football: Flashback to 2009 Champs Sports Bowl
Your #6 Wisconsin Badger football takes on the #10 Miami Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl on December 30th
The Big Ten runner up Wisconsin Badger football has a road date against the ACC runner up Miami Hurricanes. The game will be a home game for the Canes who get to play in their own building.
Of course, this isn’t the first postseason meeting between the two sides. So come with us back a ways to 2009 when Badger football played Miami in the Champ Sports Bowl.
Wisconsin had a solid 2009 season. The Badgers started 8-2 with its only losses to (then) #9 The Ohio State and #11 Iowa.
Wisconsin Badgers Football
Unfortunately, Bucky lost a tight game to Northwestern (33-31) in its final conference game of the year. That dropped them to the Champs Sports Bowl against a 9-3 and #14 Miami team.
The game started poorly for the Badges. After all, Miami’s Sam Shields (future Packer) returned the opening kickoff into the red zone. One play later the Canes claimed a 7-0 lead.
But Wisconsin quickly asserted control and it was all Badgers for most of the rest of the way. Wisconsin actually scored 20 unanswered points to claim a 20-7 lead.
Miami provided a grandstand finish by scoring a touchdown with 1:22 left in the game. They also recovered the ensuing onside kick with a chance to steal the win.
But the Wisconsin defense rose up with a JJ Watt sack followed by three straight incompletions. The Badgers claimed a 20-14 win.
For the day, Wisconsin was led by an efficient Scott Tolzien who was 19/26 for 260 yards with an interception in Miami territory. Bulldozer turned human person John Clay rushed for 121 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns.
The passing game was fueled by the tight end position. Lance Kendricks (7 catches for 128 yards) and Garrett Graham (6 catches for 77 yards) caught 13 of Tolzien’s 19 pass completions.
Next: Jack Cichy Says Farewell to Madison
No the Champs Sports Bowl is not the most prestigious bowl game. But It was redemption of sorts for the Badgers who had been routed 42-13 in the Champs Sports Bowl the previous season.
After the 2009 season, Wisconsin won three straight Big Ten titles en route to a trio of Rose Bowl appearances. Here’s hoping this year’s bowl game with Miami is a similar catalyst.