Badgers secured bowl eligibility for the 20th consecutive season but the players didn't give it much thought
MADISON – Three FBS programs have qualified for a bowl game for at least 20 consecutive seasons, including this season.
They are:
Georgia (25), Oklahoma (23) and Wisconsin (20).
UW became bowl-eligible with a 52-3 victory Saturday at Rutgers. The Badgers won their fifth consecutive game to improve to 4-2 in the Big Ten and 6-3 overall.
Yet the bowl streak wasn’t a topic of discussion among the players after the game. In fact, the players didn’t discuss the chance to extend the bowl streak before beating Rutgers.
Senior linebacker Jack Sanborn made it clear playing in a bowl game is an unspoken expectation.
“People know that six wins is bowl-eligible,” he said. “So people understood that. But I don’t know if it was even brought up during the week. The goal of the week was to beat Rutgers.
“I think we have bigger goals that are attainable than being bowl-eligible.”
From the infirmary
Starting right guard Jack Nelson, who went down untouched in the final minute of the first half at Rutgers and did not play in the second half, is among the players listed as questionable this week for Northwestern.
“Had more upbeat conversations about him,” UW coach Paul Chryst said. “We’ll know for sure hopefully in a short time.”
Also questionable are outside linebacker Spencer Lytle, guard Michael Furtney and defensive end James Thompson.
Reserve inside linebacker Mike Maskalunas is among several players who will not play against Northwestern. That list includes tight end Hayden Rucci, who has missed the last three games.
Extra points
Freshman tailback Braelon Allen was named the Big Ten freshman of the week. He rushed 15 times for 129 yards, an average of 8.6 yards per carry, and a touchdown in the victory over Rutgers. Allen has rushed for at least 100 yards in five consecutive games. He is the first UW freshman to achieve that feat since Anthony Davis had a six-game streak in 2001 as a redshirt freshman…
A victory over Northwestern would assure UW of finishing with a winning record in Big Ten play for the 13th consecutive season. UW last finished below .500 in the league in 2008. That team finished 3-5 in the league and 7-6 overall under third-year coach Bret Bielema...
UW’s Nov. 20 game against visiting Nebraska is set to start at 2:30 p.m.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin football is bowl eligible for 20th straight season
