The numbers are impressive: two Heisman Trophy winners. Eight bowl wins since 1993 alone, including the first back-to-back Rose Bowl victories in Big Ten history. Dozens of All-Americans. Countless statistical milestones. But the numbers alone don't do justice to the impact that Wisconsin football has had and continues to have on its legion of fans. What takes place within the storied confines of Camp Randall Stadium is more than simply a game; it's a way of life. During the epic reign of Barry Alvarez, an era that saw Badger football become a dominant power on the national landscape, Wisconsin became synonymous with college football excellenceand that excellence shows no signs of diminishing under Bret Bielema. From a stunning run to the Big Ten title in 1993, to the breakthrough Rose Bowl win over UCLA, to the Heisman campaign of Ron Dayne, to the record-setting 12-win 2006 season under Bielema, the Badgers have continued to build on the legacy established by legends such as Alan "the Horse" Ameche, Elroy Hirsch and Pat Richter, all while giving their fans countless cherished memories. Coach Alvarez put it this way on the occasion of the Badgers' back-to-back Rose Bowl wins in 19992000: "There's nothing like doing something that no one else has done. You don't get many opportunities like that in a lifetime. That was one of the things I tried to use as motivation for the kids, for them to go out and do it. Just talking about it doesn't get it done. To get out and do it really makes me proud of them." Game Day Wisconsin Football is a celebration of that pride that all Badger players and fans share, and of the decades of gridiron excellence that have inspired it.
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