Looking back at a decade of Wisconsin football

A decade of dominance is about to come to a close for the University of Wisconsin.

Putting the bow on the winningest decade in program history, Wisconsin went 102-33 (.756 winning percentage) from 2010-19, enjoyed seven double-digit winning seasons, won three Big Ten championships, had 10 consensus first-team All-Americans and brought home bowl victories in the Cotton, Holiday, Orange, Outback and Pinstripe. You don’t accomplish those feats without having great players.

In other words, it was a pretty good decade.

We look back on the highs and lows of the 2010-19 decade.

Statistically, Wisconsin 13-1 team in 2017 was the best on paper. But if we're going by talent (2011 had nine future NFL draft picks on offense), it's hard to argue with a roster that had Russell Wilson, Montee Ball, James White, Nick Toon, Chris Borland, Mike Taylor, Peter Konz, Travis Frederick and Kevin Zeitler, among many others. That year, the Badgers had six blowout wins before two back-to-back heartbreakers to Michigan State and Ohio State on the road. UW rebounded to win its next five games - including the Big Ten title contest against the Spartans - before falling in the Rose Bowl to Oregon.

Montee Ball and Melvin Gordon are certainly worthy, but we're going with a different Wisconsin tailback. Finishing in the top-10 of the Heisman Trophy three times, Jonathan Taylor has set numerous school and FBS records. He is the seventh player in FBS history to rush for 6,000 career yards and the first to do so in just three years. The Rose Bowl will likely be Taylor’s final collegiate game, giving him one more chance to wow UW fans.

David Gilreath's 97-yd kickoff return for a touchdown against No. 1 Ohio State was absolutely electric and helped set the tone for the upset win.

Wisconsin's had a lot of great wins over the last 10 years. But few were as enjoyable as the beatdown the Badgers put on Nebraska in the 2012 Big Ten title game. In what would be Bret Bielema's last contest as coach of the Badgers, UW completely dominated the Cornhuskers at Lucas Oil Stadium. It was the first time in school history that Wisconsin had two tailbacks (Ball and Gordon) go over the 200-yard mark.

Wisconsin took a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter then held on to beat No. 1 Ohio State, 31-18, at Camp Randall Stadium. John Clay ran for 104 yards and two touchdowns as the Badgers recorded one of the biggest wins in the program's history.

A Hail Marry from Kirk Cousins to Keith Nichol changed the whole landscape of Wisconsin's 2011 season. From 44 yards away as time experied, Wisconsin, which was No. 6 in the BSC at the time, was delivered a stunning blow in East Lansing.

Wisconsin vs. Arizona State in 2013, or the Joel Stave "kneel game," was a close second.

Quarterback Alex Hornibrook tossed three straight touchdown passes to erase a 14-3 deficit and turn it into a 24-14 half-time advantage in an eventual win over Miami. In total, Hornibrook threw four touchdown passes, three to Danny Davis, as Wisconsin capped off the winningest season in school history. Taylor also ran for 130 yards on 26 carries.

This was a bloodbath. Gary Andersen, who seemingly had one foot out the door, saw his team get beat in every facet of the game against an Urban Meyer-led Ohio State squad. Cardale Jones threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns and was named the game’s MVP in his first career start. Ezekiel Elliott finished with 20 carries for a career high 220 yards. Gordon ran 26 times for 76 yards, his second-worst game of the season.