Need to Know: Wisconsin vs. Oregon
Game - No. 6 Oregon (11-2, 8-1 Pac-12) vs. No. 8 Wisconsin (10-3, 7-2 Big Ten)
Date/Time – Wednesday, January 1, 4 p.m. CT
Venue – Rose Bowl Stadium (89,105/Grass)
Television – ESPN (Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Tom Rinaldi, Maria Taylor)
Radio - Wisconsin Radio Network (Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas)
Online: iHeartRadio/ESPN Radio (ESPN.com/Radio) http://sportsaffiliates.learfield.com/affiliates/wisconsin9
Satellite: Sirius 84, XM 84
Series – Wisconsin leads 3-2 (Oregon leads 1-0 in bowl games)
Point Spread – Wisconsin by 2.5
Series Notes
The Rose Bowl Game will feature two of the decade’s winningest programs when Wisconsin and Oregon face off. The Badgers and Ducks are two of just eight FBS teams to win at least 100 games in the 2010s (Wisconsin 102, Oregon 100).
Oregon has claimed the last two matchups between the Badgers and Ducks, including a 45-38 win when the teams collided in the 2012 Rose Bowl Game.
UW and Oregon squared off in an entertaining home-and-home series in 2000 and 2001, with the home team winning each game. In 2000 in Madison, Wisconsin RB Michael Bennett ran for 290 yards and CB Jamar Fletcher picked off Oregon’s Joey Harrington three times. QB Brooks Bollinger scored the game-winning TD with 5:25 left in the game. The next year, in Eugene, Harrington got his revenge, scoring the game-winning TD with 4:03 left in the game. The lead changed hands six times in the second half.
Wisconsin is 7-5 in bowl games vs. the current membership of the Pac-12, most recently with a 23-21 win over USC in the 2015 Holiday Bowl.
Wisconsin sophomore ILB Jack Sanborn is the son of the late Paul Sanborn, who played on the offensive line at Oregon from 1980-82.
Wisconsin Notes to Consider
The Badgers are 16-14 all-time in bowl games, joining Penn State (29-18-2), Purdue (10-9) and Rutgers (6-4) as current Big Ten members with a winning record in bowls.
Already the only player in FBS history to rush for at least 1,900 yards in three consecutive seasons, Jonathan Taylor needs just 91 more to join Badgers great Ron Dayne (1996, ’99) and Iowa State’s Troy Davis (1995, ’96) as the only players with multiple 2,000-yard seasons. Taylor leads the nation in scoring, at 12.0 points per game, by tallying 26 touchdowns (21 rushing, 5 receiving).
Wisconsin has eight games with at least 4.0 sacks this season. Only Ohio State (9) has more.
Wisconsin leads the nation in time of possession, holding the ball for an average of 35:27 — nearly a minute longer than any other team. Utah ranks No. 2, at 34:33.
Wisconsin has allowed an average of just 16.1 points to its 12 opponents, each of which scored below its season average vs. the Badgers. Excluding their games with UW, those opponents have averaged more than twice that — a combined 29.7 points per contest.
The Badgers are limiting opponents to a conversion percentage of just 27.1% on third down (45-for-166) for the season, 2nd-best in the FBS.
Oregon Notes to Consider
The Rose Bowl appearance marks the 14th time in the last 15 years that Oregon has advanced to a bowl game and is the 13th time it has played a bowl game in California, highlighted by eight Rose Bowl trips. The Ducks hold a 14-18 all-time record in bowl games, including 3-4 in the Rose Bowl.
Oregon has a combined 218 career starts along the offensive line, which is the most in the nation.
Quarterback Justin Herbert's 95 TD passes are the most among active FBS players and sixth most in Pac-12 history. He’s thrown at least one touchdown in 40 of 41 starts.
Tailback C.J. Verdell is one of just nine Pac-12 players since 2000 to have multiple games in a season with 200 yards rushing and three TDs. Verdell accomplished the feat against Washington State and in the Pac-12 title game against Utah this season.
Oregon is one five FBS teams in the top 15 nationally in both scoring defense (15.7/9th) and scoring offense (35.9/15th).
Fueled by 19 interceptions, Oregon is tied for seventh nationally in total turnover margin (+13). The Ducks' 9.23 points off turnovers per game is sixth in the country while their +7.15 points off turnovers differential per game is third.