When you think about the Rose Bowl, you probably picture that perfect California sunset hitting the San Gabriel Mountains. For fans of the Cardinal and White, that image is usually mixed with a heavy dose of nostalgia and, honestly, a fair bit of heartbreak. The "Granddaddy of Them All" hasn't always been kind to Madison’s finest.
In total, there have been 10 Wisconsin Badgers Rose Bowl appearances.
Some of these games are legendary. Others? Well, we sort of try to forget those. From the first scoreless outing in 1953 to the high-stakes shootouts of the Russell Wilson and Montee Ball era, the history of Wisconsin in Pasadena is a wild ride. It’s a story of dominant running backs, quarterbacks who found their legs at the right time, and more than a few "what if" moments that still keep Badger fans up at night.
The Early Years: Pain in Pasadena
The first few times Wisconsin made it to the Rose Bowl, things didn't exactly go as planned.
Take 1953. It was the school’s first-ever bowl game. They faced USC and, despite having the legendary "Iron Horse" Alan Ameche in the backfield, they couldn't find the end zone. Not even once. They lost 7-0. It’s still one of the lowest-scoring games in the bowl's history.
Then came 1960. That one was a bit of a disaster. The Badgers were 6.5-point favorites against Washington, but they looked like they were already on vacation. They got hammered 44-8. Head coach Milt Bruhn later admitted the team was probably a little too distracted by the California sunshine.
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The 1963 "Dream Game"
The 1963 Rose Bowl is the one everyone still talks about, even though it was a loss. It was the first time in college football history that #1 (USC) played #2 (Wisconsin) in a bowl.
Wisconsin trailed 42-14 in the fourth quarter. It looked over. Then, Ron Vander Kelen and Pat Richter decided to go nuclear. They scored 23 unanswered points in the final 12 minutes. The Badgers were literally a couple of plays away from the greatest comeback ever, but they ran out of time, losing 42-37. Even in a loss, Vander Kelen was named co-MVP.
The Barry Alvarez Era: Changing the Narrative
For thirty years, the Badgers didn't see a single rose. The program fell into a deep slump until Barry Alvarez arrived. He basically built the modern identity of Wisconsin football from scratch.
1994 changed everything.
Walking into Pasadena to face UCLA, nobody expected Darrell Bevell—a quarterback not exactly known for his wheels—to scramble for a 21-yard touchdown to seal a 21-16 victory. That was the first time Wisconsin actually won the Rose Bowl. It broke the "curse" and proved the Badgers could compete on the national stage.
The Back-to-Back Years
Wisconsin became the first Big Ten team to win back-to-back Rose Bowls in 1999 and 2000. These were the Ron Dayne years.
- 1999 vs. UCLA: Dayne was unstoppable, rushing for 246 yards and four touchdowns. Badgers won 38-31.
- 2000 vs. Stanford: A bit more of a defensive grind, but Wisconsin pulled it out 17-9. Dayne cemented his legacy as a two-time Rose Bowl MVP.
The Modern Heartbreak: 2011 to 2020
If the 90s were the golden era, the 2010s were the "close but no cigar" decade. Wisconsin made it to three straight Rose Bowls from 2011 to 2013 and lost all three by a combined 15 points.
The 2011 game against TCU was a heartbreaker. A failed two-point conversion attempt in the final minutes led to a 21-19 loss. Then came the 2012 shootout against Oregon—a 45-38 loss where the clock basically ran out on Russell Wilson as he was trying to spike the ball.
In 2013, Barry Alvarez actually came out of retirement to coach the game after Bret Bielema left for Arkansas. They lost a defensive battle to Stanford, 20-14.
The 2020 Oregon Rematch
The most recent of the Wisconsin Badgers Rose Bowl appearances happened on January 1, 2020. Again, it was Oregon. Again, it was a one-point game. Despite a heroic effort by Jonathan Taylor and the defense, four turnovers proved to be too much to overcome. The Ducks won 28-27. It was a brutal way to end a decade that saw Wisconsin constantly on the doorstep of greatness in Pasadena.
Summary of All 10 Appearances
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 1953 | USC | Loss | 0-7 |
| Jan 1, 1960 | Washington | Loss | 8-44 |
| Jan 1, 1963 | USC | Loss | 37-42 |
| Jan 1, 1994 | UCLA | Win | 21-16 |
| Jan 1, 1999 | UCLA | Win | 38-31 |
| Jan 1, 2000 | Stanford | Win | 17-9 |
| Jan 1, 2011 | TCU | Loss | 19-21 |
| Jan 2, 2012 | Oregon | Loss | 38-45 |
| Jan 1, 2013 | Stanford | Loss | 14-20 |
| Jan 1, 2020 | Oregon | Loss | 27-28 |
Why These Appearances Still Matter
The 3-7 record in Pasadena isn't exactly what fans want to see, but it doesn't tell the whole story. The Rose Bowl is where the Wisconsin "brand" was built. It’s where the world learned that if you play the Badgers, you better be ready for a fistfight in the trenches.
Most people get it wrong when they say Wisconsin "chokes" in the big game. If you look at the 2011, 2012, and 2020 losses, these were games decided by a single possession—often a single play. The nuance here is that Wisconsin’s style of play—heavy run, ball control—actually works incredibly well in the Rose Bowl environment. They just haven't had the "bounce of the ball" go their way in the 21st century.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into this history or perhaps plan for the next time the Badgers head to Pasadena, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Watch the 1963 highlights: You can find snippets of the Vander Kelen to Richter connection on YouTube. It’s a masterclass in the two-minute drill before the two-minute drill was even a thing.
- Track the "Big Ten-Pac-12" dynamic: With conference realignment changing the landscape in 2024 and beyond, the traditional Rose Bowl matchup is evolving. Keep an eye on how the "Granddaddy" fits into the new College Football Playoff structure.
- Visit the Hall of Fame: If you're ever in Madison, the Camp Randall Hall of Fame has incredible artifacts from the 1994 win, including Darrell Bevell's jersey.
The Rose Bowl remains the pinnacle for Big Ten fans. While the record might be lopsided, the memories of Ron Dayne charging through the line or the sea of red taking over Colorado Boulevard are what college football is all about.
Next Steps: You can explore the individual box scores of the 1990s wins at the official UW Badgers athletics site to see the staggering rushing stats from those championship years. Knowing the history makes the next trip to the Rose Bowl that much sweeter.