32. Wisconsin 20, Ohio State 17 (2001)

Two years earlier, Wisconsin trailed 17-0 in the second quarter in Columbus. On that day, the Badgers turned not only the game around, but their season as well in coming back from that deficit to win 42-17. Flash forward to 2001, the same scenario presented itself. Wisconsin trailed 17-0 in the second quarter in Columbus. Bucky did not not come back to win by 25 like in 1999, but the Badgers did come out on top once again. This comeback win also helped fans try to forget about the embarrassing 63-32 loss at home to Indiana the previous week.

It could not have started much better for the home team. Ohio State drove down the field and took the lead on a Josh Huston 44-yard field goal. After a short punt by Wisconsin’s Kirk Munden, the Buckeyes took advantage. On a 4th-and-Goal at the Badgers 1, Steve Bellisari scored on a quarterback sneak and it was 10-0.

Wisconsin was out of sync early on. Brooks Bollinger had a wide open Lee Evans, who would have scored on an 82-yard touchdown, but was overthrown. Mistake after mistake haunted the Badgers in the opening half. Even on a Munden punt, the coverage team was letting it roll as far as it could before downing it, but let it roll too far and it went into the end zone.

The Ohio State onslaught continued with a Chris Vance acrobatic catch along the sideline that brought the Buckeyes into the red zone. Lydell Ross ended the drive with a 3-yard touchdown and the home team had the 17-0 lead. And then Wisconsin’s next drive was stopped by an interception by Derek Ross.

But the Buckeyes, partied like it’s 1999 and self-destructed once again.

The momentum changed late in the first half. With a minute left and Ohio State poised to go into the break with a 17-0 lead, the Buckeyes were forced to punt. Wisconsin was coming after the punt and the snap was a little off to the right and Buckeyes punter Andy Groom thought he would not be able to get the punt off, so instead of risking a block, he decided to tuck it and run. He was able to run for a yard, but since it was 4th-and-20, the Badgers would get the ball in great position to cut into the deficit.

Wisconsin’s drive lasted one play. Bollinger was barely able hand the ball off to Anthony Davis before being drilled by a defender. But once Davis received the handoff, he rushed to the right and found room and sprinted 23 yards for the score to cut it to 17-7. As Matt Lepay would say, game on in Columbus!

The confidence rose even more for Bucky on the opening drive of the second half. Bollinger hit Lee Evans for a 27-yard gain into Ohio State territory. Three plays later, Bollinger hit Nick Davis on a slant pass and the speedy receiver did the rest, outracing Ohio State defenders before diving into the end zone to cut into the lead even further.

It would stay that way until late in the third. Ohio State had to punt and Davis picked up the punt on a hop and returned it to the Badgers 37. On a 3rd-and-4 at the Ohio State 44, Bollinger threw a jump ball to Evans, who reached up and hauled it in inside the 15 of Ohio State. Early in the fourth quarter, Mark Neuser connected on a short field goal to tie it up at 17.

After an Ohio State missed field goal, Evans made a play like he did so many times in 2001. He caught a 35-yard pass from Bollinger to give the Badgers a first down in Ohio State territory. Neuser would kick a 33-yard field goal on the drive to give the Badgers the lead.

Ohio State would go four and out on the next possession and Wisconsin took over and was able to run out the clock to give Wisconsin another comeback win in Columbus. However, the Badgers would just win one of their final five games to finish a disappointing 5-7. To this date, the 2001 season is the last season Wisconsin has failed to make a bowl.