13. Wisconsin 31, Colorado 28 (OT) (2002)

The Badgers were heavy underdogs to the No. 14 Colorado Buffaloes in the Alamo Bowl. At 7-6, Wisconsin needed a record performance from Anthony Davis in the regular season finale against Minnesota to even be bowl eligible. Colorado, on the other hand, was coming in at 9-4 and a loss in the Big 12 Championship game to Oklahoma. Even though the Buffaloes came in with four losses, two of those came to the Big 12 champion Oklahoma and another came to co-Pac-10 champion USC, so Colorado was not expected to have much trouble with the Badgers. Wisconsin was looking for its fourth consecutive bowl victory and received it due to unlikely players making big-time plays down the stretch, as Wisconsin walked away with an upset in the Alamo Bowl. I guess you could say the Badgers remember the Alamo.

Colorado was favored by seven, but Bucky was prepared to make a statement. That started with a drive that would begin at the Wisconsin 41 after a 30-yard kickoff return by Jerone Pettus. Bucky was on the move, picking up three first downs on the drive, before disaster struck. Brooks Bollinger threw to the left side, but it was intercepted by Donald Strickland, who took it back 91 yards for the score. So even though Bucky had a great drive going, Wisconsin found itself behind 7-0 after the extra point.

Going into the game, the Badgers knew they had to run the ball and stop the run. The two teams were mirror images of one another in a lot of ways. Wisconsin had to force Colorado to go to the air. Bucky did just that after a short gain by Colorado’s Chris Brown on first down on its opening drive of the game. On his first throw of the game, Robert Hodge threw it to the left side, but it was picked off by Scott Starks at the Buffaloes 19. Three plays later, Anthony Davis crashed in from four yards out to tie the game at 7.

Colorado would score once more before the end of the first quarter. The Buffaloes traveled 83 yards in 11 plays to take a 14-7 lead. Brown rushed for 29 yards on the drive, but it was a Hodge pass to D.J. Hackett on the left side of the end zone that was the play that gave Colorado the lead right back.

The game went back and forth throughout, and after falling behind by seven, the Badgers scored the next two touchdowns to take the lead. Jim Leonhard, the nation’s leader in interceptions was at it again, picking off a Hodge pass that deflected off the intended receiver’s hands and into the arms of Leonhard. Following the turnover, Wisconsin would have a six-play drive to put the ball in the end zone. The first five plays were runs, but when faced with a 3rd-and-8 at the Colorado 10, Brooks Bollinger was able to complete a pass to Brandon Williams for the touchdown to tie the game up at 14.

Colorado was in a giving mood once again on the following drive, as Hodge was intercepted by Darius Jones and he returned it for 10 yards down to the Buffaloes 29. Wisconsin would travel 29 yards in seven plays, with two passes going to Darrin Charles for 25 yards and the touchdown. On the score on a third down from the 7, Bollinger bought time and found a wide open Charles in the end zone. That score gave the Badgers a 21-14 lead with less than a minute left in the half.

The Buffaloes decided to abandon the pass to start the second half. To start the half, Colorado rushed 14 consecutive times. After a muffed punt turnover by Wisconsin’s Leonhard, the Buffaloes took over on the Badgers 25. Colorado handed the ball to Brown every play on the drive and he would score from four yards out to tie the game at 21.

It was Wisconsin’s turn to be in a giving mood, as on the first play from scrimmage, Davis fumbled and Colorado recovered at the Badgers 17. Three plays later, new quarterback Zac Colvin found Hackett in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown to give the Buffaloes the 28-21 lead.

It would stay that way until the final minute of regulation. However, that would not mean there would not be some excitement before then. Wisconsin would move into Colorado territory, but a Bollinger pass was incomplete on fourth down. The pass looked like it might be able to be caught, but both Williams and Jonathan Orr were in the area and it looked like they may run into each other.

Bucky Badger would have one more opportunity to tie the game up. Wisconsin would have the ball with 2:25 to play, starting at its own 20. The first play went to Williams for 32 yards across midfield. However, the next three plays lost eight yards and the Badgers were faced with a 4th-and-18. That was when Bollinger threw a strike down the middle of the field to Williams again for 27 yards and a first down at the Colorado 29. After back-to-back incompletions, Bollinger went back to pass and found a wide open Orr over the middle. It would have been an easy touchdown for him, but he dropped it. Instead of a tie game, the Badgers were forced with a fourth down. Orr needed his teammates to pick him up. Enter Darrin Charles. Bollinger looked Charles’ way on the fourth down pass and Charles reached up and hauled it in inside the 5 and he reached down to the 1. Bollinger plowed in on the quarterback sneak on the next play and the game was tied with less than a minute to go. Colorado took two knees instead of risking a turnover and the game went to overtime.

Wisconsin won the toss and elected to go on defense first. Colorado would lose two yards on their three plays, setting up a 45-yard field goal, which missed wide to the right and the Badgers had the ball with a chance for the win. Barry Alvarez did not want to risk an interception, so he ran it three times and gained five yards. Sophomore walk-on Mike Allen came onto attempt a 37-yard field goal to win the game. His kick was right between uprights and the Badgers earned an upset vict