The 1995 Wisconsin Badgers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their sixth year under head coach Barry Alvarez, the Badgers compiled a 4–5–2 record (3–4–1 in conference games), tied for seventh place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by a total of 253 to 235. Against ranked opponents, they lost to No. 14 Colorado, No. 4 Ohio State, and No. 11 Northwestern, and defeated No. 6 Penn State.[1] Wisconsin's 3–3 tie with Illinois on November 25 was the last tie in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history as the NCAA implemented an overtime system following the season that eliminated the possibility of a tie.[2] The Badgers were unranked in the final AP and Coaches polls.
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Darrell Bevell (2,273 passing yards, 65.0% completion percentage), running back Carl McCullough (1,038 rushing yards, 4.4 yards per carry), wide receiver Michael London (41 receptions for 587 yards), kicker John Hall (48 points scored, 27 of 29 extra points, 7 of 14 field goals), and linebacker Pete Monty (92 solo tackles, 137 total tackles).[3] Bevell and linebacker Eric Unverzagt tied for the team's most valuable player award.[4] No Badgers received first-team honors on the 1995 All-America team. Defensive lineman Tarek Saleh was the only Badger to receive first-team honors from both the coaches and media on the 1995 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[5][6]
The team played its home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|
| September 2 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 13 Colorado* | No. 21 | | ABC | L 7–43 | 79,015 |
| September 16 | 5:30 p.m. | at Stanford* | | | | T 24–24 | 42,510 |
| September 23 | 1:00 p.m. | SMU* | | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| | W 42–0 | 77,108 |
| September 30 | 5:00 p.m. | at No. 6 Penn State | | | ESPN | W 17–9 | 96,540 |
| October 14 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 4 Ohio State | No. 21 | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| ABC | L 16–27 | 79,507 |
| October 21 | 11:30 a.m. | at No. 11 Northwestern | No. 24 | | ESPN2 | L 0–35 | 49,256 |
| October 28 | 11:00 a.m. | Michigan State | | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| Creative | W 45–14 | 78,043 |
| November 4 | 11:00 a.m. | at Purdue | | | Creative | L 27–38 | 39,125 |
| November 11 | 6:00 p.m. | at Minnesota | | | ESPN2 | W 34–27 | 64,016 |
| November 18 | 11:30 a.m. | Iowa | | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI (rivalry)
| ESPN2 | L 20–33 | 78,907 |
| November 25 | 2:30 p.m. | Illinois | | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| Creative | T 3–3 | 76,750 |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Central time
|
Game summaries
Colorado
| Game information |
|
First quarter
- COL - FG Voskeritchian 27
Second quarter
- COL - Carruth 17 pass from Detmer (Voskeritchian kick)
- WIS - Bevell 5 run (Pauly kick)
- COL - Barnes 6 run (Voskeritchian kick)
- COL - FG Voskeritchian 28
- COL - Carruth 21 pass from Detmer (two-point conversion failed)
Third quarter
- COL - Kidd 6 pass from Detmer (Voskeritchian kick)
- COL - FG Voskeritchian 21
Fourth quarter
- COL - Rosga 75 fumble return (Voskeritchian kick)
|
- Top Rushers
- COL - Troutman 15rushes, 76 yards
- WIS - C. McCullough 28 rushes, 151 yards
- Top Passers
- COL - Detmer 17/24, 267 yards, 3 TDs
- WIS - Bevell 14/24, 175 yards, 1 INT
- Top Receivers
- COL - Savoy 8-107 yards, Carruth 4-100 yards
- WIS - London 4-63 yards, Torian 3-51 yards
|
|
Stanford
| Game information |
| First quarter
Second quarter
- STAN - FG Abrams 23
- WIS - C Martin 12 pass from Bevell (J Hall kick)
- STAN - Bookman 14 pass from Butterfield (Abrams kick)
Third quarter
- WIS - C Mccullough 2 run (J Hall kick)
- STAN - Comella 1 pass from Butterfield (Abrams kick)
- WIS - Nyquist 9 pass from Bevell (J Hall kick)
Fourth quarter
- STAN - Comella 8 pass from Butterfield (Abrams kick)
|
SMU
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- WIS – Tony Simmons 28-yard pass from Darrell Bevell (John Hall kick), 7:45. Badgers 21–0.
- WIS – Michael London 30-yard pass from Darrell Bevell (John Hall kick), 1:28. Badgers 28–0.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- WIS – Tony Simmons 5-yard pass from Darrell Bevell (Dana Nielsen kick), 11:37. Badgers 35–0.
- WIS – Aaron Stecker 23-yard run (John Hall kick), 6:35. Badgers 42–0.
|
Top passers
- SMU – Mark Humble – 12/25, 127 yards, INT
- WIS – Darrell Bevell – 18/20, 223 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
- SMU – Donte Womack – 14 rushes, 54 yards
- WIS – Carl McCullough – 26 rushes, 130 yards, TD
Top receivers
- SMU – Albert Johnson – 7 receptions, 40 yards
- WIS – Michael London – 4 receptions, 69 yards, TD
|
|
Penn State
| Game information |
First quarter
- WIS - FG J Hall 26
- WIS - Nyquist 21 pass from Bevell (J Hall kick)
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- WIS - T Simmons 21 pass from Bevell (J Hall kick)
- PSU - Scott 5 pass from Richardson (two-point conversion failed)
|
Ohio State
| Game information |
|
First quarter
- WIS - John Hall 45-yard field goal
Second quarter
- OSU - Eddie George 1-yard run (Josh Jackson kick)
- WIS - Cecil Martin 4-yard pass from Darrell Bevell (kick failed)
Third quarter
- OSU - Terry Glenn 2-yard pass from Bobby Hoying (pass failed)
- WIS - Carl McCullough 14-yard run (John Hall kick)
Fourth quarter
- OSU - Eddie George 1-yard run (Josh Jackson kick)
- OSU - Eddie George 51-yard run (Josh Jackson kick)
|
- Top Passers
- Top Rushers
- Top Receivers
- OSU - Buster Tillman - 6 receptions, 91 yards
- WIS - Michael London - 3 receptions, 62 yards
- Top Tacklers
- WIS - Cyrill Weems - 10 (5 solo, 5 assisted)
- WIS - Pete Monty - 10 (4 solo, 6 assisted)
- Interceptions
- OSU - 2 - Greg Bellisari (1), Anthony Gwinn (1)
- WIS - 1 - Kevin Huntley
|
|
Northwestern
| Game information |
First quarter
- NU - Steve Schnur 1-yard run (Valenzisi kick)
Second quarter
- NU - Sam Valenzisi 32-yard field goal
- NU - Sam Valenzisi 26-yard field goal
Third quarter
- NU - Darnell Autry 32-yard pass from Steve Schnur (conversion failed)
Fourth quarter
- NU - Darnell Autry 3-yard run (Valenzisi kick)
- NU - Brian Gowins 40-yard field goal
- NU - Levelle Brown 38-yard run (PAT failed)
|
Michigan State
| Game information |
|
First quarter
- WIS - C. Martin 5-yard run (J. Hall kick)
- MSU - S. Greene 2-yard run (C. Gardner kick)
Second quarter
- WIS - J. Hall 43-yard FG
- WIS - C. Martin 5-yard run (J. Hall kick)
- WIS - Nyquist 7-yard pass from Bevell (J. Hall kick)
Third quarter
- WIS - T. Simmons 1-yard pass from Bevell (J. Hall kick)
- WIS - Nyquist 2-yard pass from Bevell (J. Hall kick)
Fourth quarter
- MSU - Mason 31-yard pass from Banks (C. Gardner kick)
- WIS - Waerig 12-yard run (J. Hall kick)
|
- Top Rushers
- MSU - Crenshaw 5 rushes, 41 yards
- WIS - C. McCullough 19 rushes, 91 yards
- Top Passers
- MSU - Banks 17/30, 207 yards, 3 INTs
- WIS - Bevell 17/27, 265 yards
- Top Receivers
- MSU - Muhammad 6 receptions, 83 yards
- WIS - T Simmons 5 receptions, 70 yards
|
|
Purdue
| Game information |
First quarter
- PUR - Alford 64-yard pass from Tretzger (Bobich kick)
- WIS - Weems 75-yard interception return (Hall kick)
- PUR - Watson 63-yard run (Bobich kick)
Second quarter
- PUR - Alstott 40-yard run (kick failed)
- WIS - Simmons 31-yard pass from Samuel (Hall kick)
Third quarter
- WIS - Stecker 7-yard run (Hall kick)
- PUR - Watson 2-yard run (Blackman pass from Tretzger)
Fourth quarter
- PUR - Bobich 20-yard field goal
- WIS - Hayes 54-yard pass from Samuel (run failed)
- PUR - Alstott 2-yard run (Bobich kick)
|
Minnesota
| Game information |
First quarter
- WIS - T Simmons 62 pass from Bevell (J Hall kick)
- MIN - FG Chalberg 30
Second quarter
- MIN - Atwell 51 pass from Sauter (Chalberg kick)
- WIS - FG J Hall 28
- WIS - FG J Hall 60
Third quarter
- MIN - Hubbard 63 pass from Sauter (Chalberg kick)
- WIS - A Stecker 100 kickoff return (J Hall kick)
- WIS - A Stecker 3 run (J Hall kick)
- MIN - FG Chalberg 26
- WIS - T Simmons 70 pass from Bevell (J Hall kick)
Fourth quarter
- MIN - Levine 39 pass from Sauter (Chalberg kick)
|
Iowa
| Game information |
First quarter
- IOWA - Michael Burger 3-yard pass from Matt Sherman (Bromert kick)
Second quarter
Third quarter
- WIS - Nyquist 1-yard pass from Bevell (Hall kick)
Fourth quarter
- WIS - Stecker 2-yard run (kick failed)
- IOWA - Safety, holding in end zone
- IOWA - Sedrick Shaw 4-yard run (Bromert kick)
|
Illinois
| Game information |
|
Third quarter
- WIS - John Hall 29-yard field goal
Fourth quarter
- ILL - Scheuplein 51-yard field goal
|
Top passers
- ILL – Johnny Johnson – 17/34, 189 yards, 2 INT
- WIS – Darrell Bevell – 19/31, 184 yards
Top rushers
Top receivers
- ILL – Shane Fisher – 4 receptions, 53 yards
- WIS – Donald Hayes – 6 receptions, 131 yards
|
|
Wisconsin players selected in the 1996 NFL draft
[10]
References
- "1995 Wisconsin Badgers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- "Sometimes history isn't always pretty as the CFB's last tie shows". ESPN.com. November 10, 2016.
- "1995 Wisconsin Football Statistics" (PDF). UWBadgers.com. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- "Bevell, Unverzagt honored". Wisconsin State Journal. December 1, 1995. p. 1B – via Newspapers.com.
- "All-Big Ten team". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 28, 1995. p. B2.
- "All-Big Ten". The Bryan Times. November 28, 1995. p. 15.
- "Northwestern 35, Wisconsin 0". United Press International. October 21, 1995. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
- "NEWS FOR NO. 8 NU ISN'T ALL THAT ROSY". Chicago Tribune. October 23, 1995. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
- "Iowa vs. Wisconsin". USA Today. November 18, 1995. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
- "1996 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.
