Among the masses at Camp Randall Stadium
The famed Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, WI held an air of electricity on Saturday (even more so than usual) as the Wisconsin Badgers and Nebraska Cornhuskers officially embarked upon what promised to be an interesting relationship.
Not only did the weekend match represent the start of a Big Ten rivalry thanks to the Huskers’ recent move to the conference, it also marked a game that could dramatically alter the 2011 season of either program. The two schools, each undefeated this fall, were ranked seventh and eighth respectively in both the AP and coaches’ polls.
And I was there.
My brother and I arrived in Madison very early in the day, over nine hours before kickoff. I wasn’t there in any official capacity, just as a Badger fan excited to watch one of the most highly anticipated games in Wisconsin history.
With all that time to spare, we explored the city, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of game day. We weren’t alone, as the streets were already packed with fans of both teams well before noon.
The true scope of the game and the hype surrounding it dawned on me as I passed countless Nebraska fans dressed in black among the red-clad Badger backers. It was estimated that 30,000 Nebraska fans made the trip to Wisconsin on Saturday, most of them without a ticket. These fans simply wanted to be in Madison and get their first taste of Big Ten football, and they were everywhere. They took over entire bars, flying Nebraska flags and calling for their Husker brethren to join them.
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Early in the day we ran into a group of five Nebraska fans wandering the streets, trying to find food. They said they had driven 10 hours in an RV to get to the game, and followed that revelation by asking if we knew where they could get tickets. After informing them of the probable steep cost, they shrugged and said if it came down to it they’d just watch the game in a bar. They were just happy to be in town.
Despite the thousands and thousands of Nebraska fans in the state capital, they were vastly outnumbered by those in Wisconsin red. People were everywhere, and by 1 p.m. local time, Madison’s main streets were packed. Bars were overflowing and finding a seat at any restaurant was nearly impossible. The atmosphere was incredible, with spirits running high for fans of both teams.
And it was still six hours before kickoff.
Killing time became more and more difficult, with tension mounting as game time drew nearer. Game 1 of the NLDS between the nearby Brewers and Diamondbacks provided a distraction early in the day, and the collective joy every time Milwaukee did something right was a tiny preview of the atmosphere that would inhabit Camp Randall later in the day.
Once the Brewers put away Arizona we decided to get in line for our student section tickets. This was at 4:15, 75 minutes before the gates were set to open for the game.
We found our spot in line over a quarter mile from the stadium.
Boredom inevitably set in, and some students took to uninspiringly heckling every Nebraska fan they set eyes on. The Husker fans, to their credit, largely ignored the taunts.
Once the gates opened there were 15 minutes of chaos as students rushed to get to seats in their favorite sections. We ended up in Section O, the one generally regarded as the rowdiest of all, not to mention the one that carries with it the obligation to create a giant “O” with your arms and screaming on every offensive play for the opposition.
Aside from the night-time kickoff, the best indicator of the game’s importance was how quickly the student section filled up. At most Badger games the upper decks of the student section are empty until the end of the first quarter, when students finish their pregame festivities. That was not the case Saturday, as there wasn’t an empty seat to be found in the stadium 15 minutes before game time.
The Wisconsin intro video and the cheer when the team came out of the tunnel brought goose bumps, as did the introduction of legendary Badger coach and current athletic director Barry Alvarez, a former Nebraska player. The coin flip featured a special commemorative coin with imagery for both teams on it, with the Badgers winning and taking the ball first.
As the teams lined up for the kick, something I hadn’t anticipated added even more to the atmosphere: camera flashes. At a normal afternoon game you wouldn’t see the flash of pictures being taken, but at night it was spectacular. The flashes complemented the already overwhelming atmosphere, confirming the enormity of the game.
Once the game started things went to another level.
Early on, Jared Abbrederis fumbled during a punt return and the Wisconsin fans fell silent, while the Nebraska fans roared. The pockets of black shirts and volume of their cheering drove home just how many Cornhuskers had made it into the stadium, as the yells of the visitors echoed throughout Camp Randall.
Things were tense for much of the first half, as Nebraska held 7-0 and 14-7 leads at various points, with Taylor Martinez moving the Husker offense well down the field. Wisconsin then ripped off a stretch where they scored 34 unanswered points, though, highlighted by three interceptions thrown by Martinez and a 46-yard touchdown pass from Heisman-candidate quarterback Russell Wilson to receiver Nick Toon with 32 seconds left in the half that put Wisconsin up 27-14.
That score, and the interception that led up to it effectively ended the Nebraska threat, and the celebration began in earnest in the stands. It was apparent that Nebraska’s players couldn’t deal with the crowd, as Martinez’s linemen had to strain to hear audible calls, and the young quarterback’s play degraded as the momentum made its way squarely to the Wisconsin sideline.
The other thing Nebraska wasn’t ready for was Wilson. The highly-hyped North Carolina State transfer had been masterful against lesser foes, but the ease with which he performed on Saturday against the vaunted Husker defense was stunning. He sidestepped pass rushers, threw darts and ran the ball effectively whenever he wanted to. As the Nebraska fan behind me lamented for the entire second half: “Wilson is their entire offense! Just stop him!”
That is obviously easier said than done, but once the Badgers took the ball out of Wilson’s hands, UW running back Montee Ball took off, finishing with over 150 yards and four touchdowns. Still, it was Wilson’s impact on this Wisconsin team and Wisconsin fans that were most apparent from the minute I stepped into the stadium. The students chanted Wilson’s name while he warmed up, at multiple times during the game, and the chant when he made his way into the tunnel after the game was deafening. Russellmania is in full swing in Wisconsin, and it isn’t hard to see why.
The play of Wilson, Ball and the rest of the Badgers turned the second half into a party for the Badger backers in attendance. The student section pulled out all the stops, starting impressive variations of the usually tired wave, and their songs and chants echoed through the night air as well as the television broadcast of the game.
Despite the lopsided score in the second half, there was still plenty of action in the stands. On multiple occasions the students still counted out the pushups that Bucky Badger did for every point Wisconsin scored and the traditional bouncing to House of Pain’s “Jump Around” that takes place between the third and fourth quarters was taken to soaring heights. Fans, even in the non-student sections joined in the fun, shaking the stadium like I’ve never experienced before.
Perhaps the moment that best sums up the Badgers’ dominance and the incredible atmosphere came late in the third quarter. With the game solidly in hand and Nebraska fans starting to head for the exits, the Wisconsin students started chanting “Big Ten Football” at the Huskers and their fans, welcoming the new team to the conference and asserting their own dominance for good measure.
This Badgers team is unquestionably the team to beat in the Big Ten, and increasingly, they look like a national championship contender. With what may be the best quarterback in the school’s history and a rabid fanbase that makes playing in Madison one of the most unique and challenging venues in college football, Wisconsin looks poised to make a run to remember in 2011.
And on one electric night against Nebraska, the Badgers, and by extension their hysterical fanbase, announced their intentions to the nation.
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