Looking back at 20 important events in the history of Camp Randall Stadium
In its first century, Camp Randall Stadium hosted hundreds of sporting events. While football was the main attraction, other kinds of games went down inside the concrete rows.
Here's a look at some of the most memorable sporting events in Camp Randall history:
Jesse Owens preps for 1936 Olympics
May 16, 1936
Before the 1958 expansion lowered the field and brought seats closer to the football lines, the stadium had a 440-yard cinder track. On it, Ohio State's Jesse Owens won all four events he entered during a meet with UW less than three months before the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Owens dazzled the crowd of 6,000 by setting wind-aided world records in the 100-yard dash (9.3 seconds) and 220-yard dash (21.3 seconds) before also winning the broad jump and 220 low hurdles. That August, Owens cemented his place among the top U.S. athletes of the 20th century by winning four gold medals in Berlin.
A first against No. 1
Oct. 31, 1942
Featuring future College Football Hall of Fame members Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch, Dave Schreiner and Pat Harder, the 1942 Badgers got a signature victory when they knocked off No. 1 Ohio State 17-7. It was the first time UW defeated a top-ranked opponent.
A first against No. 1
Oct. 31, 1942
Featuring future College Football Hall of Fame members Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch, Dave Schreiner and Pat Harder, the 1942 Badgers got a signature victory when they knocked off No. 1 Ohio State 17-7. It was the first time UW defeated a top-ranked opponent.
The Horse's last run
Nov. 20, 1954
Badgers fans chanted "We want the Horse" after Alan Ameche was taken out of his last collegiate game, a 27-0 victory over Minnesota, in the third quarter. Ameche, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1954 after setting the NCAA career rushing record, made one more appearance — fans and teammates carried him off the field after the game.
Top 10 victories lead to Rose Bowl
Nov. 10, 1962
The final two home games of the 1962 season brought capacity crowds of more than 65,000 fans to Camp Randall to see matchups of top-10 teams. No. 8 UW rolled past No. 1 Northwestern 37-6. After a victory at Illinois, the third-ranked Badgers returned home to claim the Big Ten title and retain the Paul Bunyan Axe with a 14-9 victory over No. 5 Minnesota. The latter is the most recent meeting between the border rivals when both teams were ranked in the top 10.
Top 10 victories lead to Rose Bowl
Nov. 24, 1962
The final two home games of the 1962 season brought capacity crowds of more than 65,000 fans to Camp Randall to see matchups of top-10 teams. No. 8 UW rolled past No. 1 Northwestern 37-6. After a victory at Illinois, the third-ranked Badgers returned home to claim the Big Ten title and retain the Paul Bunyan Axe with a 14-9 victory over No. 5 Minnesota. The latter is the most recent meeting between the border rivals when both teams were ranked in the top 10.
Epic skid snapped
Oct. 11, 1969
It would be hard to blame Badgers fans for rushing onto the field to celebrate a 23-17 victory over Iowa. A home victory hadn't happened since the end of the 1966 season. After mustering only one tie amid 19 losses over the 1967 and 1968 seasons, the Badgers started with three straight home defeats in 1969. It looked like an 0-4 start with UW trailing 17-0, but the Badgers rallied for 23 straight points. Fans carried coach John Coatta off the field after the victory, but his third season in charge ended up being his last with the Badgers.
Taking down No. 4 Nebraska
Sept. 21, 1974
It had been nearly 12 years since the Badgers last defeated a top-10 team, and that 1962 victory over No. 5 Minnesota came while UW was ranked third. Against No. 4 Nebraska in the second game of the 1974 season, the unranked Badgers got a 77-yard touchdown pass from Gregg Bohlig to Jeff Mack with 3:29 left for a 21-20 victory. UW finished the 1970s 1-20 against top-10 teams.
Major upset of Michigan
Sept. 12, 1981
No. 1 Michigan had won 14 straight games against UW, the previous four by a 176-0 margin, entering the teams' 1981 meeting. But Dave McClain's Badgers team had an answer in the form of nose guard Tim Krumrie. The junior made 13 tackles and was named the national player of the week in UW's 21-14 victory. Quarterback Jess Cole found John Williams for a 71-yard touchdown on a screen pass for the winning margin.
Playing the bounce
Oct. 23, 1982
It looked for an instant like an incomplete pass in the final minute of a close game. But then receiver Al Toon took quarterback Randy Wright's lateral bounce pass off the artificial turf and threw to tight end Jeff Nault for a 40-yard touchdown that gave the Badgers the lead with 52 seconds left. A missed extra point, however, gave Illinois a chance for a game-winning field goal, which Mike Bass made from 46 yards as time expired for a 29-28 victory.
Playing the bounce
Oct. 23, 1982
It looked for an instant like an incomplete pass in the final minute of a close game. But then receiver Al Toon took quarterback Randy Wright's lateral bounce pass off the artificial turf and threw to tight end Jeff Nault for a 40-yard touchdown that gave the Badgers the lead with 52 seconds left. A missed extra point, however, gave Illinois a chance for a game-winning field goal, which Mike Bass made from 46 yards as time expired for a 29-28 victory.
Let there be light
Oct. 4, 1986
For the first 69 years of its existence, the main source of light for games at Camp Randall came from the sun. That changed against Michigan when the stadium hosted its first Badgers night game. There weren't many bright spots for UW, which lost 34-17 to quarterback Jim Harbaugh and the fourth-ranked Wolverines.
Let there be light
Oct. 4, 1986
For the first 69 years of its existence, the main source of light for games at Camp Randall came from the sun. That changed against Michigan when the stadium hosted its first Badgers night game. There weren't many bright spots for UW, which lost 34-17 to quarterback Jim Harbaugh and the fourth-ranked Wolverines.
Victory's significance diminished
Oct. 30, 1993
A week after its first loss of the season, UW got back on the surprising path to the Rose Bowl with a 13-10 victory over Michigan. The aftermath is what many remember from that day. Around 70 people were injured, some critically, during a surge to the playing surface from the student sections. The official report on the incident said fencing and blocked aisles "provided no release for those at field level," causing a crush. No one was killed, but non-breathing, pulseless people were initially reported on a field that turned into a triage area. "I think we dodged a bullet on this one," Dr. Bruce Harms, co-director of University Hospital's trauma unit, said the next day.
Victory's significance diminished
Oct. 30, 1993
A week after its first loss of the season, UW got back on the surprising path to the Rose Bowl with a 13-10 victory over Michigan. The aftermath is what many remember from that day. Around 70 people were injured, some critically, during a surge to the playing surface from the student sections. The official report on the incident said fencing and blocked aisles "provided no release for those at field level," causing a crush. No one was killed, but non-breathing, pulseless people were initially reported on a field that turned into a triage area. "I think we dodged a bullet on this one," Dr. Bruce Harms, co-director of University Hospital's trauma unit, said the next day.
Passing and jumping
Oct. 10, 1998
Purdue's Drew Brees set an NCAA record with 83 pass attempts, one of which was intercepted by the Badgers' Jamar Fletcher and returned 52 yards for a touchdown in UW's 31-24 Homecoming victory. The game is also remembered for being the debut of "Jump Around" being played in the break after the third quarter.
The Dayne game
Nov. 13, 1999
The typography on the upper-deck facade revealed after the Badgers' 41-3 victory over Iowa was "Dayne 33." Really, the pertinent number was 6,397, the NCAA record career rushing total amassed by the soon-to-be Heisman Trophy-winning running back after he ran for 216 yards in his final regular-season game. The record has since been eclipsed with NCAA changes that now allow for bowl game stats to be included, but Dayne's name and number are a part of the stadium for good. He took over the top spot with a 31-yard gain in the second quarter of a game that clinched the Badgers' second straight Rose Bowl appearance.
Stadium put on ice
Feb. 6, 2010
The stadium added hockey to its list of events when a temporary rink was installed for the Camp Randall Hockey Classic, a daylong celebration that included games by the Badgers women's and men's teams. Kelly Nash scored and had three assists as the UW women's team beat Bemidji State 6-1 in a game that started in an afternoon temperature of 24 degrees. The mercury dipped for the evening faceoff of the men's game against Michigan, in which Brendan Smith scored twice for a 3-2 Badgers victory. The announced attendance was 55,031, short of the outdoor hockey record of 74,544 that then stood.
Starting with a bang
Oct. 16, 2010
It took David Gilreath 12 seconds and 97 yards to start the 18th-ranked Badgers on their way to a 31-18 upset of No. 1 Ohio State. Under the lights, Gilreath returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and John Clay had two first-half scores as UW opened a 21-0 lead. When it was over, fans poured onto the field to celebrate.
Welcome to the Big Ten
Oct. 1, 2011
Tickets were pricey on the secondary market for No. 8 Nebraska's first Big Ten game after joining the conference in 2011. The night game turned into an epic beatdown. The seventh-ranked Badgers got three touchdowns from quarterback Russell Wilson (two passing, one rushing) and four rushing scores and 151 yards from Montee Ball in a 48-17 rout. Of the announced attendance of 81,384, 75,971 actually used their tickets, the highest total between 2006 and 2016.
Bittersweet record
Nov. 17, 2012
Montee Ball tied the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision career touchdowns record with No. 78, but his goal-line fumble while reaching for the outright lead cost the Rose Bowl-bound Badgers a chance at a victory. Ohio State forced the turnover and won 21-14 in overtime.
Record in the snow
Nov. 15, 2014
With snow falling and the final seconds of the third quarter ticking off the clock, Melvin Gordon took his 25th and final carry of the game 26 yards for his fourth touchdown. It gave him 408 rushing yards, a Football Bowl Subdivision record that lasted only a week. When the Badgers' 59-24 domination was complete, players made snow angels on the Camp Randall field.
Jesse Owens preps for 1936 Olympics
May 16, 1936
Before the 1958 expansion lowered the field and brought seats closer to the football lines, the stadium had a 440-yard cinder track. On it, Ohio State's Jesse Owens won all four events he entered during a meet with UW less than three months before the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Owens dazzled the crowd of 6,000 by setting wind-aided world records in the 100-yard dash (9.3 seconds) and 220-yard dash (21.3 seconds) before also winning the broad jump and 220 low hurdles. That August, Owens cemented his place among the top U.S. athletes of the 20th century by winning four gold medals in Berlin.
A first against No. 1
Oct. 31, 1942
Featuring future College Football Hall of Fame members Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch, Dave Schreiner and Pat Harder, the 1942 Badgers got a signature victory when they knocked off No. 1 Ohio State 17-7. It was the first time UW defeated a top-ranked opponent.
A first against No. 1
Oct. 31, 1942
Featuring future College Football Hall of Fame members Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch, Dave Schreiner and Pat Harder, the 1942 Badgers got a signature victory when they knocked off No. 1 Ohio State 17-7. It was the first time UW defeated a top-ranked opponent.
The Horse's last run
Nov. 20, 1954
Badgers fans chanted "We want the Horse" after Alan Ameche was taken out of his last collegiate game, a 27-0 victory over Minnesota, in the third quarter. Ameche, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1954 after setting the NCAA career rushing record, made one more appearance — fans and teammates carried him off the field after the game.
Top 10 victories lead to Rose Bowl
Nov. 10, 1962
The final two home games of the 1962 season brought capacity crowds of more than 65,000 fans to Camp Randall to see matchups of top-10 teams. No. 8 UW rolled past No. 1 Northwestern 37-6. After a victory at Illinois, the third-ranked Badgers returned home to claim the Big Ten title and retain the Paul Bunyan Axe with a 14-9 victory over No. 5 Minnesota. The latter is the most recent meeting between the border rivals when both teams were ranked in the top 10.
Top 10 victories lead to Rose Bowl
Nov. 24, 1962
The final two home games of the 1962 season brought capacity crowds of more than 65,000 fans to Camp Randall to see matchups of top-10 teams. No. 8 UW rolled past No. 1 Northwestern 37-6. After a victory at Illinois, the third-ranked Badgers returned home to claim the Big Ten title and retain the Paul Bunyan Axe with a 14-9 victory over No. 5 Minnesota. The latter is the most recent meeting between the border rivals when both teams were ranked in the top 10.
Epic skid snapped
Oct. 11, 1969
It would be hard to blame Badgers fans for rushing onto the field to celebrate a 23-17 victory over Iowa. A home victory hadn't happened since the end of the 1966 season. After mustering only one tie amid 19 losses over the 1967 and 1968 seasons, the Badgers started with three straight home defeats in 1969. It looked like an 0-4 start with UW trailing 17-0, but the Badgers rallied for 23 straight points. Fans carried coach John Coatta off the field after the victory, but his third season in charge ended up being his last with the Badgers.
Taking down No. 4 Nebraska
Sept. 21, 1974
It had been nearly 12 years since the Badgers last defeated a top-10 team, and that 1962 victory over No. 5 Minnesota came while UW was ranked third. Against No. 4 Nebraska in the second game of the 1974 season, the unranked Badgers got a 77-yard touchdown pass from Gregg Bohlig to Jeff Mack with 3:29 left for a 21-20 victory. UW finished the 1970s 1-20 against top-10 teams.
Major upset of Michigan
Sept. 12, 1981
No. 1 Michigan had won 14 straight games against UW, the previous four by a 176-0 margin, entering the teams' 1981 meeting. But Dave McClain's Badgers team had an answer in the form of nose guard Tim Krumrie. The junior made 13 tackles and was named the national player of the week in UW's 21-14 victory. Quarterback Jess Cole found John Williams for a 71-yard touchdown on a screen pass for the winning margin.
Playing the bounce
Oct. 23, 1982
It looked for an instant like an incomplete pass in the final minute of a close game. But then receiver Al Toon took quarterback Randy Wright's lateral bounce pass off the artificial turf and threw to tight end Jeff Nault for a 40-yard touchdown that gave the Badgers the lead with 52 seconds left. A missed extra point, however, gave Illinois a chance for a game-winning field goal, which Mike Bass made from 46 yards as time expired for a 29-28 victory.
Playing the bounce
Oct. 23, 1982
It looked for an instant like an incomplete pass in the final minute of a close game. But then receiver Al Toon took quarterback Randy Wright's lateral bounce pass off the artificial turf and threw to tight end Jeff Nault for a 40-yard touchdown that gave the Badgers the lead with 52 seconds left. A missed extra point, however, gave Illinois a chance for a game-winning field goal, which Mike Bass made from 46 yards as time expired for a 29-28 victory.
Packers' Madison debut
Aug. 9, 1986
It was just a preseason game, but the Green Bay Packers drew 73,959 for their 38-14 victory over the New York Jets. The announced crowd of 73,959 was the largest ever to see the Packers play in Wisconsin at that point. After 10 straight seasons of exhibition games in Madison, the Packers decreased the frequency to every other year before ending the appearances after the 1999 season.
Let there be light
Oct. 4, 1986
For the first 69 years of its existence, the main source of light for games at Camp Randall came from the sun. That changed against Michigan when the stadium hosted its first Badgers night game. There weren't many bright spots for UW, which lost 34-17 to quarterback Jim Harbaugh and the fourth-ranked Wolverines.
Let there be light
Oct. 4, 1986
For the first 69 years of its existence, the main source of light for games at Camp Randall came from the sun. That changed against Michigan when the stadium hosted its first Badgers night game. There weren't many bright spots for UW, which lost 34-17 to quarterback Jim Harbaugh and the fourth-ranked Wolverines.
Victory's significance diminished
Oct. 30, 1993
A week after its first loss of the season, UW got back on the surprising path to the Rose Bowl with a 13-10 victory over Michigan. The aftermath is what many remember from that day. Around 70 people were injured, some critically, during a surge to the playing surface from the student sections. The official report on the incident said fencing and blocked aisles "provided no release for those at field level," causing a crush. No one was killed, but non-breathing, pulseless people were initially reported on a field that turned into a triage area. "I think we dodged a bullet on this one," Dr. Bruce Harms, co-director of University Hospital's trauma unit, said the next day.
Victory's significance diminished
Oct. 30, 1993
A week after its first loss of the season, UW got back on the surprising path to the Rose Bowl with a 13-10 victory over Michigan. The aftermath is what many remember from that day. Around 70 people were injured, some critically, during a surge to the playing surface from the student sections. The official report on the incident said fencing and blocked aisles "provided no release for those at field level," causing a crush. No one was killed, but non-breathing, pulseless people were initially reported on a field that turned into a triage area. "I think we dodged a bullet on this one," Dr. Bruce Harms, co-director of University Hospital's trauma unit, said the next day.
Passing and jumping
Oct. 10, 1998
Purdue's Drew Brees set an NCAA record with 83 pass attempts, one of which was intercepted by the Badgers' Jamar Fletcher and returned 52 yards for a touchdown in UW's 31-24 Homecoming victory. The game is also remembered for being the debut of "Jump Around" being played in the break after the third quarter.
The Dayne game
Nov. 13, 1999
The typography on the upper-deck facade revealed after the Badgers' 41-3 victory over Iowa was "Dayne 33." Really, the pertinent number was 6,397, the NCAA record career rushing total amassed by the soon-to-be Heisman Trophy-winning running back after he ran for 216 yards in his final regular-season game. The record has since been eclipsed with NCAA changes that now allow for bowl game stats to be included, but Dayne's name and number are a part of the stadium for good. He took over the top spot with a 31-yard gain in the second quarter of a game that clinched the Badgers' second straight Rose Bowl appearance.
Schabert to Evans
Oct. 11, 2003
UW and Ohio State have provided so many Camp Randall memories, and the 2003 game had enough for a few chapters. The lasting one is the 79-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Matt Schabert to Lee Evans in the fourth quarter. The Badgers' triumph ended the Buckeyes' winning streak at 19 games and was UW's 15th victory in its last 16 night games.
Stadium put on ice
Feb. 6, 2010
The stadium added hockey to its list of events when a temporary rink was installed for the Camp Randall Hockey Classic, a daylong celebration that included games by the Badgers women's and men's teams. Kelly Nash scored and had three assists as the UW women's team beat Bemidji State 6-1 in a game that started in an afternoon temperature of 24 degrees. The mercury dipped for the evening faceoff of the men's game against Michigan, in which Brendan Smith scored twice for a 3-2 Badgers victory. The announced attendance was 55,031, short of the outdoor hockey record of 74,544 that then stood.
Starting with a bang
Oct. 16, 2010
It took David Gilreath 12 seconds and 97 yards to start the 18th-ranked Badgers on their way to a 31-18 upset of No. 1 Ohio State. Under the lights, Gilreath returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and John Clay had two first-half scores as UW opened a 21-0 lead. When it was over, fans poured onto the field to celebrate.
Welcome to the Big Ten
Oct. 1, 2011
Tickets were pricey on the secondary market for No. 8 Nebraska's first Big Ten game after joining the conference in 2011. The night game turned into an epic beatdown. The seventh-ranked Badgers got three touchdowns from quarterback Russell Wilson (two passing, one rushing) and four rushing scores and 151 yards from Montee Ball in a 48-17 rout. Of the announced attendance of 81,384, 75,971 actually used their tickets, the highest total between 2006 and 2016.
Bittersweet record
Nov. 17, 2012
Montee Ball tied the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision career touchdowns record with No. 78, but his goal-line fumble while reaching for the outright lead cost the Rose Bowl-bound Badgers a chance at a victory. Ohio State forced the turnover and won 21-14 in overtime.
Record in the snow
Nov. 15, 2014
With snow falling and the final seconds of the third quarter ticking off the clock, Melvin Gordon took his 25th and final carry of the game 26 yards for his fourth touchdown. It gave him 408 rushing yards, a Football Bowl Subdivision record that lasted only a week. When the Badgers' 59-24 domination was complete, players made snow angels on the Camp Randall field.
Epic comebacak for WIAA title
Nov. 20, 2015
Late in the third quarter of a snowy 2015 WIAA Division I state football title game, Kimberly trailed Hartland Arrowhead 42-21. Four touchdowns later, including a Blair Mulholland 1-yard run with 11 seconds remaining to break a tie, the Papermakers had a 49-42 victory in what some consider to be the best high school championship game played at Camp Randall. Mulholland carried 46 times for 341 yards, both WIAA Division I records.
For the first time in his career, Sean Rhyan is heading into the season knowing his exact role as the starting center for the Green Bay Packers.Â
