Tag: 2000 Rose Bowl

Badger Countdown: Legendary RB finishes UW career with 71 TDs

The return of college football is on the horizon and the Wisconsin squad is now 71 days away from their season opener vs Buffalo on Sept. 2.

The return of college football is on the horizon and the Wisconsin squad is now 71 days away from their season opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2. An instant star for the Badgers, running back Ron Dayne finished his career with a program-high 71 rushing touchdowns.

Dayne burst onto the scene with Wisconsin in 1996, producing 2,109 rushing yards and 21 scores on the ground, both of which were program records. He only became a bigger star as time went on, rushing for over 1,400 yards while scoring at least 15 times in each of his four seasons with the team.

In total, he finished his career with 7,125 yards and 71 rushing TDs, both of which were all-time highs for a Badger at the time of his departure. The yards record still stands while Montee Ball (77) has passed him in touchdowns.

Dayne went on to help the Badgers win the Rose Bowl in both 1999 and 2000 while winning the 1999 Heisman Trophy. His stellar career in Madison led to him being selected 11th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft by the New York Giants.

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Badger Countdown: Former WR carves out successful NFL career as No. 83

As the college football season closes in, the Badgers Week 1 matchup with Buffalo on Sept. 2 is 83 days away.

As the college football season closes in, the Badgers Week 1 matchup with Buffalo on Sept. 2 is 83 days away. Although he didn’t wear the number with Wisconsin, a former Badger wide receiver went on to have a very successful NFL career as No. 83.

Lee Evans spent four seasons with the Badger football team from 1999-2003, becoming one of the best pass-catchers in program history. Over his four years with the team, the wide receiver 175 catches for 3,468 yards and 27 touchdowns, all of which were program records at the time.

His 3,468 yards and 27 scores remain the record for a Badger over their career and his 2001 season (1,545 yards) and his 2003 season (1,213 yards, 13 touchdowns) are the highest marks for an individual campaign.

Additionally, he was a member of the Wisconsin team that won the 2000 Rose Bowl over Stanford, 17-9.

Evans was selected 13th in the 2004 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills, and he quickly became a reliable professional wide receiver. Over seven seasons with the Bills, Evans caught 377 passes for 5,934 yards and 43 touchdowns before a meager final year with the Ravens in 2011.

In total, his career catches, yards and touchdowns ranked in the top five all-time for Badgers in the NFL.

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