2012 Big Ten Football Championship Game

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2012 Big Ten Football Championship Game
Conference Championship
2012 Big Ten Football Championship Game Logo.svg
Championship Game Logo
Nebraska Cornhuskers Wisconsin Badgers
(10–2) (7–5)
31 70
Head coach: 
Bo Pelini		 Head coach: 
Bret Bielema
APCoachesBCS
141312
1234 Total
Nebraska 100714 31
Wisconsin 2121217 70
DateDecember 1, 2012
Season2012
StadiumLucas Oil Stadium
LocationIndianapolis, Indiana
MVPMontee Ball, Wisconsin
FavoriteNebraska by 12
RefereeJohn O'Neill
Halftime showUniversity of Nebraska Cornhusker Marching Band, University of Wisconsin Marching Band
Attendance41,260
United States TV coverage
NetworkFox
AnnouncersGus Johnson, (Play-by-play) Charles Davis (Color Analyst) and (Sideline Reporter)
Nielsen ratings3.0 (4.9 million viewers)
Big Ten Football Championship Game
 < 2011  2013 > 
2012 Big Ten Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Legends Division
No. 25 Nebraska x   7 – 1     10 – 4  
No. 24 Michigan   6 – 2     8 – 5  
No. 17 Northwestern   5 – 3     10 – 3  
Michigan State   3 – 5     7 – 6  
Iowa   2 – 6     4 – 8  
Minnesota   2 – 6     6 – 7  
Leaders Division
No. 3 Ohio State* x   8 – 0     12 – 0  
Penn State*   6 – 2     8 – 4  
Wisconsin $   4 – 4     8 – 6  
Purdue   3 – 5     6 – 7  
Indiana   2 – 6     4 – 8  
Illinois   0 – 8     2 – 10  
Championship: Wisconsin 70, Nebraska 31
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • * Ohio State and Penn State ineligible for conference championship game and post-season bowl games due to NCAA sanctions.
Rankings from AP Poll
LB Chris Borland tackles QB Taylor Martinez

The 2012 Big Ten Football Championship Game was a college football game. It was played on December 1, 2012, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, to determine the 2012 champion of the Big Ten Conference. It was played between the Wisconsin Badgers of the Leaders Division and the Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Legends Division.[1] Wisconsin defeated Nebraska, 70–31.[2]

The game was the second football championship game ever played in the Big Ten's 116-year history; the Big Ten expanded to twelve teams the year before thus becoming eligible under NCAA rules which require conferences to have a membership of at least 12 to have a conference championship game. The game was played in prime time and televised by Fox,[3] with kickoff scheduled for 8:17 PM Eastern Time. In only the second year of the Big Ten Championship game, one team entered the game unranked in the BCS standings, AP poll, and Coaches' poll.

In 2014, both Nebraska and Wisconsin were placed in the new Big Ten West division for football, and thus it will no longer be possible for them to meet in the conference championship game without conference re-alignment.

Teams[]

Wisconsin[]

Main article: 2012 Wisconsin Badgers football team

Wisconsin finished third place in the Leaders division, but division champion Ohio State and second-place Penn State were ineligible to play in the championship game because of postseason bans. Teams that play in the conference championship game must be eligible for the postseason.[4][5]

The 2012 Big Ten football championship game would be the last time Bret Bielema coached the Badgers. He departed Wisconsin three days after the Big Ten championship game to accept the head coaching position at Arkansas.[6][7] Wisconsin's Athletic Director, and former football head coach, Barry Alvarez went on to coach the Badgers at the 2013 Rose Bowl against Stanford.

Nebraska[]

Main article: 2012 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

Scoring Summary[]

1st Quarter
  • WIS – Melvin Gordon 56 Yd Run for Td (Kyle French Kick) (13:01) (7–0 WIS)
  • WIS �� Marcus Cromartie 29 Yd Interception Return for TD (Kyle French Kick) (12:53) (14–0 WIS)
  • NEB – Taylor Martinez 76 Yd Run for Td (Brett Maher Kick) (10:58) (14–7 WIS)
  • NEB – Brett Maher 32 Yd Fg (04:46) (14–10 WIS)
  • WIS – James White 9 Yd Run for Td (Kyle French Kick) (01:01) (21–10 WIS)
2nd Quarter
  • WIS – James White 1 Yd Run for Td (Kyle French Kick) (11:11) (28–10 WIS)
  • WIS – Montee Ball 16 Yd Run for Td (Kyle French Kick) (07:15) (35–10 WIS)
  • WIS – Sam Arneson 3 Yd Pass From James White for Td (Kyle French Kick) (00:02) (42–10 WIS)
3rd Quarter
  • WIS – Montee Ball 9 Yd Run for Td (Jack Russell Kick) (14:13) (49–10 WIS)
  • NEB – Taylor Martinez 11 Yd Run for Td (Brett Maher Kick) (10:47) (49–17 WIS)
  • WIS – Montee Ball 57 Yd Run for Td (Jack Russell Kick) (09:27) (56–17 WIS)
  • WIS – James White 68 Yd Run for Td (Jack Russell Kick) (06:42) (63–17 WIS)
4th Quarter
  • NEB – Braylon Heard 9 Yd Run for Td (Brett Maher Kick) (12:14) (63–24 WIS)
  • WIS – James White 10 Yd Run for Td (Jack Russell Kick) (08:57) (70–24 WIS)
  • NEB – Imani Cross 26 Yd Run for Td (Brett Maher Kick) (00:51) (70–31 WIS)

Statistics[]

Statistics WIS NEB
First Downs 24 23
Total offense 640 477
Rushes-yards (net) 539 282
Rushing, Attempts–Yards per rush 50–10.8 44–6.4
Passing yards (net) 101 195
Passes, Completions–Attempts 8–10 18–34
Turnovers, Fumbles–Interceptions 0–0 1–2
Penalties–Yards 4–51 4–40
Time of Possession 29:45 30:15

Sources:[8][9]

Records[]

Montee Ball took over as the record holder for Football Bowl Subdivision "career rushing touchdowns record" from Travis Prentice with 76 touchdowns (Ball scored one touchdown in the 2013 Rose Bowl thus extending the record).[9] Wisconsin set multiple school records in the game; first by scoring eight rushing touchdowns during the game.[10] The second school record for Wisconsin was having two 200-yard rushers in one game.[9] Nebraska set a record for the most rushing touchdowns allowed in a game.[10] Wisconsin's redshirt freshman running back Melvin Gordon ran for a career-high of 216 yards on just nine possessions, averaging 24 yards per carry.[11]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/no-17-nebraska-beats-iowa-13-7-advances-big-ten-championship-game-wisconsin-rex-burkhead-td-return-from-injury-112312
  2. ^ "Ball helps Badgers rush past No. 14 Nebraska 70–31". Sports Illustrated. 2012-12-01. Retrieved 2012-12-01.
  3. ^ "Big Ten Announces Media Agreement with FOX Sports to Televise 2011–16 Big Ten Football Championship Games". BigTen.org: The Big Ten Conference Official Site. 2010-11-17. Archived from the original on 2010-12-23. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
  4. ^ Lesmerises, Doug (September 5, 2012). "Ohio State can win Leaders Division title and earn trophy, despite postseason ban". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  5. ^ "Ohio State stays perfect after beating Wisconsin in OT". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 17, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  6. ^ "Bret Bielema, head coach of Wisconsin Badgers, accepts position to coach Arkansas Razorbacks – ESPN". Espn.go.com. 2012-12-15. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  7. ^ "University To Introduce New Coach Bielema Wednesday". 5NEWSOnline.com. 2012-12-04. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  8. ^ "Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Wisconsin Badgers – Box Score – December 01, 2012 – ESPN". Scores.espn.go.com. 2012-12-01. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  9. ^ a b c CBSSports.com wire reports. "NCAA College Football Recap – Nebraska Cornhuskers at Wisconsin Badgers – Dec 01, 2012". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  10. ^ a b Regimbal, David. "Big Ten Championship: Nebraska vs. Wisconsin Live Scores, Analysis and Results". Bleacher Report.
  11. ^ "Postgame Notes: Big Ten Championship Game – UWBadgers.com – The Official Athletic Site of the Wisconsin Badgers". UWBadgers.com. Archived from the original on 2014-05-22. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
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