Former Wisconsin Badgers tailback Montee Ball given one of college football's highest honors

 

Montee Ball rushed for 5,140 yards and 77 touchdowns in his college career at Wisconsin, setting numerous records along the way.

 

Benjamin Worgull

Dec 9, 2025

Montee Ball (28) scores a touchdown getting past Nebraska's Andrew Green (11) during the second half as the University of Wisconsin earned a 70-31 win over Nebraska in the 2012 Big Ten Championship football game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana on December 1, 2012. | Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

 

For likely the final time in his career, Montee Ball got to shine on one of college football's biggest stages.

Finding out in January he would be selected by the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College football Hall of Fame to be in the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame class, Ball officially took his place in the Hall during the NFF Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

"It's such an honor just to play for a wonderful University, a wonderful athletic program," Ball said at his induction press conference. "Of course it's buying into the system. We had a wonderful coach at the time, Bret Bielema, and just literally listen to his philosophy, understanding the guys that he wanted to put on the team, put the puzzle together, and, of course, run the football."

https://x.com/BadgerFootball/status/1998459481903059221?s=20

In a post on social media, Bielema called Ball one of the best players he's "ever had the honor to coach." In reality, it was also one of Bielema's best recruiting finds.

In the fall of 2017, the buzz in the St. Louis region when it came to tailback was centered around Ronnie Wingo, a 6-2 back who had been clocked as fast as 10.78 in the 100 meters during high school. Wingo (who eventually committed to Arkansas) was generating most of the attention in the 2009 class, making Ball fly slightly under the radar in that region.

Rushing for over 3,000 yards (tops in the state) and 32 touchdowns his junior season, Ball got a host of junior day invitations to places like Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, the latter giving him his first scholarship offer and making him a high priority. Even as more offers and interest came in, the Tigers appeared to be the top school for Ball heading into Summer 2008.

Holding a one-day camp at Lindenwood University in Missouri, Wisconsin got a close look at Ball and pulled the trigger. Recruited by then-defensive coordinator Dave Doeren, Ball quickly fell in love with Wisconsin and the opportunities he had within the UW offense. Taking a visit less than three weeks after he was first offered, Ball committed shortly thereafter.

https://x.com/BretBielema/status/1998405808732676192?s=20

Helping Wisconsin win three-straight Big Ten titles, Ball was a two-time Big Ten Running Back of the Year, the 2011 Big Ten offensive player of the year, a consensus All-American and left college as the NCAA record holder in rushing (77), total touchdowns (83) and points scored in a single season (236).

He still holds the latter record, as well as being the only tailback to rush for 100 yards in three consecutive Rose Bowls.

"It was such a privilege to play with such a wonderful offensive line," Ball said. "Going into the Big Ten Championship game, understanding if we win it, we get to Pasadena. We understood that we didn't want to get to the finish line and stop, so we wanted to run through it."

The success for Ball took time. Coming to the program as the all-time leading rusher and scorer in the state of Missouri (8,222 yards and 107 TDs), Ball had a non-descript 2009 season that turned into a slow start to 2010, including totaling just 219 yards in the first seven games. However, Ball scoring the game-winning touchdown in a critical road win at Iowa turned his career around.

Breaking the 125-yards barrier the final five games of the season, Ball became a household name the next year with 1,933 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also caught six scores, tying Barry Sanders for most touchdowns in an FBS season, and made him a 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist.

Ball returned for his senior season and, despite suffering an off-the-field concussion to slow the start to his season, delivered 1,830 yards and 22 touchdowns to win the 2012 Doak Walker Award.

"In order to improve on the football field, i must study more tape, i must work out harder, I must ruin faster and get better," Ball said. "That's what I did."

A total of 17 former University of Wisconsin players or coaches have been enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame since 1955, including six in the past 25 years.

Year Inductee
1955 George Little (Coach)
1955 Dave Schreiner
1958 Harry Stuhldreher (Coach, elected as Notre Dame player)
1962 Phil King (Coach, elected as Princeton player)
1962 Pat O'Dea
1972 Robert Butler
1974 Elroy Hirsch
1975 Alan Ameche
1988 Marty Below
1993 Pat Harder
1996 Pat Richter
2010 Barry Alvarez (Coach)
2013 Ron Dayne
2016 Tim Krumrie
2019 Joe Thomas
2023 Troy Vincent
2025 Montee Ball

https://x.com/BadgerFootball/status/1998482840883732629?s=20

Bob Stoops and Montee Ball to Be Inducted into Rose Bowl Hall of Fame

 

Two college football legends will be honored during next year’s Rose Bowl celebrations in Pasadena

Published on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 | 4:28 am

(Left) Former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops during the Big Ten Championship on December 4, 2021. [Zoey Holmstrom] (Right) Montee Ball ties the NCAA career TD mark.2012 [Bflbarlow]

The Tournament of Roses announced that former Wisconsin running back Montee Ball and former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops will join the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame as the Class of 2025 in Pasadena. Their induction celebrates their remarkable achievements and deep contributions to college football’s legacy and the famed Rose Bowl Game.

 

“The Rose Bowl Hall of Fame was established in 1989 to pay tribute to individuals who have contributed to the history and excitement of the Rose Bowl Game, and those who embody the highest level of passion, strength, tradition, and honor associated with The Granddaddy of Them All,” officials said in a statement.

 

Ball graduated from Wisconsin as the NCAA’s all-time leader in touchdowns scored and stands out as the only player to rush for 100 yards in three different Rose Bowl Games. He led the Badgers to consecutive appearances in 2011, 2012 and 2013—132 yards against TCU, 164 against Oregon and 100 against Stanford. Ball was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft and played two NFL seasons. He was inducted both into the Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2025.

 

Stoops retired in 2017 as Oklahoma’s all-time winningest coach and is the first head coach to claim a national championship and all four BCS bowl victories, including the Sooners’ 2003 Rose Bowl win over Washington State. He was a defensive back and team captain for Iowa during the 1982 Rose Bowl, which saw Iowa lose to Washington. As a coach, Stoops was twice named national coach of the year and six times Big 12 coach of the year, leading Oklahoma to 10 Big 12 titles and 18 consecutive bowl appearances; his College Football Hall of Fame induction came in 2021.

 

The new inductees will be celebrated at the 137th Rose Parade presented by Honda, honored during the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential on January 1, and recognized with an official plaque at the Court of Champions at Rose Bowl Stadium. A private ceremony for inductees will take place on December 30. Since its 1989 founding, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame has inducted 148 members.

 

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses is a volunteer organization hosting America’s New Year Celebration, with 935 members contributing over 80,000 annual volunteer hours.

 

Visit www.tournamentofroses.com

 

Former Wisconsin running back Montee Ball will be inducted into College Football Hall of Fame

 

Mark Stewart

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON – A lot of great running backs have come through the Wisconsin football program.

Twelve years after he played his last down for the Badgers, Montee Ball continues to separate himself from the pack.

Wednesday the former UW star was announced as part of the College Football Hall of Fame’s 2025 class. The induction ceremony will be Dec. 9 in Las Vegas.

He will be the 13^th Wisconsin player or coach to receive induction.

This is such an honor. Thank you so much to all of the voters, the committee, Badger fans, my family, my teammates ❤️, UW football, Thomas Hammock, and all that helped me along the journey. Thank you thank you thank you

— Montee Ball (@MonteeBall28) January 15, 2025

Ball finished his UW career as the NCAA record holder for career touchdowns (83) and career rushing touchdowns (77). He ranks second in program history in rushing yards to Ron Dayne with 5,140 yards.

Also, Ball still holds the distinction as the only player to run for 100 yards in three straight Rose Bowls.

Ball, who was a second-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos and played two NFL seasons, responded to the honor on social media.

“This is such an honor,” he wrote on X. “Thank you so much to all the voters, the committee, Badgers fans, my family, my teammates, UW football, Thomas Hammock and all that helped me along the journey. Thank you thank you thank you” 

UW Athletic Hall of Fame: Montee Ball

 

General News June 05, 2023 Nate Jelinek

One of the best running backs in school history now helps teens and young adults in his community

MADISON, Wis. — The first edition of the Big Ten Football Championship Game, in 2011, was an instant classic. In a back and forth affair on the Lucas Oil Stadium turf in Indianapolis, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball scampered for 137 yards and three scores on the ground. In a well-rounded offensive performance, the UW junior also grabbed a touchdown catch and completed a 32-yard pass to quarterback Russell Wilson.

On the other side of the ball, the Badger defense was tasked with containing future NFL stars Kirk Cousins and Le'Veon Bell. Chris Borland, a redshirt sophomore linebacker, made seven tackles.

After a 7-yard Ball touchdown run with 3:45 to play, the UW defense held on to seal the 42-39 victory and send the Badgers to Pasadena for a second consecutive season.

Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball (28) celebrates a victory after the Big Ten Football Championship NCAA football game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers Saturday, December 1, in Indianapolis. The Badgers won 70-31 to send the team to the Rose Bowl.

 

More than 11 years after that rollercoaster evening in Indy, Ball and Borland grabbed coffee in Madison this spring. Ball, who was in town for a speaking engagement, had time to catch up with his former teammate before his flight home.

"We were drinking coffee and (Chris) asked me what time my flight was," said Ball. "He was like, 'Hey, Mac wants to chat with you.'"

Later that morning, Borland and Ball arrived at Kellner Hall and stepped into the office of Wisconsin Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh, overlooking Camp Randall Stadium. McIntosh shut the door.

"He let me know that I was going to be inducted into the hall of fame," said Ball.

"I was immediately blown back. I was caught off guard. I was not expecting it whatsoever. And of course, I immediately started to tear up, because it means a lot to me."

Borland, who was in on the surprise, stood by as Mac delivered the good news.

"Obviously, Mac had shared it with him," said Ball. "I looked at him and was like 'you son of a gun.' So, it was obviously an amazing moment. They had the Kleenexes ready for me. I was just looking out on the field just reminiscing on everything. It just came at me really quickly and it was again, just a moment that I'll never forget."

Monday, June 5 will be another day Ball will remember for a long time. Not only was that the day Ball's UW Athletic Hall of Fame induction was officially announced but it coincided with the announcement of his inclusion on the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame ballot. He is one of 78 FBS players to be selected for the ballot. If chosen, Ball would be just 13th player in Badger history to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. The voting results will be announced in January, 2024. 

UW Athletic Hall of Fame: Montee Ball

Top Five

One: In a Badger uniform on Saturdays, Ball assembled one of the most impressive careers for a ball carrier in both UW and college football history. In a Badger football record book that includes legends like Ron Dayne, Jonathan Taylor, Melvin Gordon and James White, Ball ranks third all-time with 5,140 career rushing yards. By splitting time with Gordon, White and John Clay, Ball competed directly for carries with peers who combined for six 1,000-yard seasons and 58 100-yard rushing performances.

In 2011, Ball scored 39 total touchdowns, matching the legendary Barry Sanders' NCAA single-season record. He totaled 1,923 rushing yards, the most in the country, and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. That fall belonged to Ball.

"We had such an emphasis in 2011, starting from summer conditioning and into training camp, where we just told each other that when we get the opportunity to score, we must score a touchdown," said Ball. "We must finish the drive. We wanted to dominate, we wanted to score."

Ball went on to finish his Wisconsin career with a school record 77 rushing touchdowns and a then-FBS record 83 total touchdowns.

Two: As part of that historic 2011 season, Ball's performance in the Big Ten Championship helped propel the Badgers to the Rose Bowl. Ball remembers the matchup against Michigan State in Indianapolis as one of the greatest games he played in.

"Watching the fans travel to Indianapolis and fill the stadium, seeing the scene in there, and just the emotions from that game, those are things I'll never forget."

After a last-second defeat at the hands of the Spartans in East Lansing earlier in the season, the revenge was sweet for the Badgers.

"I love that Michigan State memory because we wanted to get that revenge so bad on them from that Hail Mary. We were able to get that revenge."

The Badgers then ascended on Southern California for the Rose Bowl, the second of three that Ball would play in during his career. Ball totaled three separate 100-yard rushing performances in those games, the only player in the illustrious history of the 'Granddaddy of Them All' to accomplish that feat.

Three: The big moments in those seasons were shared with teammates who bought in and worked to be part of something bigger than themselves.

"We had some great players on both sides of the football," he said. "We were really just flowing as a unit. In practice, we were focused. In the film room, we were focused. In 2011, I really think Russell (Wilson) brought that over to us. It helped us get over that hump of really becoming a dominant team and I think that's what we did."

Looking back, Ball recognizes the support and guidance he received from teammates and the coaching staff as the Badgers flourished in the early 2010s.

"I think when you look at those 2010-2012 seasons, I really believe Barry (Alvarez), Coach (Bret) Bielema and the coaching staff did a great job of putting people in the right positions to really allow us to be successful."

When reflecting on his career, Ball was quick to credit others for their impact on his career and legacy. The greatness inside those Badger running back rooms helped Ball make his mark as a generational talent.

"With those running backs that were in the room with me, I believe there's no way that I'd be in consideration for the Hall of Fame if it wasn't for those guys pushing me. I had to perform better in order to just be on the field because that's how good they were."

Off the field, Ball recognized that his support group helped pave the way for his success between the lines.

"I also want to thank my family. My parents, my sisters, my grandmother, my uncle and every single person who supported me throughout my whole journey from a young age. This honor is something I'm sharing with them as well."

Four: Ball's experience with dark days and adversity is part of his personal journey as well. With the highs of his athletic career, collegiately and professionally, Ball also dealt with lows that included bouts with alcoholism.

Through the many trials and tribulations Ball weathered during his career as a Badger, an NFL player and as a person, the recognition from his alma mater provided a full-circle moment. Ball, who was emotional upon learning of his inclusion into the UW Athletic Hall of Fame, wasn't sure this day would ever come.

"I didn't think this would be in the works for me," he said. "Let's just call a spade a spade here, I've made some mistakes that I've made amends about and that I've taken ownership for. I'm still in long-term recovery to this day. So, today this means so much. When I signed my letter of intent to become a Badger, I was told that once you're a Badger, you're always a Badger. I think this right here, proves it."

Five: These days, Ball is living in Denver and working as a licensed realtor and a clinical outreach ambassador at Sandstone Care, a treatment facility.

"My day-to-day, is not only focused on myself and my son, Maverick, but outside of that, I give back to communities," said Ball. "And now, what I'm doing, is giving back to teens and young adults, regarding addiction treatment. It fills my cup as well. And that's what I'm going to keep doing.

"And now I can say I'm a Hall of Fame running back at the University of Wisconsin."

Four former Badgers land on ESPN’s top 100 running backs list

 

Dillon Graff 

April 12, 2022 1:17 pm CT

Earlier today, ESPN’s Bill Connelly tried his hand at naming the top 100 running backs in college football over the last 60 years – talk about a tall order.

Among those named on Connelly’s list were four former Wisconsin Badgers running backs: Melvin Gordon (No. 20), Montee Ball (No. 19), Ron Dayne (No. 12), and Jonathan Taylor (No. 11).

In all honesty, anything less than four players from RBU would have been completely unacceptable. Especially considering that of the top 50 career rushing totals in NCAA history, five of them belong to Wisconsin Badgers running backs.

The University of Wisconsin is known as an old school, run heavy team – and as a result have had more Doak Walker recipients (5) than any other program since the award’s conception.

You can read Bill Connelly’s entire top 100 running backs list below:

Mercury Morris! Travis Etienne! Mike Alstott! Troy Davis! Darrens McFadden and Sproles! A bunch of Wisconsin and SDSU dudes! All the guys you’d expect at the top!

I ranked the top 100 CFB (FBS) RBs of the last 60 years because of course I did.https://t.co/wOjSXQKPam

— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) April 12, 2022

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis. 

UW Health recruits Badger great Montee Ball to help with vaccine distribution

 

Posted: July 28, 2021 6:25 PM

Updated: July 28, 2021 7:16 PM

 

by Christina Lorey

 

MADISON, Wis.– #28 is known for turning things around for Wisconsin on the football field. Now, UW Health hopes having Montee Ball on its team will be a gamechanger in helping the state of Wisconsin improve its vaccination rate, specifically within the black community.

We’ve been reporting on doctors’ concern for weeks: that while nearly three-quarters of white people in Dane County are vaccinated, three-quarters of Black people are not.

“There are some things health care workers have done to break trust within the Black community, but this is most certainly not one of them,” said Montee Ball, in an exclusive interview with News 3. “Getting vaccinated is one of the things we need to come together as a team and do.”

This weekend, the Badger great is partnering with UW Health and the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center for a free vaccination clinic at Penn Park this Saturday, July 31. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is open to anyone 18+. Health care workers will offer both the two-shot Moderna vaccine and the single-shot Johnson & Johnson.

Ball, who received the one-and-done J&J vaccine in March, will be onsite to talk with anyone who attends Saturday’s clinic about the vaccine, as well as his time with the Badgers and his stint in the pros, which he writes about in his new book, ‘Nowhere to Run.’

 “The statistics show that if you’re vaccinated, yes, you can still catch COVID, but the chances of you being hospitalized are drastically lower,” said Ball.

A meditation experiment with an NFL player who retired at 24 over concussion fears led to cutting-edge mental training for college athletes

 

Jackson Thompson 

April 5, 2021

Montee Ball and Chris Borland helped Wisconsin win the inaugural Big Ten championship in 2012. Five years later, they helped the university make a groundbreaking addition to its athletic training staff. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

 

Graham Mertz felt more mindful on every snap last season.

The University of Wisconsin quarterback had a unique advantage over every other passer in 2020: The only full-time meditation coach in college sports.

Chad McGehee became the first person in the world to earn the title of Director of Meditation Training last May, when Wisconsin's athletic department approved the groundbreaking hire.

"As soon as he got on staff, you could see a difference in guys just being more in the moment." Mertz told Insider.

McGehee joined Wisconsin just in time for Mertz's redshirt freshman season, a hiring that Mertz said was critical to the team coping mentally during the COVID-19 pandemic. The added mindfulness training helped Mertz lead the Badgers to a Duke's Mayo Bowl victory over Wake Forest in his first year as the starter. 

For Mertz, the training has helped him keep a short memory on the field and build a new layer into his relationships with teammates. 

"It's a little reset for me," Mertz said. "How can you reset every play to be ready for the next coverage, the next blitz? Chad always talks about being in the eye of the hurricane, and that's his metaphor for 'you got a lot of uncontrollable stuff going on around you, and how can you ground yourself in how you think and how you act?' And that's truly just being in the moment."

Now, with a year of meditation experience under their belts, Mertz and his teammates are becoming an example that other programs might follow soon. 

"Lots of people have reached out, and I think there's growing interest," McGehee told Insider. 

"Sixty years ago, most athletes weren't lifting weights. They thought it would wear their bodies out. Now, of course, it's central to every athletic training program at every level," he added. "I see what we're doing at Wisconsin as being on a similar trajectory, where we'll look back in five, 10, 15 years, and training the mind in this way will be just as normal as training the body."

Chris Borland's shocking NFL retirement set the stage for a key experiment 

The university's decision to invest in McGehee was based on a 2017 pilot program conducted by the Center for Healthy Minds – a research institute at Wisconsin focused on studying the mind and emotions. The program involved 17 former football players recruited by Wisconsin football alum and former NFL player Chris Borland, who devised and planned the program.

Borland, a third-round draft pick out of  Wisconsin in 2014, stepped into a starting linebacker role for the San Francisco 49ers as a rookie. But after his first NFL season, Borland retired at 23 due to concussion concerns – making him the highest-profile NFL player to quit the sport at a young age because of worries about head injuries.

Borland pitched his vision for a group meditation experiment with athletes to Richard Davidson, the founder and chair for the Center for Healthy Minds. 

"Athletes will do anything that works ... whatever gives you that 1% edge," Borland told Insider. "Thanks to Richie's groundbreaking research, I didn't have to do a lot of that transitional work. I said, 'look, it might sound funny or strike you as strange or sound entirely new to you, but here are the brain scans, here are the testimony from people that have gone through similar work ... It's physiological. It's effective.'"

Chris Borland Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images

 

Borland and Davidson spent the next year planning a first-of-its-kind experiment that would train former the former football players unlike any physical training regimen ever devised for athletes. 

"It was almost like a rookie class or a freshman class because 14 out of 17 guys were completely new to the practice and never formally meditated," Borland said. 

McGehee, a former Division III soccer player turned meditation specialist, was assigned as the main instructor. 

McGehee's passion for the practice stemmed from experience during his own athletic career in college, when he struggled to balance it with his ongoing grief for his father, who'd died during McGehee's senior year of high school. 

"It was a tremendous amount of suffering I was dealt with, and then I go off to college, and I was playing soccer," McGehee told Insider. "How do I manage my life? Manage the demands of being a college athlete, including the academic demands? It just kind of all felt like too much. I really wished I would have had someone who could have been slowly working with me to develop skills to deal with those things."

McGehee first took a step toward specializing in meditation training for athletes with a session for field hockey players at Kent State University and his experience as an athlete made him an ideal candidate for what Borland and Richardson were looking to achieve. Borland said McGehee could relate to athletes better than other meditation specialists.

Athletes were unprepared for the program's surface-level exercises

After the program's second session, McGehee wasn't sure if the participants would be back for a third. 

"I was asking these guys to do practices, to kind of get closer to the experience of what was happening in their own minds and bodies," McGehee said. "Which is a radical thing for most athletes to train to do, especially if there's any level of pain or difficulty."

For McGehee, the goal was to help the participants build endurance mentally, just as they already had for physical challenges. All 17 returned in week three. 

"Pain plus resistance is suffering. So it's the mind that has a whole lot of that resistance, and by seeing that, by shifting our relationship to it, then a lot less suffering happens," he said.

Former running back Montee Ball, a Heisman candidate for Wisconsin in 2011, was one of the participants who came to the program without prior meditation experience.

Chris Borland and Montee Ball Dan Sanger/Icon SMI/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

 

"My first ever time doing a meditation practice was in that group." Ball said. "We lied down in the middle of the floor and just looked up at the ceiling ... we were then instructed to focus on parts of our body that were in pain, and it was actually my left knee. And after about five minutes, the pain had significantly decreased."

After Ball's NFL career ended in 2016, his post-retirement commitment to mental health and a friendship with Borland from their playing days at Wisconsin led Ball to delve into mindfulness.

"When I was in college, I would not have been receptive to it," Ball said. "I wish I would have; I wish it was available then, but unfortunately, it wasn't."

Meditation could spread to more athletes and schools

Wisconsin's incoming classes will have McGehee as a resource, as well as athletes like Mertz who've gotten a year of their own meditation experience to share. 

"I will definitely try to get everybody on it," Mertz said. "It won't be really forced on anyone, but it's an option, and it's a great option, and a lot of guys will go with it." 

Mertz admitted he would even be willing to participate in programs similar to the one led by Borland to help spread meditation training to more athletic programs in the future.

Meanwhile, the 17 members of the original 2017 pilot program are scheduled to meet for a Q&A with The Center for Healthy Minds later this month to reflect on their experiences.

"We want the center to keep working in sports, so we're just checking in on the guys and just having a Q&A about what they think was good, what could be improved, and how to continue," Borland said. "As it gets more press and people realize the benefits, I see that being replicated elsewhere. I just think they've started something that will catch on."

 

Best Wisconsin football players: Modern-era Mount Rushmore – Montee Ball

by John Buhler | 19 hours ago (April 8, 2020)

The best Wisconsin football players, including Jonathan Taylor and Joe Thomas, help to make up the Wisconsin Badgers modern-era Mount Rushmore.

It wasn’t always the case, but Wisconsin football has forced themselves back into the blue-blood conversation in the Big Ten. Wisconsin football had great years in the early 20th century, as well as in the middle of it. But throughout the 1960s to 1980s, Wisconsin was in a sorry spot. Then, a Hayden Fry disciple Barry Alvarez came over from Iowa and changed everything.

Since 1990, the Badgers have won six of their 14 conference championships. They have won their division five times since the Big Ten added the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2011. One could argue Wisconsin is among the best programs in college football today that hasn’t made the College Football Playoff before. That all could change in 2020 if a few things break right for the Badgers.

So what we’re going to do today is look at the best players to have played for Wisconsin in the modern era (since 1980). Even though that first decade of inclusion for Wisconsin football is a complete wash, you’ll be surprised how many great players have dominated on the college gridiron for Alvarez and his predecessors to follow.

Here is the modern-era Mount Rushmore for Wisconsin football, as well as four honorable mentions.

28

MONTEE BALL

RB (2009-12)

While his NFL career was unspectacular, Montee Ball is a legend in Big Ten football. The two-time All-American helped Wisconsin win three straight Big Ten titles before going pro. He took home the Doak Walker Award as a senior in 2012 and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy as a junior in 2011. He was a second-round pick by the Denver Broncos but only played two years there.