2003 Wisconsin Badgers football team
Encyclopedia
The 2003 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison
during the 2003 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Barry Alvarez
, the Badgers completed the season with a 7–6 record, including a 4–4 mark in the Big Ten Conference
, finishing in a tie for 7th in the Big Ten.
At 3–0 in the Big Ten and having defeated Ohio State, the Badgers were looking to put together a run at a Big Ten title. Unfortunately for the Badgers, Kyle Orton
and the Purdue Boilermakers ended Wisconsin's undefeated Big Ten campaign with a 26–23 win in Camp Randall. The next week in Evanston, the 20th ranked Badgers lost 16–7 to Northwestern.
With Paul Bunyan's Axe
on the line against Minnesota, the Badgers were unable to avoid giving up another late drive, and Minnesota beat the Badgers in Minneapolis for the 2nd time in a row, 37–34. Disheartened but not yet finished, the Badgers dealt a massive blow to Michigan State (which was riding a losing streak of its own) as they routed the Spartans, 56–21. It was their second straight win over MSU. WR Lee Evans
caught 10 passes for 258 yards and 5 touchdowns in the game.
Against Iowa the next week, the Badgers took a 21–7 lead, which they proved unable to hold. Iowa defeated Wisconsin 27–21, a devastating loss on Senior Day that left the Badgers tied for 7th in the Big Ten. The Badgers accepted an invitation to the 2003 Music City Bowl
against Auburn, a team ranked 6th in the nation in the preseason. The Badgers lost 28–14, closing out their 3rd season in a row with 6 or more losses.
FS Jim Leonhard
caught 7 interceptions on defense for Wisconsin, leading the Badgers and the Big Ten. However, Wisconsin's defense gave up late scoring drives against Purdue, Minnesota, and Iowa, all games the Badgers lost.
Team players selected in the 2004 NFL Draft
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
during the 2003 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Barry Alvarez
Barry Alvarez
Barry Alvarez is a former American football player and coach and currently the Director of Athletics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He served as the head football coach at Wisconsin for 16 seasons from 1990 to 2005, compiling a career college football record of 118–73–4...
, the Badgers completed the season with a 7–6 record, including a 4–4 mark in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
, finishing in a tie for 7th in the Big Ten.
Schedule
Season summary
Wisconsin entered the 2003 season ranked, after an 8–6 campaign the year before. The Badgers defeated West Virginia and Akron to open the season, but then were shocked by perennially underachieving UNLV at home, 23–5. The stunning upset knocked the Badgers (then ranked 14th) out of the polls entirely, and they would not return until after wins in their first two Big Ten games, against Illinois and Penn State (teams that would combine for a 1–15 Big Ten record). With defending National Champion Ohio State coming to town on a 19-game winning streak, the Badgers put together a solid game, and ended the Buckeyes' winning streak in a 17–10 upset.At 3–0 in the Big Ten and having defeated Ohio State, the Badgers were looking to put together a run at a Big Ten title. Unfortunately for the Badgers, Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
and the Purdue Boilermakers ended Wisconsin's undefeated Big Ten campaign with a 26–23 win in Camp Randall. The next week in Evanston, the 20th ranked Badgers lost 16–7 to Northwestern.
With Paul Bunyan's Axe
Paul Bunyan's Axe
Paul Bunyan's Axe, named after the mythical giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan, is a prize awarded every year to the winner of the college football game between Minnesota and Wisconsin.-History:...
on the line against Minnesota, the Badgers were unable to avoid giving up another late drive, and Minnesota beat the Badgers in Minneapolis for the 2nd time in a row, 37–34. Disheartened but not yet finished, the Badgers dealt a massive blow to Michigan State (which was riding a losing streak of its own) as they routed the Spartans, 56–21. It was their second straight win over MSU. WR Lee Evans
Lee Evans (American football)
-Buffalo Bills:Evans was initially assigned the jersey number 84. Evans, as a reference to his full name, had always worn the number 3 in college, a number that was not allowed to be used in professional football for wide receivers...
caught 10 passes for 258 yards and 5 touchdowns in the game.
Against Iowa the next week, the Badgers took a 21–7 lead, which they proved unable to hold. Iowa defeated Wisconsin 27–21, a devastating loss on Senior Day that left the Badgers tied for 7th in the Big Ten. The Badgers accepted an invitation to the 2003 Music City Bowl
2003 Music City Bowl
The 2003 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl was played on December 31, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee, and featured the Auburn Tigers and the Wisconsin Badgers. It was the sixth edition of the game.-Recap of game:...
against Auburn, a team ranked 6th in the nation in the preseason. The Badgers lost 28–14, closing out their 3rd season in a row with 6 or more losses.
FS Jim Leonhard
Jim Leonhard
James Andrew "Jim" Leonhard is an American football safety for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2005. Leohnard has also played for the Baltimore Ravens...
caught 7 interceptions on defense for Wisconsin, leading the Badgers and the Big Ten. However, Wisconsin's defense gave up late scoring drives against Purdue, Minnesota, and Iowa, all games the Badgers lost.
Regular starters
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Quarterback | Jim Sorgi Jim Sorgi James Joseph "Jim" Sorgi, Jr. is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2004 NFL Draft... |
| Running Back | Anthony Davis |
| Fullback | Matt Bernstein Matt Bernstein Matt Bernstein is a former American football standout at University of Wisconsin–Madison, who is currently a free agent of the Arena Football League after a stint in the National Football League with the Detroit Lions. Inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2006... |
| Wide Receiver | Lee Evans Lee Evans (American football) -Buffalo Bills:Evans was initially assigned the jersey number 84. Evans, as a reference to his full name, had always worn the number 3 in college, a number that was not allowed to be used in professional football for wide receivers... |
| Wide Receiver | Brandon Williams |
| Tight End | Tony Paciotti |
| Left Tackle | Morgan Davis |
| Left Guard | Dan Buenning Dan Buenning Dan Robert Buenning is an American football guard for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin.Buenning has also been a member of the Chicago Bears.-External... |
| Center | Donovan Raiola Donovan Raiola Donovan Raiola is an American football center for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Wisconsin. He played high school football at Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu, HawaiiRaiola... |
| Right Guard | Jonathan Clinkscale |
| Right Tackle | Mike Lorenz |
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Defensive End | Darius Jones |
| Defensive Tackle | Anttaj Hawthorne Anttaj Hawthorne Anttaj Hawthorne is an American football defensive lineman for the Arizona Rattlers of Arena Football 1. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin.-Early years:Hawthorne attended Hamden High School in Hamden,... |
| Defensive Tackle | Jason Jefferson Jason Jefferson Jason Jefferson is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft... |
| Defensive End | Jonathan Welsh |
| Outside Linebacker | Jeff Mack |
| Inside Linebacker | Alex Lewis Alex Lewis Alex Lewis is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin where he currently holds the record for most sacks in a game with 6.5 on October 18, 2003 vs. Purdue... |
| Outside Linebacker | Kareem Timbers |
| Cornerback | Scott Starks Scott Starks Scott Starks is an American football cornerback formerly for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He is currently a free agent. Jason Fletcher of Blueprint Sports is his agent... |
| Strong Safety | Ryan Aiello |
| Free Safety | Jim Leonhard Jim Leonhard James Andrew "Jim" Leonhard is an American football safety for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2005. Leohnard has also played for the Baltimore Ravens... |
| Cornerback | Levonne Rowan Levonne Rowan Levonne Rowan is currently playing Defensive Back for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Wisconsin.-External links:*... |
Team players selected in the 2004 NFL Draft2004 NFL DraftThe 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
| Player | Position | Round | Overall Selection | NFL Team |
| Lee Evans Lee Evans (American football) -Buffalo Bills:Evans was initially assigned the jersey number 84. Evans, as a reference to his full name, had always worn the number 3 in college, a number that was not allowed to be used in professional football for wide receivers... |
Wide Receiver | 1 | 13 | Buffalo Bills 2004 Buffalo Bills season The 2004 Buffalo Bills season was their 45th in the league. The team improved upon their previous season's output of 6–10, finishing 9–7. However, this was the fifth straight season in which the team missed the playoffs.... |
| Alex Lewis Alex Lewis Alex Lewis is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin where he currently holds the record for most sacks in a game with 6.5 on October 18, 2003 vs. Purdue... |
Linebacker | 5 | 140 | Detroit Lions 2004 Detroit Lions season The 2004 Detroit Lions season began with the team trying to improve on their 5–11 record in 2003.-Staff:-Final roster:-Schedule:-References:... |
| Jim Sorgi Jim Sorgi James Joseph "Jim" Sorgi, Jr. is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2004 NFL Draft... |
Quarterback | 6 | 193 | Indianapolis Colts 2004 Indianapolis Colts season The 2004 Indianapolis Colts season was the 52nd season for the team in the National Football League and 21st in Indianapolis. The 2004 Colts season began with the team trying to maintain or improve on their 12–4 record from 2003, and advance farther into the playoffs... |