UW's schedule landed Barry Alvarez in Honolulu Saturday, but his illustrious career will land him among the ranks of the elite college football coaches in history. The 2005 edition of the Wisconsin Badger football team gave their legendary head coach the only gift he wanted for his last regular season game: a win. The Badgers' makeshift defense was the key in defeating the offensive-minded Warriors of Hawaii, allowing only 17 points of consequence and rendering a meaningless touchdown with time running out.
'This is a team that is going to move the ball on anyone they play,' said Alvarez of his potent offense, which set a UW record for points scored in a season with 422, breaking the previous record of 409. 'It's about giving up points.'
On Friday night, the Badgers didn't give up many. Wisconsin complimented its effort on defense with a running attack absent in previous weeks. Junior running back Brian Calhoun rushed for 133 yards in the first half and kept the high-flying Hawaii offense on the sideline for much of the first half. Junior quarterback John Stocco and senior receiver Jonathan Orr connected for two touchdowns on the day to keep the Warriors' over-matched defensive line guessing. Stocco finished his day with 191 yards on 12 of 16 passing with two touchdowns and 26 yards on the ground.
'I gave John [Stocco] a game ball,' Alvarez said. 'I thought he was super. When we threw, he knew where he was going. He threw it well and I thought he made a couple good scrambles.'
Stocco completed a balanced attack that featured Calhoun's spectacular performance'he racked up 149 of the Badgers' 249 total yards on the ground.
'We had to establish the run,' senior center Donovan Raiola said. 'We came out and did that.'
The Badgers' win Friday put them in position for a probable invitation to the Capitol One Bowl in Orlando where they would face a representative of the Southeastern Conference. With any luck, the Badgers will make their second consecutive January bowl game a fitting farewell for their incomparable coach.
