It is not often opponents leave Camp Randall stadium with a win, and the Indiana Hoosiers are no exception. The last time Indiana came into Camp Randall and pulled off a victory was Oct. 6, 2001. Many of the 79,000 plus fans in attendance remember this as one of the worst days in Camp Randall history. Not only did the Badgers lose a game in front of their home crowd, but they also lost by one of the largest deficits in Camp Randall history, a 63-32 blow out. For many fans and students this was not a memory they would like to remember, but for Wisconsin's junior wide receiver Marcus Randle El, the day is still ever so clear in his mind.
Marcus' brother Antwaan Randle El was the skilled, dual-threat quarterback who led the Hoosiers past the Badgers on that memorable October afternoon. People would likely perceive Marcus to have different feelings about the game now that he attends Wisconsin, but surprisingly, he still views the memory as a positive experience.
Man, it's a dream. I didn't think they were going to come out and beat them the way that they did,"" Marcus said.
One cannot blame him for remembering such a game positively when his brother Antwaan put up 322 all-purpose yards on the Badger defense. Although Marcus always supported his brother and his teams, he developed respect for Wisconsin long before he enrolled at Madison in the fall of 2004. Marcus realized how skilled his brother truly was the day Antwaan tore apart a historically solid Wisconsin defense.
Fans who were in attendance that day in 2001 also found out Antwaan was no ordinary player. After a successful career at Indiana, he entered the 2002 NFL Draft and was taken 30th in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although Antwaan was too short to play quarterback in the NFL, the Steelers still found good use for him when they converted him into a slot wide receiver. He went on to help lead Pittsburgh to its fifth Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XL. He also became the first wide receiver to throw a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl with his 43-yard strike to wide receiver Hines Ward.
Antwaan went on to test the free agency market in 2006 and became one of the highest paid receivers in the NFL when he signed with the Washington Redskins. He has proven that even against the highest level of talent, he is able to perform as one of the best at his position.
Unfortunately for Hoosier fans, Indiana has not had much success since the Antwaan's departure. Since 2001, the Badgers are 3-1 against the Hoosiers and in the past two years Wisconsin has outscored Indiana by a score of 93-41. The Hoosiers have not been the dominant force they once were. In fact, the Hoosiers have not had a single bowl appearance since that 2001 season due to lack of playmakers like Antwaan Randle El.
So far, this season has been a different story as the Hoosiers are beginning to shift back to their old winning ways. Indiana currently has a 5-3 record under the leadership of sophomore quarterback Kellen Lewis, who like Randle El, shows a lot of athletic ability not only with his arm but with his legs as well. Lewis leads the team with five rushing touchdowns this season and shows the ability to carry the team on his shoulders. With a win Saturday at Camp Randall stadium, the Hoosiers would be bowl-eligible for the first time since the 2001 season. Before this year's matchup, expect the Wisconsin coaches to remind Badger players of that day more than six years ago, when Marcus Randle El's big brother taught the Badgers not to take the Hoosiers so lightly.
