The 2007 UW football senior class has a chance to accomplish something not even the back-to-back Rose Bowl teams featuring Ron Dayne could. That is, with one more win, they would become the winningest class in UW history. And there would be no better time to set the record than on senior day against Michigan.
It's something that I think will be really cool when we get older and look back on it and say, 'Hey, we were part of a class like that,'"" senior kicker Taylor Mehlhaff said. ""We're just trying to go out and win this game... and carry it on the rest of the season.""
A year ago, the senior class walked off the field winners against an overmatched Buffalo Bulls team on senior day. This season, it might not come as easy as the Badgers will have to defeat a surging Michigan team that finds itself poised for another Big Ten championship.
""It will be a lot of mixed feelings,"" senior tight end Andy Crooks said. ""Guys will be happy to go out there and play, sad about it being their last game, but at the same time, just excited to go out there and get one more.""
This UW senior class is a little different than ones from years past. There are no superstars or stand-out players. Senior quarterback Tyler Donovan had to wait until his fifth season on campus to get the starting nod. Wide receivers Paul Hubbard and Luke Swan beat the odds as Hubbard came to the team as a self-proclaimed ""track guy,"" and Swan was a walk-on turned scholarship player who unfortunately had his senior season cut short by injury.
And for a guy like senior defensive back Ben Strickland, hard work and determination on special teams defined who he is as a player. Fittingly, he will get significant playing time the rest of the season after junior cornerback Allen Langford was lost for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
""I'm sure I'm going to get a little emotional, especially running down the little tunnel with all the alumni,"" Strickland said. ""I've seen so many guys run through here. I can remember Lee Evans running through there, Jimmy Leonhard, [Joe] Stellmacher, Zach [Hampton], all those guys I kind of looked up to going through the years. It's kind of weird to see that this is almost over for me.""
Most of this year's senior class red-shirted at one point, allowing relationships with each other to gel and become stronger. It was those relationships that allowed them to get through the tough times and are what will be missed the most.
""I'm going to miss all my experiences that I've shared with all my teammates more than anything because for the past five years, that's who I've been around,"" Hubbard said. ""I've been around them more than my family.""
Mehlhaff agreed that realizing this senior class is nearly finished will be the hardest part of senior day.
""Just being around all the guys, during practice, in the weight room, everything,"" he said. ""It's just been so fun, you've been so close and around these guys so much for four years now. I have some pretty good relationships, so I will definitely miss that.""
Four years can seem like a long time for some, but not necessarily when you are with your friends and your teammates.
""It's weird,"" senior quarterback Tyler Donovan said. ""Time has really flown by, given the years, I mean, just knowing it is going to be my last time running out of the tunnel, it's going to be a special thing and I'm going to make the most of it.""
Saturday's game marks the last chance UW fans have to see this senior class play at Camp Randall Stadium.
The players would love to send one of the most successful classes out with a win, but they also want to soak up the moment for what it's worth.
""Everyone's been saying just take a second to look in the stands and realize what you get to do here and how fortunate you've been,"" Mehlhaff said. ""I definitely will do that on Saturday.""
