TAMPA, Fla. - Coming into the 2007 season, the Wisconsin Badger football team was considered one of the top teams in the nation with one of the most stifling defenses ever to don the Badger cardinal and white.
After a year of ups and downs, the Badgers (9-4) lost in the 2008 Outback Bowl to the Tennessee Volunteers (10-4) 21-17 mainly because of the inconsistent play of their defense.
The UW squad gave up a total of 11 plays over 19 yards - a paltry performance for any team.
It's a difference of little things along the way, from the opening snap to the final snap,"" UW head coach Bret Bielema stated after his first postseason loss.
However, the difference of little things led to big trouble for Wisconsin, as Tennessee senior quarterback Erik Ainge was able to pick apart the Badger defense for most of the game.
In the first quarter, Ainge hit freshman wide receiver Denarius Moore for a 40-yard gain on the first scoring drive of the day and later hit sophomore wideout Quintin Hancock for a 25-yard pass. A rush of 26 yards by sophomore tailback Montario Hardesty also set up the Vols with great field position, but a fumble recovered by UW junior linebacker Jonathan Casillas stymied the drive.
""I hate losing. That's one of the worst feelings that I have,"" Casillas said. ""I'm very disappointed, especially in the way the defense played in the first half, and I didn't play very well in the first half, I gave up that touchdown.""
Overall, the Badgers gave up eight plays of over 19 yards in the first half, three of which either were or eventually led to touchdowns.
""A lot of the stuff that we saw in the first half we had practiced a lot so it wasn't like they were giving us something that he hadn't seen before,"" junior cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu said. ""Maybe we were a little sluggish in the beginning, not paying enough attention to detail.""
That sluggishness left Wisconsin down 21-14 at the half, a lead they would not be able to overcome.
While the Badgers always seemed to be one step behind in the first half, the second half was a very different story. UW was able to shut-out the Volunteers in the final 30 minutes of the game, a valiant effort considering its first half play.
Ainge's longest pass in the third quarter went for 13 yards, a favorable statistic after first half completions of 40, 25, 19, 21, 20, 29 and 31 yards.
Heading into the fourth quarter, UW was only down 21-17 with momentum in its favor. But Ainge, who would eventually win Outback Bowl MVP honors, would not be denied.
The Hillsboro, Ore., native completed passes of 21, 24 and 25 yards to put Tennessee in great position to add to its lead, but the Badgers responded with a blocked field goal and punt on each of the Vols' fourth quarter possessions.
Wisconsin's offense was unable to rise to the challenge as senior quarterback Tyler Donovan was intercepted in the endzone by sophomore defensive back Antonio Wardlow to ice the game for the Volunteers.
""We just let it slip away. Tennessee is a great team, but I really don't think that they did anything that we couldn't handle,"" Ikegwuonu added. ""I really think that we gave them a lot of the plays that they had, and obviously that's not playing well.""
While the defense's response in the second half gave a positive spin to the loss, the Badgers' first half let down may have cost them the game.
""Unless you start fast it doesn't matter if you finish strong,"" Casillas said.
""We weren't awake in the first half and it killed us,"" Ikegwuonu echoed.
But from any dark moment there is eventually light, and the 2008 Outback Bowl loss should give plenty of motivation for next year's squad.
""I'm about to be a senior,"" Casillas said. ""I am going to work as hard as I have ever worked in my life this offseason to make sure that this doesn't ever happen again.
