2012 Wisconsin Badgers football team The 2012 Wisconsin Badgers football team represent the University of Wisconsin – Madison in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Badgers , led by seventh - year head coach Bret Bielema , through December 4th , 2012 , and Barry Alvarez for the Rose Bowl presented by Vizio are members of the Leaders Division of the Big Ten Conference and play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium . The Badgers lost their final game 20 - 14 in the Rose Bowl to the Stanford Cardinal of the Pacific - 12 Conference on January 1 , 2013 . Schedule . The schedule is as follows : Regular Season . Northern Iowa . Statistical Leaders at Oregon State . Statistical Leaders Utah State . Sources : Statistical Leaders UTEP . Statistical Leaders at Nebraska . Statistical Leaders Illinois . Statistical Leaders at Purdue . Statistical Leaders Minnesota . Statistical Leaders Michigan State . Statistical Leaders at Indiana . Statistical Leaders Ohio State . Statistical Leaders Notes at Penn State . Statistical Leaders vs . Nebraska ( Big Ten Championship ) . Statistical Leaders Notables Wisconsin had 2 running backs run for over 200 yards ( Montee Ball and Melvin Gordon ) and Badgers running backs accounted for 8 rushing touchdowns on the day ( along with a passing touchdown by running back James White ) . The 70 points tied the second - highest mark in Wisconsin history , set against Northwestern in 2010 and Austin Peay in 2010 ( the Wisconsin record for most points in a game is 83 against Indiana in 2010 ) . The Badgers returned their first interception for a touchdown , as senior defensive back Marcus Cromartie returned a deflected Taylor Martinez pass 29 yards to put Wisconsin up 14 - 0 less than 3 minutes into the game . A wild rushing touchdown by Taylor Martinez and a Brett Maher field goal narrowed Wisconsin ' s advantage to 14 - 10 , but the Badgers went 45 yards on two plays to set up another scoring drive , capped off by a 9 - yard rushing touchdown by James White . When Nebraska ' s offense stalled , Wisconsin ' s offense roared into gear and scored three more touchdowns in the 2nd quarter alone , taking a 42 - 10 lead at the half with a James White passing touchdown to TE Sam Arneson . In the second half , Nebraska managed to gain a grand total of 3 yards before Martinez threw his second interception on Nebraska ' s first drive of the half . Wisconsin scored on the next play , taking a 49 - 10 lead . The Badgers secured their third consecutive Big Ten Championship and a third consecutive Rose Bowl berth with the blowout win , improving to 8 - 5 on the year and snapping their 2 - game losing streak . On December 4th , 2012 , head coach Bret Bielema announced he would take the head coaching vacancy at the University of Arkansas , ending his career at Wisconsin after 7 seasons ( from 2006 to 2012 ) . Bielema had a 68 - 24 overall record in 7 seasons at Wisconsin and his teams went 37 - 19 in Big Ten conference games . In addition , Bielema won both of the first two Big Ten Conference Championship Games . vs . Stanford ( Rose Bowl ) . Statistical Leaders 2012 stats . " ( as of January 2 , 2012 ) " Passing . " Note : G = Games played ; COMP = Completions ; ATT = Attepmts ; COMP % = Completion percentage ; YDS = Passing yards ; TD = Passing touchdowns ; INT = Interceptions ; EFF = Passing efficiency " Rushing . " Note : G = Games played ; ATT = Attempts ; YDS = Yards ; AVG = Average yard per carry ; LG = Longest run ; TD = Rushing touchdowns " Receiving . " Note : G = Games played ; REC = Receptions ; YDS = Yards ; AVG = Average yard per catch ; LG = Longest catch ; TD = Receiving touchdowns " Kick and punt returning . " Note : G = Games played ; PR = Punt returns ; PYDS = Punt return yards ; PLG = Punt return long ; KR = Kick returns ; KYDS = Kick return yards ; KLG = Kick return long ; TD = Total return touchdowns " Kicking . " Note : G = Games played ; FGM = Field goals made ; FGA = Field goals attempted ; LG = Field goal long ; XPT = Extra points made ; XPT ATT = XPT attempted ; TP = Total points " Punting . " Note : G = Games played ; P = Punts ; YDS = Yards ; AVG = Average per punt ; LG = Punt long ; In20 = Punts inside the 20 ; TB = Touchbacks " Defensive . " Note : G = Games played ; Solo = Solo tackles ; Ast = Assisted tackles ; Total = Total tackles ; TFL - Yds = Tackles for loss - yards lost ; Sack = Sacks ; INT = Interceptions ; PDef = Passes defended ; FF = Forced fumbles ; FR = Forced recoveries "