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The Granddaddy of Them All is finally here, folks! The Wisconsin Badgers (3-3 overall) take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-4 overall, 3-4 ACC) in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Wednesday morning and we, for one blog, couldn’t be more excited.
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— Duke's Mayo Bowl (@DukesMayoBowl) December 30, 2020
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GOOD MORNING, LET'S MAYO BOWL... pic.twitter.com/YMr70GsfDm
This has been the strangest season in college football history, but it is nice that the Badgers will get to end it with a bowl game. Here’s hoping that all of the players have enjoyed preparing for one more game and get at least a little bit of the “bowl experience” even though there won’t be any fans or the usual hoopla surrounding the game. They deserve it.
How to watch/listen
TV: ESPN, 11:00 a.m. CT, Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Marty Smith
Streaming: Watch ESPN
Radio: Badger Sports Network (iHeartRadio), Satellite: Sirius 137 or XM 207, Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas; First Team Radio, Satellite: Sirius 137 or XM 207, Travis Jones, John Denton
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium
Weather: Charlotte, N.C. (cloudy, rain possible)
Line: Wisconsin -9.5
Fun facts (according to the media guides)
- Wisconsin is set to play in a bowl game for the 19th-consecutive season! That is the third longest active streak in the nation behind Georgia (24) and Oklahoma (22).
- The Badgers are set to meet an ACC foe in a bowl game for the third time in four years. UW defeated Miami in consecutive seasons in the Orange Bowl (2017) and Pinstripe Bowl (2018).
- Wisconsin’s matchup with Wake Forest marks the first meeting between the schools in football. The Badgers are 9-9-1 all-time vs. the current membership of the ACC, including a 4-1 mark vs. ACC foes in bowl games.
- The Badgers own a 4-1 mark in bowl games under head coach Paul Chryst and have won five of their last six bowls overall.
- UW will play a game in the state of North Carolina for just the second time. The Badgers scored a 14-5 win over North Carolina on Sept. 18, 2005.
Nice digs ya got here @Chris_Guwap @Trellionn12 pic.twitter.com/eU9nY4DrsG
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) December 30, 2020
- Bank of America Stadium will be the No. 7 NFL venue to host a Badgers game during the Paul Chryst era, joining home stadiums for the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the then-San Diego Chargers.
- Despite coaching in the ACC with Pitt for two seasons, Paul Chryst did not play Wake either year.
- The Badgers lead the nation in total defense, giving up just 263.5 yards per game. UW has held four of its six opponents to fewer than 300 total yards.
- Wisconsin has allowed just 15.7 points per game to ranks No. 6 in the FBS in points allowed.
- Here’s a fun Wisconsin bowl history fact: UW has only recorded one safety ever in a bowl game, vs. USC, Rose (Jan. 1, 1963). Let’s see if they can double that today!
- Last season, the Demon Deacons finished the year with 14 interceptions by 10 different players. Through eight games, Wake Forest is on pace to break that mark as nine different players have accounted for the Deacs’ 12 total interceptions.
Good morning, Charlotte pic.twitter.com/9URqpnOg7P
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) December 30, 2020
- The Badgers have two players from the state of North Carolina: Madison Cone (Sr. | DB), Kernersville, N.C./East Forsyth and Devin Chandler (Fr. | WR), Huntersville, N.C./Hough
- Wake Forest has a 4-11 all-time record against Big Ten opponents.
- Under Dave Clawson, Wake Forest has set a new standard of success, going to a program record five consecutive bowl games. He also co-owns the school record with three bowl victories.