Game changers: Remembering the pivotal 1993 Badgers football season

Badgers cornerback Kenny Gales (3) grabs a player from the University of Nevada during a game Sept. 4, 1993, at Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers won, 35-17.

They were the game changers. The 1993 Wisconsin Badgers football team is widely considered to be the squad that established the University of Wisconsin as a national contender after years of mediocrity. Led by coach Barry Alvarez, the Badgers finished that season with the highest win total in school history: 10-1-1. The team also capped its season with a 21-16 victory over UCLA in the 1994 Rose Bowl – UW’s first appearance in the prestigious bowl game in over 30 years. Here’s a recap of that spectacular season, seen as a turning point that ushered in a new era.