2012 Big Ten Football Championship Game

{{Infobox NCAA football yearly game

| game_name = Big Ten Football Championship Game

| title_sponsor =

| subheader = Conference Championship

| image = 2012 Big Ten Football Championship Game Logo.svg

| caption = Championship Game Logo

| date_game_played = December 1

| year_game_played = 2012

| football_season = 2012

| stadium = Lucas Oil Stadium

| city = Indianapolis, Indiana

| visitor_school = University of Nebraska–Lincoln

| visitor_name_short = Nebraska

| visitor_nickname = Cornhuskers

| visitor_record = 10–2

| visitor_rank_AP = 14

| visitor_rank_coaches = 13

| visitor_rank_BCS = 12

| visitor_coach = Bo Pelini

| visitor_1q = 10

| visitor_2q = 0

| visitor_3q = 7

| visitor_4q = 14

| home_school = University of Wisconsin-Madison

| home_name_short = Wisconsin

| home_nickname = Badgers

| home_record = 7–5

| home_rank_AP =

| home_rank_coaches =

| home_rank_BCS =

| home_coach = Bret Bielema

| home_1q = 21

| home_2q = 21

| home_3q = 21

| home_4q = 7

| MVP = Montee Ball, Wisconsin

| odds = Nebraska by 12

| anthem =

| referee = John O'Neill

| halftime = University of Nebraska Cornhusker Marching Band, University of Wisconsin Marching Band

| attendance = 41,260

| us_network = Fox

| us_announcers = Gus Johnson, (Play-by-play) Charles Davis (Color Analyst) and Julie Alexandria (Sideline Reporter)

| ratings = 3.0 (4.9 million viewers)

| intl_network =

| intl_announcers =

}}

File:Chris Borland tackles Taylor Martinez.jpg tackles QB Taylor Martinez]]

The 2012 Big Ten Football Championship Game was a college football game. It was played on December 1, 2012, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, to determine the 2012 champion of the Big Ten Conference. It was played between the Wisconsin Badgers of the Leaders Division and the Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Legends Division.{{Cite web |url=http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/no-17-nebraska-beats-iowa-13-7-advances-big-ten-championship-game-wisconsin-rex-burkhead-td-return-from-injury-112312 |title=No. 17 Nebraska beats Iowa 13-7, advances to Big Ten championship game vs. Wisconsin as Rex Burkhead scores TD in return from injury - College Football News | FOX Sports on MSN |access-date=2012-11-23 |archive-date=2012-11-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121128043116/http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/no-17-nebraska-beats-iowa-13-7-advances-big-ten-championship-game-wisconsin-rex-burkhead-td-return-from-injury-112312 |url-status=dead }} Wisconsin defeated Nebraska, 70–31.{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/ncaa/wires/12/01/2060.ap.fbc.big.ten.championship.0159/index.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119152923/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/ncaa/wires/12/01/2060.ap.fbc.big.ten.championship.0159/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 19, 2013|title=Ball helps Badgers rush past No. 14 Nebraska 70–31|work=Sports Illustrated|date=2012-12-01|accessdate=2012-12-01}}

The game was the second football championship game ever played in the Big Ten's 116-year history; the Big Ten expanded to twelve teams the year before thus becoming eligible under NCAA rules which, at that time, required conferences to have a membership of at least 12 to have a conference championship game. The game was played in prime time and televised by Fox,{{cite web|url=http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/111710aaa.html|title=Big Ten Announces Media Agreement with FOX Sports to Televise 2011–16 Big Ten Football Championship Games|publisher=BigTen.org: The Big Ten Conference Official Site|date=2010-11-17|accessdate=2012-08-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223112326/http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/111710aaa.html|archive-date=2010-12-23|url-status=dead}} with kickoff scheduled for 8:17 p.m. Eastern Time. In only the second year of the Big Ten Championship game, one team entered the game unranked in the BCS standings, AP poll, and Coaches' poll.

Teams

The two teams faced each other in the regular season, with Nebraska winning 30–27.

=Nebraska=

The Cornhuskers, led by fifth-year head coach Bo Pelini, finished the regular season as the champion of the Legends Division. Nebraska finished the regular season with an overall record of 10–2 and a Big Ten record of 7–1; the team's lone conference loss was against Ohio State, 38–63.

To date, this is Nebraska's lone appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game.

=Wisconsin=

Wisconsin finished third place in the Leaders division, but division champion Ohio State and second-place Penn State were ineligible to play in the championship game because of postseason bans. Teams that play in the conference championship game must be eligible for the postseason.{{cite news |title=Ohio State can win Leaders Division title and earn trophy, despite postseason ban |url=http://www.cleveland.com/buckeyeblog/index.ssf/2012/09/ohio_state_can_win_leaders_div.html |author=Lesmerises, Doug |date=September 5, 2012 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |accessdate=December 1, 2016}}{{cite news |title=Ohio State stays perfect after beating Wisconsin in OT |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/323220275 |publisher=Associated Press |date=November 17, 2012 |work=ESPN.com |access-date=December 1, 2016}} The Badgers lost to both Ohio State and Penn State in the regular season, with both losses coming in overtime.

The 2012 Big Ten football championship game would be the last time Bret Bielema coached the Badgers. He departed Wisconsin three days after the Big Ten championship game to accept the head coaching position at Arkansas.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/8709694/bret-bielema-head-coach-wisconsin-badgers-accepts-position-coach-arkansas-razorbacks-source |title=Bret Bielema, head coach of Wisconsin Badgers, accepts position to coach Arkansas Razorbacks – ESPN |publisher=Espn.go.com |date=2012-12-15 |access-date=2014-05-23}}{{cite web|url=http://5newsonline.com/2012/12/04/arkansas-hires-wisconsin-coach-bret-bielma-as-new-football-coach/ |title=University To Introduce New Coach Bielema Wednesday |publisher=5NEWSOnline.com |date=2012-12-04 |accessdate=2014-05-23}} Wisconsin's Athletic Director, and former football head coach, Barry Alvarez went on to coach the Badgers at the 2013 Rose Bowl against Stanford.

Scoring summary

{{Americanfootballbox

|state=collapsed

|titlestyle= {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Big Ten Conference|color=white}}; text-align:center;

|bg=#fff

|bg2=#eee

|title=2012 Big 10 Championship Game
No. 14 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Wisconsin Badgers

|date=December 1, 2012

|time=8:00 p.m. EDT

|road=No. 14 Cornhuskers

|R1=10|R2=0|R3=7|R4=14

|home=Badgers

|H1=21|H2=21|H3=21|H4=7

|stadium=Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

|attendance=41,260

|weather=None (played indoors)

|referee=John O'Neill

|TV=Fox

|TVAnnouncers=Gus Johnson, Charles Davis, and Julie Alexandria

|reference=

|scoring=

First quarter

WIS – Melvin Gordon 56-yard run (Kyle French kick), 13:01. Badgers 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:59.
WIS – Marcus Cromartie 29-yard interception return (Kyle French kick), 12:53. Badgers 14–0.
NEB – Taylor Martinez 76-yard run (Brett Maher kick), 10:58. Badgers 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:55.
NEB – Brett Maher 32-yard field goal, 4:46. Badgers 14–10. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 4:30.
WIS – James White 9-yard run (Kyle French kick), 1:01. Badgers 21–10. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:45.

Second quarter

WIS – James White 1-yard run (Kyle French kick), 11:11. Badgers 28–10. Drive: 6 plays, 67 yards, 3:07.
WIS – Montee Ball 16-yard run (Kyle French kick), 7:15. Badgers 35–10. Drive: 6 plays, 69 yards, 2:32.
WIS – Sam Arneson 3-yard pass from James White (Kyle French kick), 0:02. Badgers 42–10. Drive: 4 plays, 79 yards, 0:59.

Third quarter

WIS – Montee Ball 9-yard run (Jack Russell kick), 14:13. Badgers 49–10. Drive: 1 play, 9 yards, 0:05.
NEB – Taylor Martinez 11-yard run (Brett Maher kick), 10:47. Badgers 49–17. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:26.
WIS – Montee Ball 57-yard run (Jack Russell kick), 9:27. Badgers 56–17. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:20.
WIS – James White 68-yard run (Jack Russell kick), 6:42. Badgers 63–17. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:55.

Fourth quarter

NEB – Braylon Heard 9-yard run (Brett Maher kick), 12:14. Badgers 63–24. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 4:12.
WIS – James White 10-yard (Jack Russell kick), 8:57. Badgers 70–24. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:17.
NEB – Imani Cross 26-yard run (Brett Maher kick), 0:51. Badgers 70–31. Drive: 9 plays, 82 yards, 3:58.

}}

Statistics

=Team statistics=

class="wikitable" style="float: left;" ! Statistics !! style="{{CollegeSecondaryStyle\|Nebraska Cornhuskers}}"\|NEB!!style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Wisconsin Badgers\|color=white}}"\|WIS
First downs	23	24
Third down efficiency	6 of 16	5 of 9
Fourth down efficiency	1 of 2	0 of 0
Total yards	477	640
Rushes–yards	44–282	50–539
Yards per rush	6.4	10.8
Yards passing	195	101
Pass completions–attempts	18–34	8–10
Interceptions thrown	2	0
Fumbles–lost	2–1	0–0
Penalties–yards	4–40	4–51
Time of possession	30:06	29:45

=Individual statistics=

colspan="6" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Nebraska Cornhuskers}}"\|Cornhuskers passing
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" \|+Nebraska statistics
scope="col"\| !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|C–A\|Completions–Attempts}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Yds\|Passing yards}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|TD\|Passing touchdowns}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|INT\|Interceptions thrown}}
Taylor Martinez	17–33	184	0	2
Rex Burkhead	1–1	11	0	0
colspan="6" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Nebraska Cornhuskers}}"\|Cornhuskers rushing
scope="col"\| !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Car\|Carries}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Yds\|Rushing yards}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|TD\|Rushing touchdowns}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Avg\|Average yards per carry}}
Taylor Martinez	19	184	2	7.4
Rex Burkhead	11	61	0	5.5
Imani Cross	3	35	1	11.7
Braylon Heard	6	28	1	4.7
Ameer Abdullah	5	18	0	3.6
colspan="6" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Nebraska Cornhuskers}}"\|Cornhuskers receiving
scope="col"\| !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Rec\|Receptions}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Yds\|Receiving yards}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|TD\|Receiving touchdowns}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Avg\|Average yards per reception}}
Jamal Turner	5	63	0	12.6
Quincy Enunwa	5	51	0	10.2
Kyler Reed	2	29	0	14.5
Rex Burkhead	2	18	0	9.0
Kenny Bell	2	14	0	7.0
Ameer Abdullah	1	11	0	11.0
Ben Cotton	1	9	0	9.0

colspan="6" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Wisconsin Badgers\|color=white}}"\|Badgers passing
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" \|+{{nowrap\|Wisconsin statistics}}
scope="col"\| !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|C–A\|Completions–Attempts}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Yds\|Passing yards}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|TD\|Passing touchdowns}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|INT\|Interceptions thrown}}
Curt Phillips	6–8	71	0	0
Jared Abbrederis	1–1	27	0	0
James White	1–1	3	1	0
colspan="6" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Wisconsin Badgers\|color=white}}"\|Badgers rushing
scope="col"\| !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Car\|Carries}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Yds\|Rushing yards}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|TD\|Rushing touchdowns}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Avg\|Average yards per carry}}
Melvin Gordon	9	216	1	24.0
Montee Ball	21	202	3	9.6
James White	15	109	4	7.3
Kenzel Doe	1	12	0	12.0
Curt Phillips	2	3	0	1.5
colspan="6" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Wisconsin Badgers\|color=white}}"\|Badgers receiving
scope="col"\| !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Rec\|Receptions}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Yds\|Receiving yards}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|TD\|Receiving touchdowns}} !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Avg\|Average yards per reception}}
Jared Abbrederis	2	29	0	14.5
Curt Phillips	1	27	0	27.0
James White	1	22	0	22.0
Derek Watt	1	10	0	10.0
Jacob Pederson	1	9	0	9.0
Sam Arneson	1	3	1	3.0
Jeff Duckworth	1	1	0	1.0

Sources:{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=323360275 |title=Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Wisconsin Badgers – Box Score – December 01, 2012 – ESPN |publisher=ESPN |date=2012-12-01 |access-date=2014-05-23}}{{cite web|author=CBSSports.com wire reports |url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/gametracker/recap/NCAAF_20121201_NEB@WISC/wisconsin-obliterates-huskers-in-big-ten-championship-game/rss |title=NCAA College Football Recap – Nebraska Cornhuskers at Wisconsin Badgers – Dec 01, 2012 |publisher=CBSSports.com |date= |accessdate=2014-05-23}}

=Records=

Montee Ball took over as the record holder for Football Bowl Subdivision "career rushing touchdowns record" from Travis Prentice with 76 touchdowns (Ball scored one touchdown in the 2013 Rose Bowl thus extending the record). Wisconsin set multiple school records in the game; first by scoring eight rushing touchdowns during the game.{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1429256-big-ten-championship-nebraska-vs-wisconsin-live-scores-analysis-and-results|title=Big Ten Championship: Nebraska vs. Wisconsin Live Scores, Analysis and Results|first=David|last=Regimbal|website=Bleacher Report}} The second school record for Wisconsin was having two 200-yard rushers in one game. Nebraska set a record for the most rushing touchdowns allowed in a game. Wisconsin's redshirt freshman running back Melvin Gordon ran for a career-high of 216 yards on just nine possessions, averaging 24 yards per carry.{{cite web |url=http://www.uwbadgers.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/120212aaa.html |title=Postgame Notes: Big Ten Championship Game – UWBadgers.com – The Official Athletic Site of the Wisconsin Badgers |publisher=UWBadgers.com |date= |accessdate=2014-05-23 |archive-date=2014-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522050640/http://www.uwbadgers.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/120212aaa.html |url-status=dead }}