Rose Bowl Preparations and Heisman Trophy Awards Ceremony Go Hand In Hand for Badgers

By Jackson "Badgers" Brigham | Posted Wednesday, December 14

Wisconsin Badgers fans are scrambling for Rose Bowl tickets, while Montee Ball looks forward to the chance to tie or break a record. During the break between the Big Ten Championship game, and the upcoming Rose Bowl appearance, the Heisman trophy was handed out to this year’s winner. The ceremony was a nice break for the Badgers coaching staff, as all eyes are on the prize in Pasadena.

Wisconsin running back Montee Ball won't be receiving the Heisman trophy this year. After a spectacular record breaking season, Ball's hopes for the honor were dashed when he ranked in fourth in the voting. Baylor's quarterback, Robert Griffin III, nudged out Ball as well as Stanford's Andrew Luck, Alabama’s Trent Richardson, and LSU's Tyrann Mathieu. Russell Wilson, the soon-to-be-departing Badgers quarterback, finished ninth.

If he had won, Ball would have been the third Heisman winner in school history. Running back Alan Ameche won in 1954 and Ron Dayne took the prize in 1999. At the award ceremony in New York on Saturday night, Dayne was in attendance, along with head coach Bret Bielema and running back coach Thomas Hammock. Despite the bad news, Ball was honored to sit with the other finalists. Even more satisfying is the knowledge that he still has a chance to tie the all-time, single season scoring record with just one more touchdown.