Bret Bielema Draws a Blank on Huskers’ 2012 Comeback Win

Illinois coach fails to recall the night a 17-point lead vanished during his final season at the helm for Wisconsin

Joe Hudson | Oct 24, 2022

Bruce Thorson photo-USA TODAY Sports

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Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema seems to have a case of amnesia when it comes to a particular decade-old game in Lincoln, but it's not hard to imagine why.

During his press conference Monday ahead of the Fighting Illini's game this weekend at Nebraska, Bielema was asked about his experiences with the environment at Nebraska's Memorial Stadium.

He mentioned the loudness and intensity of the crowd as he recalled a visit to Memorial Stadium in 2000 as an Iowa assistant and another trip to Lincoln in 2003 when he was on the Kansas State staff.

"That was the last time I was there because we didn't play them during my tenure at Wisconsin at their place," he said.

What he forgot about was when his Wisconsin team traveled to Lincoln on Sept. 29, 2012. It was the conference opener, and the Badgers appeared to be in firm control after taking a 27-10 lead in the first five minutes of the third quarter. The score came on a short drive after a Taylor Martinez sack and fumble, and the situation looked bleak for the home team.

It turns out the Huskers were just getting warmed up. Nebraska proceeded to unleash a rally that matched the second-biggest comeback in program history. Immediately after falling behind by 17, Nebraska mounted touchdown drives of 77 and 75 yards and then tied the game with a Brett Maher field goal in the final minute of the third quarter.

Bret Bielema on the sideline during the 2012 game in Lincoln. — Bret Bielema on the sideline during the 2012 game in Lincoln / Bruce Thorson photo-USA TODAY Sports

In the fourth period, Nebraska put together its fourth consecutive scoring drive. After starting at their own 10, the Huskers drove to the Wisconsin 24. There, Maher kicked what proved to be the game-winner from 41 yards with 9:41 left.

All the while, the Blackshirts were keeping the Badgers at bay. After taking that 17-point lead, Wisconsin was outyarded 287 to 81. Nebraska held the Badgers to 56 net yards rushing for the game.

Forgettable stuff indeed from the Badgers' perspective.

A little over two months later, however, it was Bielema and Wisconsin's turn to deliver a performance that the opposition would just as soon forget. The Badgers administered a 70-31 whipping on the Huskers in the Big Ten Championship Game, running over, around and through the Nebraska defense for 539 rushing yards.

Bielema left Wisconsin for the Arkansas job shortly after that game. He is now in his second season at the helm for Illinois and has his team ranked 17th nationally. A Nebraska win Saturday would certainly give the Huskers something to remember: their first win over a ranked team in more than six years.

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Published Oct 24, 2022

JOE HUDSON

Joe Hudson has operated a Husker-related website since 1995 and joined forces with David Max to form HuskerPedia (later renamed HuskerMax) in 1999. It began as a hobby during his 35 years as a newspaper editor and reporter, a career that included stints at the Lincoln Star, Omaha World-Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer and Denver Post. In Denver, Joe was chief of the copy desk during his final 16 years at the Post. He is proud to have been involved in Pulitzer Prize-winning projects in both Philadelphia and Denver. Joe has been a Nebraska football fan since the mid-1960s during his childhood in Omaha. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in journalism and economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1976. He resides a few freeway exits north of Colorado Springs and enjoys bicycling and walking his dogs in his spare time. You can reach him at joeroyhud@outlook.com.