(1/3/12) Wisconsin lost its second Rose Bowl in as many years, 45-to-38 to Oregon last night.
The Ducks went in front for good late in the third quarter, when Badgers' quarterback Russell Wilson threw an interception to Kiko Alonso -- and Oregon scored a touchdown just six plays later. Wisconsin was driving for a game-tying score when Jared Abbrederis (abb-reh-dair'-ess) lost a fumble at the end of a 29-yard pass play with 4:06 left. The Badgers had one last gasp with 16 seconds to play. Wilson completed two long passes to get to the Oregon 25-yard-line with two seconds left and no time-outs. He tried spiking the ball to stop the clock. But a replay showed that it was too late, and the game was over. The 83 points from both teams were the most in Rose Bowl history. D'Anthony Thomas had 314 all-purpose yards for Oregon, including a game-record 91-yard touchdown run and a 64-yard T-D scamper. Darron Thomas threw for 268 yards and three scores, as sixth-ranked Oregon won its first Rose Bowl since 1917 and finished 12-and-2. Montee Ball ran for 169 yards -- and his one touchdown tied Barry Sanders for the national season T-D record. Wilson threw for 296 yards, two scores, and two interceptions. Oregon out-gained the Badgers 621 yards to 508, and the Ducks held the ball for just 24 minutes. Number-nine Wisconsin finished at 11-and-3, as coach Bret Bielema's bowl record dropped to 2-and-4. Bielema said he would not apologize for a team that won the Big Ten title but came up a little short at the "Granddaddy of Them All."
