SportsDirect Inc. staff
Jan 1, 2013
No. 8 Stanford 20, No. 23 Wisconsin 14: Stepfan Taylor rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown and the Cardinal turned in a stellar defensive effort to win their first Rose Bowl in 41 years.
Kelsey Young ran for a touchdown and Stanford (12-2) made its early 14-0 lead stand up by blanking Wisconsin (8-6) in the second half to win its eighth consecutive game and avenge a 17-9 loss to the Badgers in the 2000 Rose Bowl.
Montee Ball rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown and Curt Phillips had a 4-yard scoring pass to Jordan Fredrick for Wisconsin, which lost in the "Granddaddy of Them All" for the third consecutive season.
The lone turnover of the game, an interception by Stanford's Usua Amanam with 2:03 to play, snuffed out the Badgers' last hope after the Cardinal went ahead 20-14 on Jordan Williamson's second field goal, a 22-yarder with 4:23 to play.
The Cardinal appeared en route to a blowout after scoring on two long touchdown drives on their first two possessions, but Ball's 11-yard run with 9:05 left in the second quarter cut it to 14-7 before Phillips capped an 85-yard drive with his scoring toss to Fredrick with 19 seconds left in the half to pull the Badgers within 17-14.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Ball became the first player to score in three different Rose Bowls and boosted his FBS career-record total to 83 touchdowns. ... Stanford QB Kevin Hogan finished 12-of-19 for 123 yards and the Cardinals limited Wisconsin to 72 total yards in the second half to win their first Rose Bowl since 1972. ... Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, who coached the team after Bret Bielema accepted a job at Arkansas, lost his first Rose Bowl in four appearances.