Ron Dayne not only holds the Wisconsin rushing yards record, but the entire NCAA rushing yards record. The Wisconsin Badgers football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Wisconsin Badgers football program in various categories,[ 1] including passing , rushing , receiving , total offense , defensive stats, and kicking . Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. The Badgers represent the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA 's Big Ten Conference .
Although Wisconsin began competing in intercollegiate football in 1889,[ 1] the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1946. Records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are generally not included in these lists.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
Since 1946, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length. The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers. Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002.[ 2] The Badgers have reached a bowl game every year since then, giving recent players an extra game each year to accumulate statistics. Similarly, the Badgers have played in the Big Ten Football Championship Game five times since its establishment in 2011. These lists are updated through Wisconsin's game against LSU on January 1, 2024 .
Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Darrell Bevell 7,686 1992 1993 1994 1995 2 Joel Stave 7,635 2012 2013 2014 2015 3 John Stocco 7,227 2003 2004 2005 2006 4 Brooks Bollinger 5,627 1999 2000 2001 2002 5 Alex Hornibrook 5,438 2016 2017 2018 6 Graham Mertz 5,405 2019 2020 2021 2022 7 Scott Tolzien 5,271 2008 2009 2010 2011 8 Randy Wright 5,003 1981 1982 1983 9 Mike Samuel 4,989 1995 1996 1997 1998 10 Jim Sorgi 4,498 2000 2001 2002 2003
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Russell Wilson 3,175 2011 2 John Stocco 2,920 2005 3 Jack Coan 2,725 2019 4 Scott Tolzien 2,705 2009 5 Joel Stave 2,687 2015 6 Alex Hornibrook 2,644 2017 7 Tyler Donovan 2,607 2007 8 Joel Stave 2,494 2013 9 Scott Tolzien 2,459 2010 10 Darrell Bevell 2,390 1993
Passing completion percentage [ edit ] Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Ron Dayne 7,125 1996 1997 1998 1999 2 Jonathan Taylor 6,174 2017 2018 2019 3 Montee Ball 5,140 2009 2010 2011 2012 4 Melvin Gordon 4,915 2011 2012 2013 2014 5 Anthony Davis 4,676 2001 2002 2003 2004 6 James White 4,015 2010 2011 2012 2013 7 P.J. Hill 3,942 2006 2007 2008 8 Billy Marek 3,709 1972 1973 1974 1975 9 Braelon Allen 3,494 2021 2022 2023 10 Brent Moss 3,428 1991 1992 1993 1994
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Melvin Gordon 2,587 2014 2 Jonathan Taylor 2,194 2018 3 Ron Dayne 2,109 1996 4 Ron Dayne 2,034 1999 5 Jonathan Taylor 2,003 2019 6 Jonathan Taylor 1,977 2017 7 Montee Ball 1,923 2011 8 Montee Ball 1,830 2012 9 Michael Bennett 1,681 2000 10 Brent Moss 1,637 1993
Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Lee Evans 3,468 1999 2000 2001 2003 2 Jared Abbrederis 3,140 2010 2011 2012 2013 3 Brandon Williams 2,924 2002 2003 2004 2005 4 Nick Toon 2,447 2008 2009 2010 2011 5 Travis Beckum 2,149 2006 2007 2008 6 Al Toon 2,103 1982 1983 1984 7 Chris Chambers 2,004 1997 1998 1999 2000 8 Tony Simmons 1,991 1994 1995 1996 1997 9 Lee DeRamus 1,974 1991 1992 1993 10 Alex Erickson 1,877 2013 2014 2015
Receiving touchdowns [ edit ] Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[ 28]
Total offense yards [ edit ] Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Darrell Bevell 7,477 1992 1993 1994 1995 2 Brooks Bollinger 7,394 1999 2000 2001 2002 3 Joel Stave 7,369 2012 2013 2014 2015 4 Ron Dayne 7,125 1996 1997 1998 1999 5 John Stocco 7,083 2003 2004 2005 2006 6 Jonathan Taylor 6,174 2017 2018 2019 7 Mike Samuel 5,750 1995 1996 1997 1998 8 Graham Mertz 5,384 2019 2020 2021 2022 9 Randy Wright 5,350 1981 1982 1983 10 Scott Tolzien 5,262 2008 2009 2010 2011
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Russell Wilson 3,513 2011 2 John Stocco 2,888 2005 3 Jack Coan 2,747 2019 4 Scott Tolzien 2,713 2009 5 Tyler Donovan 2,607 2007 6 Melvin Gordon 2,587 2014 7 Joel Stave 2,564 2015 8 Alex Hornibrook 2,543 2017 9 Randy Wright 2,481 1982 10 Joel Stave 2,472 2013
Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Ron Dayne 7,429 1996 1997 1998 1999 2 Jonathan Taylor 6,581 2017 2018 2019 3 Brandon Williams 5,852 2002 2003 2004 2005 4 Montee Ball 5,738 2009 2010 2011 2012 5 James White 5,450 2010 2011 2012 2013 6 Melvin Gordon 5,317 2011 2012 2013 2014 7 David Gilreath 5,265 2007 2008 2009 2010 8 Anthony Davis 4,874 2001 2002 2003 2004 9 Jared Abbrederis 4,818 2010 2011 2012 2013 10 Terrell Fletcher 4,322 1991 1992 1993 1994
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Melvin Gordon 2,740 2014 2 Jonathan Taylor 2,255 2019 3 Jonathan Taylor 2,254 2018 4 Ron Dayne 2,242 1996 5 Montee Ball 2,229 2011 6 Brian Calhoun 2,207 2005 7 Brandon Williams 2,138 2005 8 Jonathan Taylor 2,072 2017 9 Ron Dayne 2,043 1999 10 Jared Abbrederis 1,999 2011
Total touchdowns responsible for [ edit ] Field goal percentage [ edit ] ^ a b "2019 Wisconsin Badgers Fact Book" (PDF) . Wisconsin Badgers. Retrieved August 31, 2019 . ^ "NCAA changes policy on football stats" . ESPN.com . AP. August 28, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2014 . ^ a b c "Illinois 3-0 in Big Ten for first time since 1990" . ESPN.com . October 7, 2007. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. ^ a b c d "Evans ties Big Ten record in romp" . ESPN.com . November 17, 2003.[dead link ] ^ a b "ReliaQuest Box Score" . ESPN.com . January 1, 2024. ^ a b "Central Michigan vs. Wisconsin Box Score" . ESPN . September 7, 2019. Retrieved September 7, 2019 . ^ a b "Wisconsin rings up over 600 yards of offense to pummel Northern Illinois" . ESPN.com . September 18, 2011. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. ^ "Nick Toon nets 155 receiving yards as Wisconsin romps" . ESPN.com . September 24, 2011. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. ^ "Graham Mertz" . EPSN.com . ^ "Tanner Mordecai" . EPSN.com . ^ a b c "Illinois vs. Wisconsin Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 23, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020 . ^ "Wisconsin vs. Northwestern Box Score" . uwbadgers.com . October 8, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022 . ^ a b "Melvin Gordon sets FBS rushing record with 408 yards vs. Huskers" . ESPN.com . November 15, 2014. ^ "Godwin Igwebuike's 3 INTs help Northwestern upend No. 17 Wisconsin" . ESPN.com . October 4, 2014. ^ "Badgers' Calhoun rushes for 258 yards, 5 TDs" . ESPN.com . September 3, 2005.[dead link ] ^ "Illinois falls to 0-5 in Big Ten" . ESPN.com . October 29, 2005. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. ^ "No. 19 Wisconsin rushes for Big Ten-record 644 yards in lopsided win" . ESPN.com . September 20, 2014. ^ "Jake Ferguson" . ESPN.com . ^ "Danny Davis III" . ESPN.com . ^ "Christian Hackenberg, Penn State ruin Wisconsin's BCS hopes" . ESPN.com . November 30, 2013. ^ a b c "Northwestern scores on seven straight possessions" . ESPN.com . October 8, 2005. ^ "Northwestern vs. Wisconsin Box Score" . ESPN.com . November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023 . ^ "Badger stars Evans, Davis combine for 461 yards" . ESPN.com . September 6, 2003.[dead link ] ^ "Braxton Miller returns with 4 touchdowns as Ohio State rolls" . ESPN.com . September 29, 2013. ^ "Wisconsin led 51-0 at half" . ESPN.com . September 10, 2005. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. ^ "Tolzien's career-best 4 TDs help Wisconsin fend off Michigan State" . ESPN.com . September 26, 2006.[dead link ] ^ "Hornibrook's 4 TDs carry Badgers over Miami, 34-24 in Orange" . ESPN.com . December 31, 2017. ^ "Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Record Book" (PDF) . National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 1, 2007. Retrieved January 3, 2008 . ^ "Field goal with 3 seconds left wins game" . ESPN.com . October 18, 2003. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. ^ a b c d e "Collin Larsh" . ESPN.com . ^ "Michigan celebrates 500th game in Big House with big win" . ESPN.com . September 28, 2008. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. ^ "Wisconsin vs. Purdue Box Score" . ESPN.com . September 22, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 . ^ a b "Nathanial Vakos" . ESPN.com . ^ a b "Nate Van Zelst" . ESPN.com .
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons