The 2019 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers competed as a member of the West Division of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. They were led by head coach Paul Chryst, who was in his fifth season at Wisconsin.
Season overview
- Overall record: 10–4
- Conference record: 7–2 (Big Ten West Division)
- Final rankings: No. 18 in the AP Poll, No. 22 in the Coaches Poll
Coaching staff
- Head Coach: Paul Chryst (5th year)
- Offensive Coordinator: Joe Rudolph (3rd year) – offensive scheme: Pro‑style
- Defensive Coordinator: Jim Leonhard (2nd year) – defensive scheme: 4–3
Key players
- Quarterback: Jack Coan (redshirt senior) – primary passer, 2,295 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, 8 interceptions
- Running backs: Jonathan Taylor (junior) – 1,977 rushing yards, 21 touchdowns; Alex Hornibrook (redshirt senior) – contributed in passing and rushing
- Wide receivers: D'Margus Winchester (senior) – 696 receiving yards, 5 touchdowns; Austin Mack (junior) – 636 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns
- Tight end: David Montgomery (senior) – 467 receiving yards, 7 touchdowns, also contributed on special teams
- Defensive standouts: Zach Petrick (senior) – 66 tackles, 4.5 sacks; T.J. Edwards (senior) – 48 tackles, 9.5 sacks, named first‑team All‑Big Ten
Season highlights
- Opened the season with a 45–7 victory over Eastern Michigan.
- Defeated three ranked opponents: No. 11 Iowa (34–24), No. 22 Ohio State (38–33), and No. 19 Northwestern (28–21) in the Big Ten West Division matchup.
- Lost to No. 8 Ohio State 38–33 in a closely contested game that decided the Big Ten East champion.
- Closed the regular season with a 38–10 win over Iowa, securing the West Division title with a 7–2 conference record.
Postseason
- The Badgers earned a berth in the 2019 Big Ten Championship Game, where they faced No. 1 Ohio State and lost 34–21.
- Wisconsin received an invitation to the 2019 Guaranteed Rate Bowl, defeating No. 21 Kansas State 27–17. This win gave the Badgers a final record of 10–4.
Awards and honors
- Jonathan Taylor was named a consensus All‑American (first team) and won the Doak Walker Award (best college running back).
- T.J. Edwards received first‑team All‑Big Ten honors on defense.
- Several offensive linemen, including Rashan Gary, earned All‑Big Ten recognition.
Statistical summary (team averages)
- Points per game: 33.4 (ranked 3rd nationally)
- Total offense: 492.2 yards per game (ranked 5th nationally)
- Rushing offense: 282.5 yards per game (ranked 2nd nationally)
The 2019 season reinforced Wisconsin’s reputation for a strong rushing attack and solid defensive play, culminating in a ten‑win campaign and a bowl victory.
