1952 Wisconsin Badgers football team

The 1952 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin in the 1952 Big Ten Conference football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Ivy Williamson, the Badgers compiled an overall record of 6–3–1 with a mark of 4–1–1 in conference play, sharing the Big Ten title with Purdue. Wisconsin was invited to the Rose Bowl, where they lost to USC. It was the Badgers' first bowl game. Dave Suminski was the team's MVP and George O'Brien was team captain.[1]

1952 Wisconsin Badgers football
Big Ten co-champion
Rose Bowl, L 0–7 vs. USC
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 10
APNo. 11
Record6–3–1 (4–1–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPDave Suminski
CaptainGeorge O'Brien
Home stadiumCamp Randall Stadium
Seasons
← 1951
1953 →
1952 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 11 Wisconsin + 4 1 1 6 3 1
No. 18 Purdue + 4 1 1 4 3 2
No. 17 Ohio State 5 2 0 6 3 0
Michigan 4 2 0 5 4 0
Minnesota 3 1 2 4 3 2
Illinois 2 5 0 4 5 0
Northwestern 2 5 0 2 6 1
Iowa 2 5 0 2 7 0
Indiana 1 5 0 2 7 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The Badgers offense scored 228 points while the defense allowed 150 points. Wisconsin spent one week at No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first and only time in program history.

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendance
September 27Marquette*No. 7W 42–1951,303
October 4No. 2 IllinoisNo. 8
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
W 20–652,071
October 11at Ohio StateNo. 1L 14–2380,345
October 18at IowaNo. 12W 42–1345,050
October 25No. 8 UCLA*No. 10
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
L 7–2052,131
November 1at Rice*No. 18W 21–736,000
November 8Northwestern No. 18
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
W 24–2052,131
November 15at IndianaNo. 15W 37–1422,000
November 22MinnesotaNo. 13
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI (rivalry)
T 21–2152,131
January 1, 1953vs. No. 5 USC*No. 11L 0–7101,500
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Wisconsin players in the NFL Draft

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Player Position Draft Year Round Pick NFL club
Bob Kennedy Back 1953 6 67 Green Bay Packers
Charley Berndt Tackle 1953 10 111 Chicago Cardinals
Harland Carl Back 1953 14 161 Chicago Bears
Dave Suminski Tackle 1953 15 171 Washington Redskins
Alan Ameche Back 1955 1 3 Baltimore Colts
Jim Haluska Back 1954 34 340 Chicago Bears

References

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  1. ^ "Wisconsin Football Fact Book" (PDF). Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. pp. 138, 143. Retrieved December 29, 2021.