Marshall Football Signs Contract With Wisconsin

6/5/2001

Huntington, WV - Marshall University Director of Athletics Lance West announced today the signing of a one-game football contract with the University of Wisconsin. The game will be played on September 15, 2007, in Madison, WI.

"Anytime you get the chance to take on a Big Ten team, especially one the caliber of Wisconsin, it is exciting," Marshall head coach Bob Pruett said. "We want our program to continue to get better and better, and to do that we have to play the best, and that is what we are getting with Wisconsin."

Marshall will receive a guarantee of $475,000 for the game.

Wisconsin finished the 2000 campaign with a 9-4 record, including a 21-20 victory over UCLA in the Sun Bowl played in El Paso, TX. The Badgers are coached by Barry Alvarez. In his 11 years as the head of the Badgers, Alvarez has compiled a 79-48-4 record and led the Badgers to six bowl victories, including three Rose Bowl titles. He is the all-time winningest coach in Wisconsin history.

A total of eight former Wisconsin football players were taken in the 2001 NFL draft held in New York City. Only Florida State, who had nine players picked, had more former athletes selected. In addition, two Badgers were selected in the first round, giving Wisconsin five first-round choices in the past three years.

In the 2000 season, the Thundering Herd (8-5) recorded their fourth consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship with a 19-14 win over Western Michigan. The Herd also knocked off Cincinnati, 25-14, to claim their third straight Motor City Bowl Championship. Junior quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Byron Leftwich threw for 3,358 yards and 21 touchdowns during the regular season and another 221 yards in the Motor City Bowl, earning him MVP honors. His nine interceptions in 457 attempts ranked first in the nation among QBs with at least 400 attempts.

Future Marshall football non-conference opponents include the following: