INDIVIDUAL NOTES
QB Tanner Mordecai was 27-for-40 for 378 yards passing with 3 TDs. He became the 11th Badger QB to throw for300+ yards in a game and the first since Jack Coan in 2019 vs. Central Michigan. His 378 yards were the most ever for a Badger QB against an SEC team and rank fifth in school history.
- Darrell Bevell vs. Minnesota, Oct. 23, 1993 423 yards
- Ron Vander Kelen vs. USC, Jan. 1, 1963 401
- Tyler Donovan vs. Illinois, Oct. 6, 2007 392
- Jim Sorgi vs. Michigan State, Nov. 11, 2003 380
- Tanner Mordecai vs. LSU, Jan. 1, 2024 378
His 378 yards were the second-most in a bowl game in school history.
Mordecai’s 3 passing TDs were his most since tossing 9 as SMU’s signal caller in a win over Houston on Nov. 5, 2022. His 3passing TD’s rank second in Badger bowl history behind only Alex Hornibrook’s 4 passing TD’s in the 2017 Orange Bowl.
WR Will Pauling became the first Badger this season to record 100 yards receiving in a single game as he caught 8 passes for 143 yards. He became the first Badger receiver to do so since Chimere Dike againstNorthwestern on Oct. 8, 2022.
Pauling concluded his first season inMadison in 5th place on UW’s single-sea-son receptions list.
SINGLE-SEASON RECEPTIONS
Rk. Player, year Receptions
- Jared Abbrederis, 2013 78
- Alex Erickson, 2015 77
- Lee Evans, 2001 75
- Travis Beckum, 2007 75
- Will Pauling, 2023 74
- Lee Evans, 2003 64
- Nick Toon, 2011 64
Pauling scored on a 53-yard catch in the first quarter, his longest catch of his career and longest by a Badger since Bryson Green hauled in a 54-yard score at Indiana.The catch was the third longest in UW bowl history.
UW BOWL GAMES - LONGEST RECEPTIONS
Rk. Player, opponent, date, yards
1. Tim Stracka vs. Kansas St., Dec. 11, 1982. 87
2. Lee Evans vs. UCLA, Dec. 29, 2000 54
3. Will Pauling vs. LSU, Jan. 1, 2024 53
4. Tony Simmons vs. Duke, Jan. 2, 1995 52
5. Jonathan Orr vs. Auburn, Jan. 2, 2006 45
Pauling’s 143 yards were the third most by a Badger in a bowl game.
RB Jackson Acker scampered for a 34-yard score in the third quarter, the longest rush of his career. He finished with a career-high86 yards on 15 carries and added 22 yards receiving.
WR Trech Kekahuna made his first catch as a Badger in the second quarter. He shook a tackle and picked up 9 yards. He finished with4 catches for 64 yards.
Kekahuna also broke a 37-yard kick return in the third quarter, the longest of his career.
S Hunter Wohler made 7 tackles and also posted a pair of pass breakups, a career-high.He ended his season with 120 tackles, which ranks third in school history by a defensive back.
SINGLE-SEASON TACKLES (DB), UW HISTORY
Rk. Player, year Tackles
1. Reggie Holt, 1991 144
2. Greg Thomas, 1990 123
3. Hunter Wohler, 2023 120
4. Jason Doering, 1999 111
5. Michael Caputo, 2014 106
Wohler wrapped up the 2023 season with 74 solo tackles, the third-most by a Badger DB in program history.
SINGLE-SEASON SOLO TACKLES (DB)
Rk. Player, year, solo tackles
- Jason Doering, 1999 79
- Reggie Holt, 1991 77
- Hunter Wohler, 2023 74
- Jason Doering, 2000 73
Ryan Aiello, 2002 73
6. Jason Doering, 2001 71
CB Ricardo Hallman grabbed a second-quarter INT to push his season total to 7. Hallman, an AP third team All-American, is the first Badger to tally 7 interceptions since Shane Carter did so in 2007.
UW SINGLE-SEASON INTERCEPTIONS
Rk. Player, year INTs
1.Jim Leonhard, 2001 11
2 Neovia Greyer, 1970 9
3. Dale Hackbart, 1958 7
Scott Erdmann, 1976 7
Nate Odomes, 1986 7
Jeff Messenger, 1993 7
Jamar Fletcher, 1998 7
Jamar Fletcher, 1999 7
Jamar Fletcher, 2000 7
Jim Leonhard, 2003 7
Shane Carter, 2007 7
Ricardo Hallman, 2023 7
LB Maema Njongmeta recorded a team-high 10 tackles.
S Austin Brown posted a career-high 8tackles, including 6 solo stops.
CB Nyzier Fourqurean made a career-high8 tackles after recording a previous-high 7 tackles against MInnesota on Nov. 25.