One play, 97 yards.
When the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes traveled to Madison, Wisconsin two years ago, that’s all it took to ignite the 81,194 fans packed tightly inside Camp Randall Stadium.
David Gilreath’s 97-yard kickoff return to open the game knocked the Buckeyes off kilter, and nothing they did with the remaining 59 minutes and 48 seconds got them back on track or quieted the crowd.
Ohio State—losing that game 31-18—became Wisconsin’s sixth straight victim inside Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers had defeated 15 straight opponents at home since then before falling to Michigan State two weeks ago, halting an impressive 21-game home winning streak that spanned four different seasons.
Wisconsin’s home-field advantage is undeniable, but is Camp Randall the Big Ten’s most inhospitable stadium?
This is really a two-party conversation between Wisconsin and Ohio State. Penn State used to have an argument, but the recent NCAA sanctions has reduced what used to be a steady flow of over 105,000 fans inside Beaver Stadium to something south of 95,000. That number will only continue to fall over time.
Camp Randall seats 25,000 fewer fans than Ohio Stadium, but that doesn’t make it any easier to play in.
Continue reading at Bleacher Report – Big Ten Football
