2006 Wisconsin Badgers football team

2006 Wisconsin Badgers football
Capital One Bowl champion
Capital One Bowl, W 17–14 vs. Arkansas
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 5
APNo. 7
Record12–1 (7–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorPaul Chryst (2nd season)
Offensive schemePro-style
Defensive coordinatorMike Hankwitz (1st season)
Base defense4–3
MVPJohn Stocco
Joe Thomas
Joe Monty
Mark Zalewski
Joe Stellmacher
Roderick Rogers
CaptainJohn Stocco
Joe Thomas
Mark Zalewski
(4th captain named each game)
Home stadiumCamp Randall Stadium
Seasons
← 2005
2007 →
2006 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 Ohio State $   8 0     12 1  
No. 8 Michigan %   7 1     11 2  
No. 7 Wisconsin   7 1     12 1  
No. 24 Penn State   5 3     9 4  
Purdue   5 3     8 6  
Minnesota   3 5     6 7  
Indiana   3 5     5 7  
Northwestern   2 6     4 8  
Iowa   2 6     6 7  
Illinois   1 7     2 10  
Michigan State   1 7     4 8  
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2006 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by first-year head coach Bret Bielema, the Badgers completed the season with a 12–1 record, including a 7–1 mark in the Big Ten Conference, good for a second-place tie with Michigan.

The season was one of the most successful in Badgers football history. The 11 regular-season wins and 12 overall wins were both single season records for the Badgers, and the season ended with a second straight victory in the Capital One Bowl, over Arkansas, 17-14. The Badgers, who were not ranked in the preseason and were expected to finish in the middle of the Big Ten, surprised many with their success and ended the season ranked #7 in the AP Poll and #5 in the Coaches' Poll.