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Series with Ducks not short on drama LUCAS AT LARGE MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM T he last three games between Oregon and Wisconsin have been decided by three, four and three points and have been impacted by the Super Sub, the Sprinter and the Polish Rifle. Based on their mini-series his- tory — they have met only four times — the Ducks and the Badgers will have a hard act to follow in the Rose Bowl, though everyone antici- pates an offensive shootout. The last time they played the world was being introduced to "Sulley" and "Beast Mode" (read: Brewers and Prince Fielder) in an animated film, "Monsters, Inc.,'' which was released in 2001. The Super Sub was quarterback Jim Sorgi, who started for the injured Brooks Bollinger. The year before, Sorgi came off the bench to match stats with Drew Brees in an overtime loss to Purdue. Now he was pitted against Pal Joey — Oregon's Joey Harrington. Sorgi held his own statistically — 16 of 32 for 231 yards and two touchdowns — while rallying the Badgers three times from deficits in front of a raucous crowd at Aut- zen Stadium in Eugene. But the Heisman-hyped Har- rington was a little better — 23 of 48 for 278 yards — and so were the Ducks (31-28), who extended their home winning streak to 21 straight. UW's Lee Evans had eight catches for 168 yards; the last of which moved the chains to the Oregon 47-yard-line with little over a minute to play. But a Nick Davis 8 » VARSITY DECEMBER 8, 2011 Based on their mini- series history, the Ducks and the Badgers will have a hard act to follow in the Rose Bowl, though everyone anticipates an offensive shootout. drop at the 28 ended the drive. Both teams made a lot of big plays. Soaking in the environment, Wisconsin defensive tackle Wen- dell Bryant said afterward, "It was like a Rose Bowl-type atmosphere in the regular season.'' The 2000 meeting in Madison was equally entertaining. "What a day by Michael Ben- nett,'' said Barry Alvarez, then UW's coach. "Seemed like a switch came on. He may have just grown up to be a great running back.'' Bennett, the Sprinter, rushed 28 times for 290 yards, which includ- ed touchdowns of 59 and 75 yards and an 83-yard run that set up the winning score as the Badgers hung on to beat the Ducks, 27-23. Oregon had just taken the lead after Matt Smith picked off a Bol- linger pass and returned it 47 yards for a score with 6 minutes and 9 second left. That's when Bennett got loose again. "I told my O-line, 'Give me a hole and I'm gone' and they gave it to me,'' said Bennett, who shared the spotlight with cornerback Jamar Fletcher — who intercepted Harrington three times. "I did tend to notice No. 2 (Fletcher) when he got on the field,'' Alvarez said. For sheer theatrics, nothing could top the 1978 matchup be- tween Oregon and Wisconsin. With the Badgers trailing 19-7 in the fourth quarter, Mike Kalasmiki — the Polish Rifle — engineered one of the most improbable come- backs in Camp Randall history. Coming into the game, Kalas- miki was listed as the No. 3 quar- terback behind starter John Josten (who left with a knee injury) and backup Charles Green (who had been ineffective replacing Josten). Kalasmiki was sporting two black eyes and 11 stitches across the bridge of his nose before the kickoff — the result of having fallen down the fire escape of his apart- ment three days before the game. Kalasmiki had missed most of his sophomore year with a knee injury but had a strong arm. How strong? On a dare before practice, he once threw a ball out of the sta- dium from field level. Against the Ducks, he had scor- ing strikes to Tim Stracka and David Charles while leading UW to all of its points in the final 10:29 of a memorable 22-19 win. "That was one crazy game,'' Ka- lasmiki said. Will there be another one be- tween the Ducks and the Badgers in Pasadena?