TAMPA, Fla. — Wisconsin hoisted Barry Alvarez into the air for one more victory ride.
The school’s career victory leader called it quits — again — after the 17th-ranked Badgers took down No. 19 Auburn 34-31 in overtime in the Outback Bowl on Thursday.
It took a strong farewell performance by Melvin Gordon, a 25-yard field goal in overtime, and Alvarez’s steady leadership in the wake of the abrupt departure of former coach Gary Andersen to get the job done.
“I’ve had a couple of those, and I like them,” Alvarez, the school’s athletic director for the past 11 years, said after being doused with a sports drink and carried off the field after stopping a four-game skid in bowl games.
“It’s a little uncomfortable afterwards, but I like them. And it’s special for those seniors. It meant a lot to them. They won a lot of games here,” Alvarez added. “They haven’t won a lot of bowl games. So they put a lot into it, they bought into it, they gave us strong leadership when it was needed, and now they can enjoy it.”