The outcome was no longer in doubt by the time Wisconsin finished the third quarter with a 52-7 lead against Indiana on Oct. 15, 2011. Running back Montee Ball had wrapped up his three-touchdown day with a 54-yard score, zipping untouched down the left sideline only minutes earlier, and the backups were headed onto the field. 

There were many significant, memorable matchups with Ball and quarterback Russell Wilson leading the way during a Rose Bowl season that featured the Badgers winning the inaugural Big Ten championship game. For most people, this was not one of them. But for me, it marked the start of what has become a 14-year journey chronicling Wisconsin as a beat reporter.

I can still remember what happened next, when the first horn notes of Jump Around blared over the loudspeakers. The Camp Randall Stadium press box shook so vigorously as fans bounced up and down in the bleachers that I briefly wondered whether I’d make it to another game or whether the heavy, curve-screened televisions hanging from the ceiling might rattle loose and land on top of me. They remained intact. I survived.

So much has changed since then. The Big Ten has expanded from 12 to 18 teams spanning both coasts. Players are now able to profit off their name, image and likeness. The TVs in the renovated press box are flat screens. Wisconsin has played 175 more football games. During that time, I’ve covered 60 assistant coaches, 47 NFL Draft picks and five head coaches.

What hasn’t changed is your passion for the Badgers — and my passion for telling the stories that matter to you. That combination is why I am here.

I’m proud to announce that I have accepted the role as director of content for Badger Connect. This is part of a revamped membership-based venture that not only offers Badgers fans opportunities to gain access to unique experiences and support your favorite teams, but also to read high-quality coverage of the programs you care about from someone who has devoted a career to it.

I have covered Wisconsin for four media outlets: FOX Sports Wisconsin, ESPN.com, Land of 10 and, most recently, The Athletic for the past seven years. The Athletic de-emphasized its beat coverage and decided this spring it would no longer provide dedicated reporting of Wisconsin. I was instead offered a job as a roving beat reporter who would be tasked with chronicling a handful of college football teams during a given season. I declined.

At a certain point in life, one has to evaluate what really matters. And after putting a decade-and-a-half into the people and programs at Wisconsin, I wasn’t ready to leave. The Athletic determined that writing about Wisconsin was no longer important. But it remains plenty important to me. I know it is to you, too. Badger Connect is where we can come together.

If you’re familiar with my work from The Athletic, you can expect much of the same type of coverage. Wisconsin football will be a primary emphasis, but there will also be more stories about Badgers basketball, volleyball and hockey. You can expect multiple stories every week as well as a new video component offering expert analysis and player and coach interviews.

My mission is to entertain and inform through storytelling, to take you behind the scenes in new ways. Some personal favorites of mine from The Athletic include eating lunch at Red Robin with Wisconsin’s offensive line, fishing on Lake Monona with running back Taiwan Deal, understanding the mind of Jonathan Taylor and his drive to succeed, reliving the player experience of home football game stays at the Best Western Inntowner and providing an inside look at Brady Collins and his strength program under Luke Fickell.

I’ve written about Kelly Sheffield’s successful volleyball culture, Greg Gard’s new pro-driven gameday approach, Don Morton’s appraisal of his failed late-1980s stint, the best untold Barry Alvarez stories from his time as Wisconsin’s coach, how Jim Leonhard’s hometown of Tony, Wis., shaped him, the missteps that hindered Paul Chryst at the end of his tenure and the challenges Fickell faces in attempting to reignite the football team.

Authenticity in how I report on these programs matters. It’s how I believe I’ve built my reputation. That means writing about what happens on and off the field with a discerning eye, evaluating not only the highs but also the lows. I expect to have that freedom here so I can provide you with the product you deserve. 

There will be stories about practices, games, recruiting and the transfer portal, as well as in-depth profiles of the coaches, players and people around Wisconsin’s programs. There will be off-the-beaten-path stories and videos that serve as a reminder of the fun that sports can bring. All of it will be found here, in your new home for Badgers coverage.

I’m eager to continue this journey and excited to share it with you.

Jesse Temple has twice been honored as a top-10 beat reporter in the country by the Associated Press Sports Editors for his Wisconsin coverage. He has earned seven Football Writers Association of America best writing awards and two U.S. Basketball Writers Association contest honors. If you would like to become a Badger Connect member to read his stories, click here.

(Photo courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics)