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The 2012 Big Ten football season is now a thing of the past, and the Wisconsin Badgers will officially represent the conference in the Rose Bowl after a thorough destruction of Nebraska on Saturday in the league championship game.
Despite winning just four out of eight games in conference play during the regular season, the Badgers exploded for 42 first-half points to stun the Cornhuskers in their biggest game of the year. Along with producing eight total rushing touchdowns in the 70-31 victory, the Badgers finished Saturday's win with two separate 200-yard rushers in Melvin Gordon and Montee Ball.
Unable to get the better of the Cornhuskers on Oct. 20 in Evanston, the Northwestern Wildcats ended the season with the third-most victories of any Big Ten school. The Wildcats did not have a chance to face off with the Badgers at any point during the year, and have not faced Wisconsin since allowing 70 points to the Badgers on Nov. 27, 2010.
Here are the final Big Ten standings after conference championship week:
| Legends | CONF | OVERALL |
| Nebraska | 7-1 | 10-3 |
| Michigan | 6-2 | 8-4 |
| Northwestern | 5-3 | 9-3 |
| Michigan State | 3-5 | 6-6 |
| Iowa | 2-6 | 4-8 |
| Minnesota | 2-6 | 6-6 |
| Leaders | CONF | OVERALL |
| Ohio State | 8-0 | 12-0 |
| Penn State | 6-2 | 8-4 |
| Wisconsin | 4-4 | 8-5 |
| Purdue | 3-5 | 6-6 |
| Indiana | 2-6 | 4-8 |
| Illinois | 0-8 | 2-10 |