Camp Randall Stadium is tucked in a residential area and is part of one of the best college towns in America. The sight of leaves turning colors makes sitting in the stands extra special on an October afternoon. A great feature in Madison is nearby lakes Mendota and Monona, which is closest to campus. The capitol dome is visible from the stadium, and popular State Street, which has an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants and bars, is within walking distance.


        It’s a period piece that was built to be practical and not flashy. Frank Lloyd Wright-esque it’s not. Still, Camp Randall is an imposing horseshoe that features an upper deck on the west side. At the open end sits the Wisconsin Field House, a sort of tag-a-long little brother. But Camp Randall loses points for having artificial turf.


        It’s a fraternity-party atmosphere in Badgerland because of the crowd, which has swelled from just over 30,000 season-ticket holders in 1992 to as high as 60,000 under coach Barry Alvarez. Opposing teams are forced to pass the student section as they enter the field, which is intimidating. Former Iowa coach Hayden Fry had peppermint schnapps poured on him in 1983. The partying starts early, but perhaps the best tradition is at the end of the games. That’s when the band conducts the "Fifth Quarter." Fans hang around to sing and dance to stadium favorites such as "On Wisconsin" and the "Bud" song, which is punctuated by the phrase: "When you’ve said Wisconsin, you’ve said it all!"


        Camp Randall is steeped in lore, as players such as 1954 Heisman winner Alan Ameche, Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch, Billy Marek, Jim Bakken, Mike Webster, Al Toon and 1999 Heisman winner Ron Dayne have played there. To honor its heroes, Wisconsin recently added a de facto ring of fame that hangs from the west upper deck façade. So far, Dayne and Ameche have been honored.


        "The Badger fans behaved well except for the rotten egg thrown our direction when we came out after halftime." ­ former Iowa coach Hayden Fry.


        Aside from adding new scoreboards and putting in new fake turf in recent years, this place needs help. At the conclusion of the 2001 season, a three-year, $100-million overhaul is slated to begin. Things like luxury boxes, a widened concourse, better rest rooms and improved concession stands will be addressed. The south end zone also will be enclosed.


        The 13-10 win over Michigan October 30, 1993, was memorable for several reasons. The victory solidified the Badgers as a legitimate Big Ten force and helped propel the school to its first Rose Bowl since the 1962 season. The game created such a frenzy that a group of students in the northeast corner of the stadium surged toward the field and caused a fence to collapse. No one was killed, but 69 people were critically injured. The scary scene featured players carrying ailing students to help.

-- By Tom Dienhart
The Sporting News