By TOM LEA
tlea@espnwisconsin.com

MADISON – Because the Wisconsin football team last lost to Minnesota in 2003, it’s obvious none of the players currently on the roster had anything to do with it.

In fact, the players currently on the roster were still in their formative years and head coach Bret Bielema wasn’t even a head coach.

Here’s a quick snap shot of where a handful of UW players were in 2003 and what they were doing at that time.

TRAVIS FREDERICK:

“I graduated grade school in 2005 so 2003 would have put me in seventh grade. In seventh grade I was too fat to play football, the whole weight limit thing and the junior tackle. I was always too big for my age group. When I was old enough I was too big for that one. I did get to play one or two years, though, in the junior program.”

DAVID GILBERT:

“I was in seventh grade. I didn’t even play football in seventh grade. I was a happy go lucky middle schooler.”

JOEL STAVE:

“(Fifth grade) sounds about right. I was (playing football). I’ve been watching this series for a long time because I’ve been watching this team for a long time. To be a part of it and to have a chance to keep that streak going is really, really exciting for me.”

MONTEE BALL:

“I was pretty young. I probably had no idea what was happening. Like I said, we don’t want to be the team to lose the streak.

MIKE TAYLOR:

“I was in seventh or eighth grade in 2003. That was a long time ago. Obviously Minnesota is going to be hungry. They play well every year. It doesn’t matter what their record is. Records don’t matter. It’s a rivalry game and you get to play for the axe and both teams are going to play hard. It’s going to be a physical game.”

JARED ABBREDERIS:

“I was in about fifth or sixth grade. It’s been a while, but we’ve just got to keep it going. I definitely didn’t (think about being a star receiver at Wisconsin). I was just having fun in middle school playing football, track and all those things. It’s definitely been an awesome journey so far.”