Including the Guaranteed Rate Bowl (sponsored by the mortgage company Guaranteed Rate) slated for December 27, the Badgers have made it to 34 bowl games since the beginning of the UW football program. Of the 33 games played, Wisconsin has won 18, resulting in a victory rate of 55 percent — a much better rate for winning than for mortgages, to be sure. No one can guarantee the outcome of this next game, but we’re certainly hoping for a victory against Oklahoma State. This bowl game presents a variety of firsts for the Badgers: it’s their inaugural appearance in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, their first matchup against Oklahoma State in program history, and new head coach Luke Fickell’s opening shot at a Badger win. (We’re also very much looking forward to the inaugural standoff between Bucky and Pistol Pete.) Though the venue, opponent, and coach will be new to the Badgers, bowl games are old hat by now. With 21 consecutive bowl game bids, Wisconsin has the third-longest active bowl streak in college football, following Georgia (26) and Oklahoma (24).