INDIANAPOLIS — The 2012 Big Ten championship game might as well have been a 60-minute Wisconsin highlight reel.

The Badgers made big play after big play as they bowled over Nebraska en route to a 70-31 victory Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium, punching their ticket to Pasadena, Calif., and the Rose Bowl Game for the third straight year.

Nebraska couldn’t contain Wisconsin’s offense, as the Badgers gained 640 total yards — including 539 rushing, the most ever allowed by a Nebraska team — and ripped off nine plays of more than 20 yards, five of which spanned more than 40 yards.

Saturday’s game marked the first time in Wisconsin history that two players rushed for over 200 yards, and three rushed for over 100. Senior Montee Ball ran for 202 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries, junior James White had 119 yards and four scores on 15 carries, and redshirt freshman Melvin Gordon had 216 yards and one touchdown on just nine runs for an average of 24 yards per carry.

Ball’s three-touchdown performance extended his NCAA record for total touchdowns to 82 and set the record for career rushing touchdowns with his 76th. Saturday’s eight rushing touchdowns was also a school record.

“We all felt like we had a big statement to make on a big stage,” Ball said. “We kind of set our minds before the game that this is our game. The running backs were going to set the tempo.”

The Badgers got off to a quick start, scoring on a four-play opening drive with a 56-yard touchdown run by Gordon. Badgers cornerback Marcus Cromartie then intercepted Cornhuskers quarterback Taylor Martinez for a pick-six on Nebraska’s first offensive play to go up 14-0.

Martinez did get loose on a scramble for a 76-yard touchdown run, but the big plays kept coming from the Badgers, who led throughout and continued to pile on points to secure their second straight Big Ten game victory. Wisconsin won the inaugural game 42-39 against Michigan State last season.

The Badgers’ stellar rushing performance had quarterback Curt Phillips handing the ball off most of the game. He attempted only eight passes, completing six for 71 yards, but still got in on the fun with a 27-yard catch from wide receiver Jared Abbrederis on a reverse pass play that set up White’s 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

While Martinez contributed on the ground for the Cornhuskers with 176 yards and two touchdowns, he finished with 184 yards and two interceptions on 17-for-33 passing and lost one-of-two fumbles.

“Everything, I mean everything, went wrong,” Nebraska safety P.J. Smith said.

Wisconsin (8-5, 5-4 Big Ten) finished third in the Leaders Division behind Ohio State (12-0, 8-0) and Penn State (8-4, 6-2) — which both beat Wisconsin in the regular season — but the Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions were ineligible for postseason play, allowing the Badgers to sneak into the Big Ten title game with 4-4 conference record.

“We lost two heartbreakers to two good teams — Ohio State and Penn State,” Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema said. “We knew they couldn’t be here, so we took advantage of the opportunity. Our team is resilient, full of character and we have a room full of men who really know how to persevere.”

Wisconsin will face Stanford on Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl, becoming the first school to represent the conference in the game for three consecutive years since Michigan did in 1977-79.

The Badgers lost to TCU 21-19 in the 2011 Rose Bowl and to Oregon 45-38 in 2012.

“It’s OK to get there, but you need to win it,” Bielema said. “We’re going out there on a mission to play a great team in Stanford. We know we have work to do. We played to win the game today, to go to the Rose Bowl. We have unbelievable respect for Stanford, so we’ll enjoy this and get ready for Pasadena.”

Chad can be reached at [email protected] and @cthornburg10.