This story first appeared in 2020 during the COVID-19 shutdown as part of the "50 in 50" series looking at the 50 greatest Wisconsin sports moments of the previous 50 years (this was No. 49).

A month before his most memorable moment in a Badgers uniform, David Gilreath left Camp Randall Stadium in an ambulance.

A shot to the head on a punt return against San Jose State in early September put Gilreath on the turf, motionless, and he was carried out on a stretcher after 10 minutes of attention on the field. The senior was diagnosed with a concussion but somehow dodged additional injuries.

"He was out for maybe that first minute or so," UW coach Bret Bielema said afterward. "About a minute-and-a-half into it, he was talking, moving his arms and trying to get up and they were pushing him down."

The Badgers escaped, 27-14, despite the Spartans coming in as a 38-point underdog, and the senior Gilreath  missed the next two games. He'd come off of stress fractures in both feet that seriously hobbled him during the 2009 season, leaving Gilreath in such bad shape he contemplated redshirting. The pain lingered all season and left him with disappointing numbers, with his breaking and accelerating handicapped. But he headed into 2010 feeling healthy.

His concussion was no longer an issue when the No. 1 team in the country came into Camp Randall Stadium for the first time in 13 years on Oct. 16, 2010. Instead of a ringing in his ears when Gilreath authored a moment that ranks among the loudest in the stadium's history — if not the loudest — Gilreath instead heard ... silence.

"Honestly, I don't remember hearing anything," Gilreath said years later. "It was completely quiet to me. I just remember thinking: 'Whatever you do, don't get caught.'"

Gilreath's 97-yard kickoff return up the gut was a remarkable first note in a heavily hyped clash with the Buckeyes. Played under the lights on national television, Wisconsin prevailed, 31-18, and eventually went on to share the Big Ten title.

The Badgers were led by the tailback tandem of John Clay and James White, but the 81,194 fans in attendance will remember how the game started as much as anything, the play that prompted longtime Badgers play-by-play announcer Matt Lepay to proclaim, "And this game is underway with a bang."

The Big Ten's return leader helps take down No. 1

Gilreath finished the game with four returns for 163 yards (40.8 average), and he proved to be an electric return man throughout his four seasons. He left the game with a Big Ten-record 2,677 kickoff return yards, having passed the mark of Michigan State’s Derrick Mason (2,575 yards from 1993-96).

On this occasion, after ESPN's “College GameDay” had paid a visit to Madison earlier in the day, Gilreath picked the biggest stage to take a star turn.

"Going into that game, it was such a hyped-up game," said Bradie Ewing, UW's starting fullback that season and one of the players who threw a block that allowed Gilreath to reach the end zone in just 14 seconds. "There was a buzz around campus all week. ‘GameDay’ was there. Ohio State was ranked No. 1.

"So to come out in a big game like that, I think it is easy to be a little tentative and try to feel out the situation."

But the Badgers won the coin toss, elected to receive, and took the tentativeness right out of it. Gilreath fielded Drew Basil's kick at the 3-yard line, moved through a seam on the left side and burst into the clear at the 35. Ewing planted Basil on his back, and as Gilreath outran five players, the stadium escalated into newfound decibel levels.

"I looked up at the big screen and saw they're not really there," he said of would-be tacklers. "I looked up again. They weren't even close, so I slowed down. I don't know what made me look up there but it was kind of crazy.

"We thought that the details of their special teams … they were kind of lackadaisical," Gilreath said. "They were out of their lanes. It just didn't seem like they put too much prep into their special teams, and we felt like we could get one."

Linebacker Ethan Armstrong and tight end Brian Wozniak also threw blocks on the play, but Gilreath credited Ewing with the biggie.

"Bradie had the greatest block of all time," Gilreath said. "That play, I think it was the only time that year we were 10 for 10 on blocks. Everybody had a perfect block. Anybody could have taken it to the house that night."

It was the first kickoff return for a Badgers player in a decade, with Lee Evans against Indiana in 2000 the most recent example. The last time UW had opened a game with a kickoff return for a score was 1989, when Fred Owens went 96 yards against Illinois.

Two-headed tailback monster finishes the deal

The rest of the Badgers took it from there. Wisconsin built a 21-0 lead against the Buckeyes, led by quarterback Terrelle Pryor, and toppled a No. 1 team for the first time since a 21-14 win over Michigan in 1981.

Clay rushed 21 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns against a defense that hadn't allowed a runner to reach 100 in 29 consecutive games.

White rushed 17 times for 75 yards and one touchdown, a 12-yard run with 6 minutes 57 seconds left that helped UW stem a second-half surge by the Buckeyes.

UW moved to 2-1 in conference after beating a team that had won at least a share of the past five league titles, and the Badgers eventually finished 7-1 to tie Michigan State and OSU for the league title. That played into an appearance in the Rose Bowl against TCU.

"I think, our kids ... really just stuck to what the plan was," said Bielema, who entered the night 0-3 against the Buckeyes, the only Big Ten foe he hadn't beaten. "Obviously, playing Ohio State, the No. 1 team in the country ... I think our kids now more than ever believe in what we're selling as coaches."

The Gilreath return was the perfect response to Ohio State's own kickoff return one year earlier, when Ray Small's 96-yard return helped the Buckeyes bounce right back after Wisconsin had pulled to within 21-13 in the third quarter. OSU went on to win, 31-13, with quarterback Scott Tolzien sacked six times.

"It gave us that boost of confidence, that validation that our hard work was paying off," Ewing said about the kickoff return. "It just shows you that we can compete with these teams. I think every team deep down struggles with that a little bit.

"I think that win helped get us over the hump and Wisconsin as well. I feel it is a constant reminder that we can compete at the highest level at Wisconsin."

How the moment lives on

The Badgers weren't done making big special-teams plays. One week later in a thrilling 31-30 win over Iowa, Brad Nortman's 17-yard run on a fake punt sparked a final drive, and J.J. Watt had blocked an extra-point on Iowa's first score.

Wisconsin lost a heartbreaker in the Rose Bowl that year, 21-19, to TCU, the final year before the dawn of the Big Ten championship game era. Wisconsin went back to the next two Rose Bowls, and the Badgers have finished first or second in the standings in seven of the past 10 years.

Gilreath, a Minnesota native, didn't get drafted but bounced around with several NFL teams from 2011 to 2015. He played in three games in 2012 with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He finished college with 3,025 kickoff return yards, a career mark surpassed by Minnesota's Troy Stoudermire from 2008-12 (3,615), but Gilreath is still second in Big Ten history.

The top dogs go down

A look at other times in the past 50 years that a No. 1 team fell at the hands of a Wisconsin sports squad.

• 1981: Wisconsin football 21, Michigan 14. UW had lost 14 straight against Michigan, including four in a row by a combined 176-0. But John Williams took a screen pass 71 yards for a touchdown for the decisive score, Matt Vanden Boom had three interceptions and Tim Krumrie led the defense with 13 tackles in the win to kick off the season. It was even more dominant on paper, with Wisconsin owning a 439-229 edge in yards and a 23-8 edge in first downs.

• 2003: Marquette basketball 83, Kentucky 69. The virtuoso performance by Dwyane Wade (29 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) helped Marquette crush the No. 1 team in the country in the Elite 8, giving Marquette a trip to the Final Four. Robert Jackson added 24 points and 15 rebounds – and yes, we'll have more on this game in the 50 in 50 series.

• 2011: Wisconsin basketball 71, Ohio State 67. Jordan Taylor scored 27 points and handed out seven assists as the Badgers gave Ohio State its first loss of the season after the Buckeyes started 24-0. Mike Bruesewitz hit 4 of 5 shots off the bench and finished with 12 points, and Wisconsin improved to 19-5, although OSU won the rematch three weeks later.

• 2015: Wisconsin basketball 71, Kentucky 64. You remember this one. Wisconsin handed Kentucky its first loss of the year in the national semifinal, a victory that landed the Badgers in the national title game against Duke. Safe to say, you'll hear more about this game in our 50 in 50 series. Kentucky finished the season 38-1.

• 2015: Milwaukee Bucks 108, Golden State Warriors 95. It wasn't a "No. 1" ranking per se, but the Warriors were the undisputed best team in the league when they won their first 24 games of the year. That streak ended Dec. 12 in Milwaukee at the hands of the Bucks, -- a squad that  the playoffs that season. Golden State went on to win an NBA-record 73 games.

• 2017: Marquette basketball 74, Villanova 72. Katin Reinhardt tied the game with a three-pointer at the 1:04 mark and hit a pair of free throws with 11.6 seconds left. Villanova missed its chance to tie and the Golden Eagles capped off a 17-point comeback by topping the Wildcats. Fans stormed the court in one of the lasting images from the Bradley Center.

• 2017: Wisconsin basketball 65, Villanova 62. The Wildcats were back atop the rankings in the NCAA Tournament when Wisconsin registered an upset in the second round. Nigel Hayes scored 19 points, Bronson Koenig added 17 and Ethan Happ posted 12 points and eight rebounds.

Rules of the 50 in 50 series

• Moments are recorded over the 50-year window from 1970 to 2019.

• These are moments and not achievements, although that largely goes hand-in-hand.

• These are "greatest" 50 moments, so you won't see moments that are pivotal but ultimately heartbreaking (like the NFC Championship loss to Seattle, Kareem getting traded, etc.)

• You also won't see (many) moments that came to be recognized for their greatness later, such as the day the Bucks drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo or the day the Packers traded for Brett Favre.

• Moments considered include teams based in Wisconsin and Wisconsin athletes competing in individual sports or as part of national teams (such as the Olympics), or moments on Wisconsin soil.

• These are singular moments. You're supposed to remember where you were when they happened.

More of the 50 greatest Wisconsin sports moments of the past 50 years

No. 50:   Kulwicki's Polish Victory Lap

No. 49:   David Gilreath takes it to the house

No. 48:   Giannis in the Garden

No. 47:   Tiger Woods greets the world

No. 46:   Sam Dekker at the state tourney

No. 45:   Miracle in the Metrodome

No. 44:   Rodgers finds Cook in Dallas

No. 43:   Lambeau Leap is born

No. 42:   Aaron Rodgers tumbles in 2005

No. 41:   Al Harris pick-six against Seattle

No. 40:   Paul Molitor's hitting streak

No. 39:   Bronson Koenig beats the buzzer

No. 38:   Yelich and Cain on the same day

No. 37:   Doc Rivers stuns Notre Dame

No. 36:   Ray Allen in Game 6

No. 35:   Badgers at the Bradley Center

No. 34:   Russell Wilson in Big Ten title game

No. 33:   The 1980 Brewers blockbuster

No. 32:   Dan Jansen finally strikes gold

No. 31:   UWM rampages to Sweet 16

No. 30:   Jane Pettit donates the Bradley Center

No. 29:   UWGB stuns Cal

No. 28:   Al McGuire jumps on the table

No. 27:   Badgers make thrilling run in 2000

No. 26:   Baseball returns to Milwaukee

No. 25:   Juan Nieves throws a no-hitter

No. 24:   Brewers acquire CC Sabathia

No. 23:   Bucks acquire Oscar Robertson

No. 22:   George Petak switches his vote

No. 21:   Wide open Randall Cobb

No. 20:   The Hail Mary in Motown

No. 19:   Robin Yount reaches 3,000 hits

No. 18:   Game 163

No. 17:   Bevell, Badgers win Rose Bowl

No. 16:   Nyjer Morgan gives Brewers a playoff winner

No. 15:   Mark Johnson scores twice in Miracle on Ice

No. 14:   BJ Raji takes it to the house

No. 13:   Dwyane Wade carves up Kentucky

No. 12:   Ryan Braun sends Brewers back to playoffs

No. 11:   Easter Sunday

No. 10:   Eric Heiden wins record fifth gold

No. 9:   Ron Dayne storms into record books

No. 8:   Badgers beat undefeated Kentucky

No. 7:   Marquette wins thriller in 1977 semifinal

No. 6:   Favre wins one for his father

No. 5:   Reggie White signs with Packers

No. 4:   Bucks win 1971 NBA title

No. 3:   Cooper's hit gives Brewers first pennant

No. 2:   The Packers win Super Bowl XLV

No. 1:   Howard's returns spark Super Bowl XXXI run

'The Next Ten'

No. 51:   Abdul-Jabbar's winning skyhook in 1974

No. 52:   Favre finds Sharpe for breakthrough playoff win

No. 53:   Yount goes 4 for 4 in Game 5 of 1982 World Series

No. 54:   Antonio Freeman's Monday Night winner

No. 55:   Brandon Woodruff takes Clayton Kershaw deep

No. 56:   Yancey Thigpen's drop gives Packers division title

No. 57:   Marquette reaches 1974 NCAA final

No. 58:   Jamar Fletcher's pick-six is Rose Bowl dagger

No. 59:   Badgers football delivers a stunner to No. 1 Michigan

No. 60:   Brewers survive in 1982 finale

'The Next 40'

61-70   From instant replay game to Freddie Owens' winner

71-80   From UW's first hockey title to Villanova stunned twice in same season

81-90   From the Brewers clinching in 1981 to the Bucks in the draft lottery

91-100   From Andy North to a legendary high-school streak

JR Radcliffe can be reached at (262) 361-9141 or jradcliffe@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Last time Wisconsin beat Ohio State was 2010, David Gilreath highlight