Barry Alvarez thought his coaching days were over after Wisconsin won the 2006 Capital One Bowl.

Not so fast.

Alvarez came out of retirement to coach the Badgers in the 2013 Rose Bowl after Bret Bielema surprisingly departed for Arkansas days after winning the Big Ten championship game. The Badgers fell, 20-14, to Stanford. Surely, Alvarez's coaching career had ended and he could focus solely on his duties as athletic director -- and College Football Playoff selection committee member.

But there would be another surprising chapter for a legendary college coach, and this one would end on a much happier note. Wisconsin players once again summoned Alvarez to coach them after Gary Andersen surprisingly bolted for Oregon State days after the team's 59-0 loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten title game. Alvarez, who turned 68 on Tuesday, immediately accepted and was on the sideline for Wisconsin's 34-31 overtime win against Auburn in the Outback Bowl on Thursday.

Although star running back Melvin Gordon went off for 251 rushing yards and three touchdowns, the best Badger moves came from Alvarez, who broke it down in the locker room with his players. Alvarez, who made several bold decisions in Wisconsin's win, improved his coaching record to 119-74-4.

Paul Chryst now takes over as Wisconsin's coach, while Alvarez returns to his AD/CFP duties.

Will this be Alvarez's last dance as the Badgers' coach? If so, he made it count.