Wisconsin football tops Nebraska in OT to keep bowl streak alive
MADISON, Wis. — Just when it looked as though Wisconsin’s football season was about to somehow get worse, the Badgers managed to demonstrate the fight and execution level necessary to escape with a win. Wisconsin turned an early 14-point deficit into a 24-17 overtime victory against Nebraska on Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium to avoid the program’s first four-game home losing streak in a season since 1990.
Advertisement
Here are five takeaways from the Badgers’ performance:
1. One week after Wisconsin’s defense allowed Northwestern to score touchdowns on its first three drives, the Badgers surrendered consecutive touchdowns to Nebraska to open the game. By the time Nebraska took a 14-0 lead nine minutes into the game, it appeared as though the Cornhuskers were on their way to rolling.
Wisconsin cornerback Jason Maitre lost contain in the backfield on Nebraska quarterback Chubba Purdy, who ran past the entire Badgers defense for a 55-yard touchdown. Purdy then threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jaylen Lloyd, in which cornerback Ricardo Hallman missed a tackle at the Wisconsin 34, and cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean took a bad angle at the 29. Purdy, who had completed 1 of 5 passes this season for 24 yards with an interception, began the game 5-of-5 for 79 yards with a touchdown.
But Wisconsin toughened up on the next drive by stuffing a run play on fourth-and-1 from the Badgers’ 33-yard line to give the team momentum. Nebraska scored just three points the rest of the way on a 30-yard field goal with four seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime. Safety Preston Zachman intercepted Purdy’s fourth-down pass in overtime to secure the win.
Ballgame❕@BadgerFootball seals it with an INT in OT to retain the Freedom Trophy. pic.twitter.com/xcqHJD0BHS
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 19, 2023
2. Nebraska entered the game ranked third in the FBS in run defense, allowing just 79.6 yards per game. With Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen not at full strength from a left ankle injury, the Badgers were in a precarious position offensively and needed a sound performance from quarterback Tanner Mordecai. He delivered enough through the air and provided a spark on the ground to complement Allen and propel the Badgers forward.
Advertisement
Mordecai tossed a 26-yard touchdown pass to running back Jackson Acker on a wheel route to trim Wisconsin’s deficit to 14-7 with 6:37 remaining in the second quarter. It marked Mordecai’s first touchdown pass since the Rutgers game on Oct. 7. Wisconsin scored the go-ahead touchdown on Allen’s 2-yard run in the third quarter to cap a 10-play, 79-yard drive. Allen carried 22 times for 62 yards with two touchdowns, and Mordecai added 51 yards rushing. Wisconsin gained 156 yards on the ground.
3. Wisconsin’s overtime drive on offense was a thing of beauty. Mordecai completed a third-and-8 pass to receiver Vinny Anthony for nine yards. On a third-and-10 three plays later, Mordecai ran up the middle and gained nine yards to set up a fourth-and-1 at the 5. Allen bulldozed ahead for two yards to keep the drive alive. Allen then scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with his offensive line pushing him forward. For a team that has struggled to consistently score this season, it was a big-time series for the Badgers.
4. Wisconsin continued to bypass field goals in the 50-yard range, which is something the Badgers have done since kicker Nathanial Vakos sustained an undisclosed injury before the Indiana game two weeks ago. Two such instances occurred against Nebraska, and both ended in a turnover on downs.
On a fourth-and-3 at the Nebraska 33-yard line, Mordecai threw incomplete while under pressure with 4:01 remaining in the third quarter. The field goal try would have been from 51 yards. Then, with 8:39 remaining in the fourth quarter, Allen was stopped short on fourth-and-1 at the Nebraska 32-yard line. The kick would have been from 50 yards.
Vakos attempted one field goal Saturday and made it from 35 yards.
5. This has not been the season anyone in Wisconsin’s program envisioned, and beating Nebraska for a 10th consecutive game won’t change that feeling. But the Badgers (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) did officially qualify for a bowl game for a 22nd consecutive season, prolonging the third-longest active streak in the FBS. Before players jogged off the field after the game, they turned around and waited for an announcement from the public address system about the bowl bid.
Advertisement
Wisconsin will have a few additional weeks of practices leading up to a late-December game that will be announced Dec. 3. That time could give Fickell and his staff an opportunity to evaluate younger players and look to the future.
(Photo: Mark Hoffman / USA Today)
ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57lGlubWtjbXxzfJFsZmppX2aFcMPIrJqopqOeu266xJupmqublnqnu86tmZqknGLApLvRnmSappGhxrS10mg%3D