Badgers Make Statement Against Nebraska
MADISON, Wisc. – In the most highly anticipated Big 10 game of the season, the Badgers cruised past Nebraska, 48-17, from Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday night. Under the lights of the national spotlight and every critic in the country, the Badgers showed why they are a national title contender. Wisconsin’s dominance on the offensive and defensive side of the ball was noted throughout the game. The #7 ranked Badgers move their record to 5-0 on the season with the win. The Huskers move to 4-1 after the loss. Heisman candidate Russell Wilson made another standout performance Saturday, as he threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns without an interception in a sea of red. The Badgers quarterback also ran the ball six times for 32 yards and a touchdown, alongside some video game juke moves to get out of the pressurized pocket.
The Huskers jumped out to the early lead, as Wisconsin punted on their first possession of the game. Nebraska drove 39 yards in nine plays in just under three and a half minutes for the first score of the game. Taylor Martinez punched it in from one yard out, giving Nebraska an early 7-0 lead.
It took the Badgers a little over four and a half minutes to knot the game up, 7-7. Wisconsin drove 85 yards on an impressive nine plays, as Montae Ball plunged in the endzone from a yard out. Ball was the player of the game as he rushed for an unbelievable 151 yards and four touchdowns against the blackshirts of Nebraska. Teammate James White was shutdown by the Huskers, accounting for just 26 yards on 11 carries in the Wisconsin rout.
The game started to build some momentum as Nebraksa answered right back with another touchdown the very next drive. Rex Burkhead scored from one yard out, as the first three touchdowns of the game were all scored from a yard out of the endzone. The Huskers running back had himself a nice night, rushing for 96 yards on 18 carries and that score. It wouldn’t be enough to push the Badgers out of their way though. After this score by the Huskers, Wisconsin would not allow Nebraska to reach the endzone again in the game.
Montae Ball rushed in for his second score of the night the very next possession, as both teams combined to score on four straight offensive possessions. Wisconsin drove 67 yards in six plays for their second TD of the night. However, their All-Conference kicker Phillip Welch missed the extra point after suiting up for his first game of the season. Nebraska still owned the lead, by the slimmest of margins at 14-13 in the second quarter.
Wisconsin began taking control of the game midway through the second quarter. After a Nebraska punt, Taylor Martinez’s first of three crucial interceptions during the game set the Badgers up for their next score. Russell Wilson linked up with wide receiver Jared Abbrederis from 36 yards out for the go ahead score and first lead of the night, 20-14. Abbrederis led the Badger receiving core with five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Following the turnover, it took Wisconsin six plays to drive 54 yards in just under three minutes.
Martinez’ second interception of the night really put the Huskers behind the eight ball. With 1:18 seconds left in the first half, Aaron Henry picked off the Nebraska signal caller and returned it 11 yards to the Badgers 37-yard line. It wouldn’t take Russell Wilson and company long to capitalize as the Badgers scored in just five plays. Wilson hooked up with his favorite receiver Nick Toon for a 46-yard strike to the endzone. Toon finished the night with four grabs for 94 yards and that huge score at the end of the first half. Wisconsin rolled into halftime leading the #8 Huskers 27-14 in front of a packed house.
On the first play of the second half, Taylor Martinez saw his Heisman hopes wash away with his teams’ chances of winning the game, throwing his third interception of the game. Antonio Fenelus intercepted the Huskers QB and returned the ball to the Nebraska 42-yard line. Great teams always capitalize off others mistakes, and the Badgers did just that. Wisconsin scored in seven plays, as Wilson escaped pressure and dashed to the house for a 10-yard TD run and a 34-14 Wisconsin lead.
The crushing drive of the night was the Badgers next possession where they went 81 yards on an impressive 14 plays. The drive soaked up more then seven minutes on the clock and ended with Montae Ball’s third touchdown of the evening. This drive, if not already, really depleted the Huskers and their fanbase. The Badgers amped their lead to 41-14 before Nebraska knew what hit them. Wisconsin scored 34 unanswered points before the Huskers kicked a field goal to cut the deficit, 41-17.
Another amazingly impressive drive by Wisconsin put the game and Huskers on ice. The Badgers drove 78 yards in 12 plays, while eating nearly eight and a half minutes off the clock to start the fourth quarter. Their most impressive drive of the game fittingly ended with a 15-yard scamper to the endzone by none other then Montae Ball for his fourth score of the night. Wisconsin looked up at a scoreboard that read 48-17 against the #8 ranked team in the nation.
The #7 ranked Badgers put on one of the most impressive shows the Wisconsin faithful has ever seen against a ranked opponent in Madison. All the doubters of Russell Wilson and Wisconsin were silenced in a harsh way last night from Camp Randall. This definitely opens up the conversation of BCS National Championship for the Badgers now, if not already (by me). Wisconsin dominated in all three phases of the game, and watched their lead grow throughout the night. It was one of the more impressive drubbings of a top-10 ranked team in the nation.
After a week off, the Badgers will get back onto the field for a match-up against Indiana, notoriously one of the worst teams in the Big 10. If you still don’t believe in the Badgers possibilities of a National Title, then you may be watching the wrong sport. Their chances are not only real, but Wisconsin made a large statement to the rest of the nation on Saturday night. “Watch out for us.”
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