33. Wisconsin 37, Michigan State 34 (2007)

Although the Badgers had remained unscathed through the first four weeks, the No. 9 team in the country had to work for every win. That includes a 45-31 win against The Citadel, in which Wisconsin could not shake the Bulldogs until the second half. Bucky was coming off a hard-fought 17-13 win over Iowa at Camp Randall, while Michigan State was coming off a 31-14 win over rival Notre Dame. Wisconsin would get a late stop in this one to improve to 5-0. The close loss would start a theme for the Spartans during the 2007 season. Michigan State would go 7-6 on the year, but every loss was by one score, including twice in overtime.

The Badgers blew down the field on their first possession, completing a pair of third downs on an 11-play drive in which Wisconsin was able to score on a run by reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year P.J. Hill. The longest play of the drive was a pass from Tyler Donovan to Luke Swan for 25 yards down to the Spartans 15. Three plays later, Hill scored from five yards away and Wisconsin had the early 7-0 lead.

Undaunted, Michigan State answered back with a pair of touchdowns of its own. The first one was a 2-yard run by Jehuu Caulcrick to tie it at 7-7. That score was the play after a 53-yard run by Javon Ringer. After a punt by Wisconsin, the Spartans took over in great field position and they wasted little time capitalizing. Michigan State used a six-play drive to take the lead on another Caulcrick 2-yard run to give Sparty his first lead.

To start the second quarter, the Badgers responded. Donovan threw a pass to Travis Beckum, who made a tremendous over-the-shoulder catch down to the Spartans 19. Beckum would also end the drive, as he caught a 2-yard touchdown from Donovan to tie the game at 14.

Michigan State would then drive into Wisconsin territory, but be forced to punt. The Badgers used a big play to take the lead. On a 2nd-and-7 from the Wisconsin 36, Donovan went back to pass and launched a pass to big play wide receiver Kyle Jefferson, who caught it and went into the end zone for the 64-yard score to put Bucky back on top.

However, the Spartans would waste no time coming back. Devin Thomas caught a short route from Brian Hoyer and turned it into an 80-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive to tie the game at 21.

The Badgers would kick two field goals in the final minutes of the first half, including one as time expired to end a wildly entertaining half, to give Bucky a 27-21 lead at the break.

The scoring would die down in the second half, but certainly was still an exciting 30 minutes. Ringer used a 70-yard run to move the Spartans into the red zone, but the Badgers defense would hold and Michigan State would have to settle for a short Brett Swenson field goal to cut it to 27-24.

But Wisconsin wasted little time responding, as David Gilreath returned the ensuing kickoff down to the Spartans 31. Hill ran all six plays on the drive, and he crashed in from a yard out and Wisconsin took the game’s first two possession lead.

It would stay that way until the fourth quarter, but Michigan State was driving at the turn of the quarter. On a 3rd-and-Goal, Hoyer found Mark Dell in the end zone to cut it to 34-31 and Swenson kicked a field goal on the next Spartans drive and all of a sudden, it was a tie ball game.

The Badgers were able to respond with a Taylor Mehlhaff field goal to put the Badgers ahead 37-34, but Michigan State had a few chances in the final minutes to tie the game. First, Michigan State drove to the Wisconsin 36 and were setting up for a field goal to tie it up, but Swenson missed the kick from 53 yards that would have knotted the score once again.

But the Spartans would have another opportunity. Facing a 4th-and-2 at the Wisconsin 38 with just over a minute to go, Michigan State went for it instead of kicking an even longer field goal. Hoyer was pressured and the pass was incomplete intended for Ringer and the Badgers took over. Donovan took a knee twice to end the game and the Badgers would continue the nation’s longest winning streak and win No. 13 in a row.

Unfortunately, that streak came to an end the following week, as Wisconsin fell in Champaign against Illinois before being blown out at Penn State. But Wisconsin rebounded to win nine games on the year and a berth in the Outback Bowl.