It was a pivotal game for the 9-0 Wisconsin Badgers, as they hosted the No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium. Iowa was coming off a game in which it pounded Ohio State 55-24 in Iowa City. The Badgers were three wins away from a perfect regular season, and would have one of the best defensive showings in school history, They allowed just 66 yards of total offense, which was the fewest they have ever allowed to a Big Ten opponent, in the 38-14 Bucky win. The victory also clinched the Badgers second consecutive Big Ten West championship and trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship.
While the Badgers played a great game, it did not start well for the folks from Madison. After a 19-yard run by Jonathan Taylor to open the game, the Badgers were forced with a 3rd-and-13 from their own 36. Alex Hornibrook had solid protection, but threw an ill-advised pass to the right sideline intended for A.J. Taylor that was picked off by Iowa’s Josh Jackson. The second round pick of the Green Bay Packers would race 43 yards for the score to put Iowa in front 7-0. It was Jackson’s fourth interception in the last five quarters, and Iowa also started with a pick six the prior week against Ohio State.
Wisconsin would respond with a 14-play, 75-yard drive to cut the deficit to 7-3. However, the result was disappointing, as the Badgers had a 1st-and-Goal at the Iowa 2, but were unable to tie the game at 7. Gaglianone’s short field goal cut it to 7-3 with 5:43 left in the first.
After a three-and-out, Wisconsin started out the drive well on a pair of nice runs from Jonathan Taylor. However, Hornibrook would make his second costly mistake of the quarter, as he launched a pass intended for Danny Davis that was picked off by Iowa safety Jake Gervase at the Wisconsin 6. Turnovers would be a theme throughout the game, by both teams.
It would remain 7-3 Hawkeyes until close to the midway point of the second quarter. Wisconsin started off with great field position at the Badgers 49 after a short Colten Rastetter punt. It would take them five plays to take the lead. Freshman wide receiver Kendric Pryor would score untouched on the jet sweep to give the Badgers the 10-7 lead. On the run, Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz pulled around and pancaked Iowa defensive back Manny Rugamba to give Pryor a clear path to the end zone. Hornibrook was 2-for-2 on the drive for 20 yards.
Four of the next five drives (three for Iowa, one for Wisconsin) would end in a three-and-out. The only drive that wasn’t lasted one play, when Jonathan Taylor fumbled following a nice run into Iowa territory, which the Hawkeyes recovered.
Wisconsin was not done, though. Following an Iowa punt from deep in its own territory, return man Nick Nelson caught a punt at the 46 and brought it back to the Hawkeyes 26. The 20-yard return set the Badgers up to take a 10-point lead late in the half. Following a false start, Wisconsin traveled 31 yards in three plays to take the 17-7 lead. Jonathan Taylor had a run for five yards and a reception for 14 to put the Badgers at the 12. That would be when Pryor would come through again. Hornibrook underthrew a pass into the left side of the end zone, but Pryor made a great catch for the score, over Rugamba, who had a rough half. The touchdown made it 17-7 with 1:19 left in the half. The score would remain that way the remainder of the half.
Iowa’s second half started much like the first half went for the Hawkeyes, as they lost six yards on their opening third quarter drive. Unfortunately, the Badgers first second half possession ended like their first.....with a Josh Jackson pick six. It started well, as Jonathan Taylor ran for 26 yards on three carries, and the Badgers looked poised to break the game open. But, after a Garrett Groshek run of three yards set up a 3rd-and-3 from the Iowa 33, guard Jon Dietzen was called for an unnecessary roughness personal foul.
That backed the Badgers up, and forced a 3rd-and-18. On the third down play, Hornibrook threw a short pass to running back Rachid Ibrahim, but the pass was high and it went off his hands and into the hands of Jackson. The defensive back raced 52 yards the other way for his second pick six of the day. Instead of Wisconsin going up 20-7 or even 24-7, the lead shrunk to 17-14. But fortunately for the Badgers, the Hawkeyes would be kept off the scoreboard the rest of the day.
Wisconsin would punt on the next possession. But on Iowa’s next drive, Bucky gave the Hawkeyes a taste of their own medicine. On 3rd-and-10 from Iowa’s 30, Hawkeyes quarterback Nathan Stanley was not ready for the snap and ball hit off his leg and fell to the ground. In the scramble for the ball, Wisconsin linebacker Leon Jacobs picked up the loose ball and returned it for the score to give the Badgers their two-score lead back. After Wisconsin coughed up the ball four times in the game’s first 34 minutes, this was Iowa’s first turnover of three it would have in the second half.
A pair of punts followed the fumble return for a touchdown by Jacobs. Iowa went on its best offensive drive on the day, gaining two first downs (they only had five on the day) and moving to the Badgers 47. That was only the second time they stepped foot in Wisconsin territory all game. The Hawkeyes were picking up nice gains every play on the drive, but All-American linebacker T.J, Edwards put an end to it. With the Hawkeyes facing a 2nd-and-6 from the Wisconsin 47, Stanley went back to pass and had good protection. He was trying to get the ball to tight end Noah Fant, who had a step on Andrew Van Ginkel. But Edwards picked off the ball with one hand and the Badgers took over at their own 41.
The Badgers then salted the game away on an 8-play, 59-yard drive that put Bucky up 31-14. Hornibrook went 2-for-2 on the drive for 40 yards, with both passes coming on third down. Bradrick Shaw sealed the game with an 8-yard touchdown with 11:05 to go in the game.
If the game was still in doubt to some, that doubt ended on the next drive. On 3rd-and-8 from the Iowa 26, Ryan Connelly came free on a blitz and knocked the ball away from Stanley as he was winding up to throw and Jacobs fell on the ball at the Hawkeyes 14.
Five plays later, Wisconsin put the final nail in Herky’s coffin, as Hornibrook found A.J. Taylor over the middle for the score. The Badgers took the lead 38-14 with that score, and it would remain that way the rest of the game.
With the win, Wisconsin improved to 10-0 on the season, and they stayed alive for a possible berth in the College Football Playoff. It also showed what the Wisconsin defense was capable of. It still amazes me that Iowa could score 55 points one week, and the following week gain only 66 total yards of offense.
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