Wisconsin came into the 2017 Orange Bowl looking for a program-record 13th win. The Badgers torpedoed through the regular season, going 12-0 with only one game being won by one score. It was their first perfect regular season since 1912. However, they were stopped one win short of the College Football Playoff, as the Badgers fell 27-21 to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship. Their consolation was a berth in the Orange Bowl......against the Miami Hurricanes and their turnover chain. Just like the previous season when it was Wisconsin’s first trip to the Cotton Bowl, this would be the first trip to the Orange Bowl. It was their second meeting in a bowl game, with the Badgers winning the previous matchup 20-14 in the 2009 Champs Sports Bowl. In a battle of two good defenses, I expected a low-scoring game. What we got was the Alex Hornibrook Show, as the Badgers quarterback threw four touchdown passes helping the Badgers win their 13th game of the season, 34-24.
Wisconsin received the ball to start, and would pick up a first down, moving into Miami territory. However, on Jonathan Taylor’s first carry of the game, he would carry the ball to the Hurricanes 30-yard-line, but would fumble. Well, he was down before he fumbled, but the officials ruled it a fumble anyway and it would be Miami football.
Enter the turnover chain.
Miami would blow into Wisconsin territory in two plays, which both picked up first downs. Wisconsin would hold the Canes after that, and Miami’s Michael Badgley would not even come close to making the field goal attempt. It was way wide right and way short. Wisconsin would take over in solid field position, and Jonathan Taylor would make up for his fumble on the previous drive by rushing four times for 38 yards, setting up a Rafael Gaglianone field goal to put Bucky on the board first.
But after that, the rest of the quarter was all Hurricanes. Just like their first drive, the Canes started out with two first downs on their first two plays and they moved inside the Badgers 40. Miami then went to the ground to score. Three players carried the ball on the final five plays of the drive, and it ended when Travis Homer blasted his way into the end zone from five yards away and Miami took a 7-3 lead.
It did not get better for Wisconsin, as it was called for a holding on the ensuing kickof return, and the Badgers had to start at their own 9. Three plays lost three yards, and the Badgers were forced to punt, and Anthony Lotti’s punt went out of bounds at the Wisconsin 45. Miami’s DeeJay Dallas made quick work of the Wisconsin defense, as he carried the ball twice on the drive, including a 39-yard touchdown run down the right sideline. In the span of three minutes, it went from a Wisconsin 3-0 lead to a 14-3 deficit.
The Badgers would be forced to punt from their own 22 on the next possession, so it looked like the Hurricanes would be in position to blow the game open. But the game turned in the other direction. After Homer was tackled for a loss of five to end the first quarter, Miami quarterback Malik Rosier tried to throw a wide receiver screen to Braxton Berrios, but was picked off by linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. The interception set up the Badgers with great field position at the Canes 23. Three plays later, Wisconsin faced a 3rd-and-7 from the Miami 20. Hornibrook, who had a tremendous game, threw a back shoulder pass to freshman wide receiver Danny Davis. The freshman caught it inside the 5, despite blanket coverage from Miami’s Dee Delaney, and fell into the end zone for the score. As Matt Lepay would say, “....and the Badgers are back in the fight!”
That started a terrific evening for Hornibrook. For the game, he was 23-of-34 for 258 yards and four touchdowns. After the Van Ginkel interception, the sophomore quarterback ended the half completing 11 of 12 passes for 116 yards and three scores. He had a subpar first quarter, completing only three passes in nine attempts for 23 yards. But in his final three quarters, he was flawless, completing 20 of 25 passes for 235 yards and all four of his touchdowns.
Wisconsin’s defense stopped Miami’s offense in three plays on its next possession, so Hornibrook and company took advantage and re-captured the lead. He led the Badgers on a 12-play, 71-yard march that was capped off by another Hornibrook touchdown pass, this one to sophomore wide receiver A.J. Taylor. Star freshman running back Jonathan Taylor was bottled up on this particular drive, rushing for 15 yards on five carries, but Hornibrook more than made up for it. The Pennsylvania native was 4-for-4 on the drive for 46 yards, including the touchdown to A.J. Taylor. On the touchdown, once again, it was terrific coverage by the Miami defender. This time it was Sheldrick Redwine on the coverage, and Hornibrook threw it to a perfect spot. The Wisconsin quarterback made a great throw, but A.J. Taylor made an even better catch. He caught with his left hand while being covered tightly by Redwine, and secured the Badgers first lead of the quarter.
Miami’s offense went three plays and out once again, and Hornibrook went back to work. The Hurricanes defense stuffed Jonathan Taylor on this drive once again, but the Badgers quarterback looked like Aaron Rodgers once again. Hornibrook went 4-for-5 for 48 yards and a touchdown on the drive that gave them a 24-14 lead with 28 seconds left in the half. Two of his completions were on 3rd-and-long. Hornibrook’s touchdown pass was a pass over the middle to Danny Davis, his second of the game, who beat Redwine to give Bucky the 10-point lead going into halftime.
Playing in its home stadium, you knew Miami would not go away quietly. The Hurricanes cut the deficit to three on their second possession of the second half. After a short punt from Anthony Lotti, the Canes traveled 46 yards in just two plays. Rosier scrambled and found a wide open Lawrence Cager, who beat top cover man Nick Nelson, for a 38-yard score.
Miami had everything going its way, as it forced a Wisconsin three-and-out and then would travel 37 yards on two plays to move to the Badgers 24. But on 2nd-and-10, Rosier took a shot into the end zone and was picked off by the Florida native Derrick Tindal.
The teams would trade field goals following the interception, and the Badgers would need a touchdown to try to seal the game. In a big-time drive to give the Badgers the 34-24 lead, Jonathan Taylor ran the ball once for no yards. Hornibrook, on the other hand, threw the ball six times on the 8-play drive, going 6-for-6 for 74 yards and the touchdown. On the drive, the Badgers never once faced third down, and the drive was capped off with Davis’ third touchdown reception of the game. The true freshman had only caught two touchdowns in the first 13 games of the season.Miami had one more opportunity in the game, as Jeff Thomas beat Tindal on a 48-yard reception down to the Wisconsin 10. But the ensuing three plays gained only four yards, and Badgley’s 24-yard field goal attempt bounced off the right upright. So with 4:34 to go and the Badgers up 10, it was all but over.
Wisconsin had a nice bounce back win over Miami after the crushing loss to Ohio State. It was a great ending to what was one of the best seasons in school history.
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