37. Wisconsin 31, Maryland 24 (2015)

The Badgers were on a roll heading into the game. Wisconsin was 7-2 and had won seven of its previous eight. Since that loss to Alabama, the Badgers had held seven of the eight opponents to fewer than 14 points. Maryland, in its second season with the Big Ten, was 2-6, and in the midst of a non-bowl season once again. Despite their record, the Terrapins played right with the Badgers and were tied with the Big Ten power at halftime. But once again, the defense bowed up and didn’t allow another score until fewer than three minutes remained in the game. Meanwhile, the make shift offense tallied touchdowns from Alec Ingold and Dare Ogunbowale to come away with a 31-24 victory.

The score was 17-17 at the half and the Badgers needed a win to keep their slim hopes of a repeat trip to the Big Ten Championship game. Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave came out smokin’ in the second half, leading his team to two consecutive touchdown drives in the third quarter to take a 31-17 lead.

On the two touchdown drives, Stave was 8-for-9 for 118 yards, including completing three passes to his favorite target Alex Erickson for 66 yards. His tremendous passing set Wisconsin up for rushing touchdowns by Ingold and Ogunbowale to gain separation.

The Terrapins gained just 47 yards in their first five possessions of the second half, but Bucky could not insert the dagger. Wisconsin had a perfect opportunity to do just that when Tanner McEvoy picked off Maryland quarterback Caleb Rowe and returned it to the Terps 29. But the offense didn’t do much and Rafael Gaglianone misfired on a 42-yard field goal.

Maryland drove 76 yards in 1:27, ending it with a touchdown pass from Rowe to Lavern Jacobs to cut it to 31-24. However, Wisconsin recovered the onside kick and burned off the remaining time thanks to a quarterback sneak by Stave on fourth down at the Terps 35 to finish off the Badgers win.

Wisconsin may have won the game, but Maryland started fast. After each team punted to begin the contest, Maryland dented the scoreboard first. It did help that the Badgers’ Drew Meyer punted the ball 24 yards to the Wisconsin 32. It took the Terps just four plays to find the end zone, aided by a pass interference penalty on Badgers cornerback Sojourn Shelton. The Terrapins scored first on a Wes Brown 7-yard run.

But the Badgers wasted little time answering, as Natrell Jamerson returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown down the right sideline.

The Badgers took the lead thanks to a gutsy call on their next drive.

Facing a 4^th-and-1 from his own 22, Wisconsin Head Coach Paul Chryst rolled the dice. Lining up to punt, the snap went to punt protector Joe Schobert and the linebacker rumbled for 57 yards, all the way down to the Terps 21. One play later, Ogunbowale found space and ran in for a 21-yard score.

The teams traded field goals before Maryland scored to end the half, as Rowe found D.J. Moore down the sideline for a 40-yard touchdown on a 3^rd-and-17. Following another shanked Badgers punt, they lost eight on a sack by Jack Cichy to force them into the long third down. Rowe had missed on his previous six pass attempts, but he threw a beautiful pass down the left sideline to Moore, who was tightly covered by Derrick Tindal.

The score was tied going into recess, but the Wisconsin defense was suffocating in the second half to lead the Badgers to victory.

It was the final win of five consecutive. It should have been eight in a row, but the Badgers were jobbed by the replay crew against Northwestern in a 13-7 loss the following week at Camp Randall. But the Badgers rebounded to retain Paul Bunyan’s Axe in Minneapolis and earned a win in the Holiday Bowl over Juju Smith-Schuster and USC.