30. Wisconsin 41, Nebraska 24 (2018)

Wisconsin came in at 3-1 and had rebounded from the embarrassing home loss to BYU with a huge road win at night against Iowa, a place it is difficult to win, especially at night. The Badgers returned home to play an 0-4 Nebraska team led by first-year head coach Scott Frost. The defense struggled for the Huskers in the season, having allowed at least 33 points in three of their first four games, including a 56-10 loss at Michigan two weeks prior.

While the Badgers proved to have a bit of a down year in 2018, some things didn’t change—like their ability to beat Nebraska by multiple scores. Once again, the Wisconsin rushing attack ran roughshod over the “Blackshirts,” as the Badgers ran for 370 yards, led by Jonathan Taylor’s 221. Both Taiwan Deal and Garret Groshek rushed for more than 70 yards as well. Wisconsin scored two late touchdowns in the first half to put Bucky in front 20-3 at recess and the Badgers coasted from there, as the game never was in single digits again.

The Badgers had productive drives on four of their five first half possessions, but after their first three drives, they led just 6-0 despite outgaining the Cornhuskers 124-16. Nebraska came back with a field goal, but two straight touchdowns put the Badgers in front by 17 going into the locker room.

The first drive began with a pass from quarterback Alex Hornibrook to wide receiver A.J. Taylor for 26 yards to move it into Nebraska territory. Five plays later, Jonathan Taylor scored on a 3-yard run to put Bucky up by two scores.

It became three scores when Hornibrook threw a touchdown to freshman tight end Jake Ferguson with less than a minute left until halftime. A Groshek 24-yard run and a pass interference aided the drive. Following a sack on 1^st-and-Goal, Hornibrook proved it was no problem by throwing a touchdown over the middle to the big tight end.

Wisconsin didn’t slow down in the second half, scoring touchdowns on three of its first four drives. Nebraska actually drew first blood in the second half on a 75-yard strike from freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez to JD Spielman, the son of Minnesota Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman. Martinez had all day to throw and threw a strike over the middle to Spielman at the Huskers 45. He beat a diving Scott Nelson and went in for the long uncontested touchdown.

But the Blackshirts never had an answer. The Badgers responded by driving 71 yards in seven plays. The possession started with JT23 carrying Nebraska defenders for 12 yards and it ended with him going through a gaping hole and blasting untouched into the end zone from 21 yards out.

Nebraska was driving on its next possession, but Martinez was too careless with the ball and fumbled, and Wisconsin recovered. The Badgers did not waste the opportunity to make Nebraska pay. Six plays and 59 yards later, Deal ran in from 20 yards out, breaking a few tackles along the way.

With the Badgers leading 34-17 in the fourth quarter, the Doak Walker Award winner essentially ended the game. On 1st-and-10 from their own 12 with 13 minutes left, Taylor received the handoff and blasted up the middle. He broke a tackle at the second level and stiff armed a defensive back at the third level and broke loose. He out-ran everybody for an 88-yard touchdown, the longest run of his storied career.

Nebraska scored once more, but the Badgers had the game wrapped up.

The happiness was short-lived, though, as Bucky was crushed in Ann Arbor the next week. It was a disappointing season, but this win was still super sweet.