Sunday, November 21, 2010

Wisconsin Handles Michigan, Hoping to Smell Roses

Wisconsin has put itself in position to go to the Rose Bowl.

A week after putting up 83 points on Indiana, the No. 6 Badgers didn't need to come close to 100. Wisconsin just needed to run the ball right at the Michigan defense on its way to a 48-28 win at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

If Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State all win out, the team with the highest BCS ranking would go to the Rose Bowl. Currently, the Badgers hold that slot at No. 6.

With Wisconsin All-Big Ten caliber running back John Clay missing the game due to injury, Wisconsin still had two rushers go over 100 yards. Sophomore Montee Ball had 191 yards and 4 touchdowns while freshman James White added 162 yards and 2 touchdowns.

As Wisconsin dominated on offense, its defense flustered Michigan (7-4, 3-4 Big Ten). Junior defensive end J.J. Watt tipped two Denard Robinson passes – including intercepting one of them – and kept the Wolverines' fifth-ranked offense in check. In the first half, Michigan gained merely 124 yards of offense.

A short burst where Michigan scored 14 points in a two-minute span during the third quarter cut the Wisconsin lead to 24-14.

Wisconsin (10-1, 6-1) had a typical eight-play, 69-yard drive on the next possession ending in White's second touchdown to break open the game again.


Robinson, a sophomore, became the first quarterback in NCAA history to run and throw for over 1,500 yards in a single season in the third quarter. His 12-yard run at midfield also allowed Robinson to pass former Air Force quarterback Beau Morgan for the single-season rushing record for a quarterback. Morgan had 1,494 yards rushing. Robinson, who had 121 rushing yards Saturday, now has 1,538.

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