As the old adage goes, when you cut off the head of a snake, its body will stop moving.
The Badgers' defense effectively shut down Brigham Young’s dynamic dual-threat quarterback and offensive workhorse Taysom Hill en route to a 27-17 victory, limiting the sophomore to just 19-for-41 passing with 207 yards through the air. The Badgers similarly stifled any threat Hill posed on the ground, allowing him to gain just 66 yards with his feet.
“I thought that was maybe overall our best team victory of the season,” head coach Gary Andersen said. “[BYU] is a tough team. They'll be tough every week. They'll be tough every year."
The Cougars’ contingency plan, sophomore running back Jamaal Williams, fared slightly better with 77 yards, but it wasn’t enough to lift BYU over Wisconsin in the two teams’ second-ever meeting at Camp Randall Saturday.
It was business as usual for the Badgers’ running back duo of senior James White and redshirt sophomore Melvin Gordon, who continue to be the engine powering the Wisconsin offense.
White recorded three touchdowns to up his season total to 12, taking over the team lead from Gordon, who has 11.
“[White] is playing very well at a high level,” Andersen said. “You thought, OK, it's third-and-two. Looks like he got the first down. Next time you look up, he's in the end zone doing that little dance they do. I love that dance.”
Opening the game with a five-minute, 11-play, 76-yard touchdown drive, Wisconsin established its pound-and-ground rhythm right away. White recorded 59 of the teams’ 76 yards on the opening drive.
“If we get a three-and-out, it kind of feels like we wasted an opportunity when we know we can take advantage of what they give us,” sophomore wide receiver Jordan Fredrick said. “And just being able to drive down on the first drive was pretty comforting knowing that we can do that all day.”
Wisconsin also owned the time of possession ratio to weather an early fumble and an interception to open up the second quarter, while the defense was able to stall BYU at the Wisconsin 31-yard-line to force a field goal in the Cougars’ first trip past midfield.
“The pace was a nonfactor, and that was huge for us,” Andersen said. “There wasn't confusion. There weren't guys running around and looking to see what was going to happen and where we were going.”
Redshirt senior wide receivers Jacob Pedersen and Jared Abbrederis carried the offensive load in the second quarter, each catching three passes to fuel a 65-yard scoring drive capped off by a five-yard touchdown reception for White, his second of the day.
The second half opened with a three-and-out for BYU, capped by a sack from redshirt senior linebacker Chris Borland in his first game back after sustaining a hamstring injury two weeks ago against Illinois. Borland recorded two sacks and 13 tackles in the game.
“The thing I like about this defense is I can't say this defense is waiting for Chris Borland to make plays, which is good to see,” Andersen said. “He'll get his 13 tackles today or whatever it was. He's made some great plays and will continue to do that.”
Junior wide receiver Kenzel Doe then had a 26-yard punt return to bring the Badgers to Brigham Young’s 23-yard-line, setting up an eventual field goal from sophomore kicker Jack Russell, his second of the day.
On the next drive Hill finally laced up a long ball to BYU senior wide receiver Cody Hoffman, who went up over redshirt senior safety Dezmen Southward in the end zone to make the play.
“Hoffman is so physical,” Andersen said. “You've got to have some length to be able to stay with them. Those contested balls they get up there and they caught a great contested ball on the fade in the second half.”
Wisconsin would counter in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter with another touchdown from White, this one from 14 yards out.
With three minutes left in the game Hoffman made another athletic touchdown grab to bring the score to 27-17, but the game clock ticked away on any chance of a Cougar comeback.
“We had bad games against Arizona State and Ohio State, and they are kind of similar offenses,” redshirt sophomore safety Tanner McEvoy said. “But they did have that tempo that was a lot faster than most teams that we've played. We just have to adjust to that and play our roles.”
While the Badgers have a long way to go to reach the top 14 and become BCS bowl eligible, Andersen says neither he nor his players are worried about the polls or their eventual bowl placement.
“They've got enough to worry about if they worry about themselves socially, academically, and then athletically,” Andersen said. “Those kids have plenty to worry about. They don't need to worry about some poll.”
