First Quarter
The Badgers lead the Cougars 7-3 after one quarter.
Getting back to basics, Wisconsin ground out an 11-play, 76-yard 5:00 on the game's first drive. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Joel Stave had one completion to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jordan Fredrick for 15 yards, but the engine driving the Badgers offense early was senior running back James White, who recorded 59 of the team's 76 yards on the drive.
Both teams took a three and out before redshirt sophomore safety Tanner McEvoy snagged an interception at midfield, giving the Badgers the ball at the Cougars' 34-yard line. This was the first interception for McEvoy, a transfer who switched to safety after joining the program as a quarterback in August.
The Badgers, however, would lose the ball two plays later on a fumble by junior wide receiver Kenzel Doe. Stave's pass skipped off the BYU offensive line and was caught by Doe before being stripped by Cougar linebacker Jherremya Leuta Douyere and recovered by defensive back Craig Bills.
Brigham Young, propelled by the arm of standout quarterback Taysom Hill, drove down the field for a 13-play, 67-yard drive, but stalled out at the Badgers 31-yard line. The Cougars would settle for a field goal, putting the score at 7-3 at the conclusion of the first quarter.
Finding a defensive rhythm early was also important for the Badgers, holding Hill to just 9 yards on the ground and 25 through the air. Running back Jamaa Williams turned out to be the Cougars' contingency plan, but he couldn't find a rhythm early and was held to 23 yards in the quarter.
Second Quarter
The Badgers lead 17-3 after two quarters.
Just three minutes into the quarter Stave threw his first interception of the day, targeting redshirt senior wide receiver Jared Abbrederis in double coverage before the tipped ball was caught by diving BYU defensive back Kyle Van Noy.
The Wisconsin running game kept its blistering pace in the second quarter, fueling another 11-play drive that ended in a 38-yard field goal for sophomore Jack Russell, his first as a Badger. Russell replaced redshirt junior kicker Kyle French last month after the Wisconsin coaching staff asked French to forego his senior season next year.
After a three-and-out for BYU Wisconsin put together a 65-yard drive with a little help from redshirt senior wide receiver Jacob Pedersen and Abbrederis, who each had three receptions. Stave was also 8-for-10 and converted on all three of the Badgers' first downs.
The drive was capped off with a five-yard touchdown reception for James White, his 11th touchdown of the season. The score also equalizes White and redshirt sophomore running back Melvin Gordon in touchdowns scored on the year.
Hill again found himself stifled, going 7-for-18 passing with just 56 yards through the air. He was also sacked twice in the first half, once each by senior linebackers Chris Borland and Ethan Armstrong.
The Pocatello, Idaho, native met a similar fate on the ground, gaining nine yards on eight carries over the course of the first 30 minutes.
The Cougars again found an answer in Williams, and he currently leads BYU with 64 rushing yards on the day.
Third Quarter
The Badgers lead BYU after three quarters, 20-10.
Borland, who is returning from a hamstring injury two weeks ago against Illinois, posted his second sack of the day to cap off a three-and-out for the Badgers to open the second half.
A 26-yard punt return from Doe brought the Badgers to BYU's 23 yard line, setting Wisconsin up for an eventual 26-yard field goal, Russell's second of the day.
On the ensuing BYU drive Hill finally completed a long ball to wide receiver Cody Hoffman over Badgers' senior safety Dezmen Southward for the Cougars' first touchdown of the day, putting the score at 20-10.
Rhythm would continue to be a problem for the Cougars, who suffered a three-and out on their next possession.
Fourth Quarter
Within a minute of the opening whistle in the fourth quarter, White had found the end zone on a 14-yard run, his third touchdown of the day and 12th of the season. The Badgers now lead 27-10.
