When Montee Ball left his feet at the two-yard line, it looked as though he might come down in the end zone and on top of the NCAA record book.
For the second consecutive game at Camp Randall, the Wisconsin Badgers (4-3 Big Ten, 7-4 overall) lost a game in overtime that marred a strong defensive performance and additionally spoiled senior running back Montee Ball’s tying of the FBS touchdown record. After a five-yard touchdown pass to redshirt junior tight end Jacob Pedersen with just eight seconds in regulation remaining that tied everything up at 14, Camp Randall was roaring and it appeared undefeated Ohio State (7-0, 11-0) would let its 14-point first half lead go to waste. But Buckeyes’ sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller and junior running back Carlos Hyde only needed two rushes each in their first overtime possession to go up a touchdown and put all the pressure right back into the hands of the Badgers. After a six-yard rush by Ball, an incomplete pass from redshirt senior quarterback Curt Phillips to redshirt freshman fullback Derek Watt and a two-yard loss from Ball on third down, the Badgers were faced with a fourth-and-six from the Buckeyes’ 21. Phillips tried hitting Pedersen over the middle on a curl route that the pair had connected with on numerous occasions earlier in the game but was broken up by junior defensive back Christian Bryant, giving Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema his first loss on Senior Day as Badgers head coach. “[Bryant] made a great break on the ball,” Pedersen said. “[But] honestly, I have to give Curt a better look. I have to come down on my stem more. “It’s’ a little bit on me, but give credit to [Bryant]. He obviously prepared well. He knew what was coming and made a great break on the ball.” The heartbreaking loss has been nothing new for the Badgers this season, as their four losses have come by an average of 4.0 points. “It hurts to do everything you can in your power but still fall short,” Ball said. “It happened twice to us back here at home. It’s just not a good feeling.” Despite holding Ohio State to just 236 yards on offense and extending its streak of holding an opponent to under 300 yards on offense to six games, the Badgers still think they could have done a little more. “Like I said, there were definitely some plays that we left on the field that we should have made,” Phillips said. “And overtime was one of them on the fourth down.” The other came just under three minutes left in regulation, when Ball rushed the ball to the Ohio State two-yard line while still down 14-7 and his touchdown record right in front of both him and the student section. On fourth-and-one from the two, Ball tried jumping over the pile despite the “we run the ball into the endzone” mantra that Bielema preaches, but fumbled after taking a hit from Buckeyes sophomore linebacker Ryan Shazier. “We talk about running the ball into the endzone and I just had this flash in my mind when we were lining up to run that play. I’m like ‘don’t jump, don’t jump,’ because I knew he was doing anything he could to get in the end zone. I can’t discredit him for the effort.” “I just felt like I had to do something in that situation,” Ball said. “One thing I should have done is just dove.” The fumble gave Ohio State the ball at the Wisconsin six-yard line, but after forcing a three-and-out, the Badgers received the ball at Ohio State’s 41 after just a 34-yard punt. Pedersen caught the touchdown nine plays later. The Buckeyes got on the board first towards the end of the first quarter after junior defensive back Corey Brown returned a punt for a touchdown from 68 yards out. Hyde then ran one in from 15 yards about five minutes later in the beginning of the second quarter to go up 14-0. Then it was all Badgers defense, even with redshirt junior Chris Borland being held out. The Badgers held Miller to just 48 yards on the ground and 10-of-18 passing for 97 yards. The Badgers also nearly cut Ohio State’s average of 445.3 total yards per game in half, as a strong defensive front helped the team stymie Miller and only give up a total of 236. “Any time you play somebody with that type of skill set, that type of speed, quickness, [Miller] is going to get some yards,” redshirt junior safety Dezmen Southward said. “And he got some yards, but he worked for every yard he got.” Ball finished with 191 yards on 39 carries (4.9 average) and Phillips ended up 14-of-25 with 154 yards and one touchdown. Ball ran in the record-tying score from seven yards out. Pedersen finished with six catches for 66 yards and Hyde finished with 87 yards on 15 carries with two scores. Although Senior Day and Ball’s inability to break the record at home magnified the heartbreaker, the team is very much aware that essentially nothing is changed despite not being able to win the Leaders Division. “We still have the opportunity to reach all the goals that we wanted to as far as going to Indy and making it back to the Rose Bowl,” Phillips said. “So we just have to kind of rally the troops and make sure we take care of that.”
Traveling east for the first time this season, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team (4-2-2 WCHA, 8-4-2 overall) split their weekend road series with the Ohio State Buckeyes (8-4-0, 10-4-0). With the win, the Badgers moved up to take sole position of third place in the WCHA standings.
The rivalry between the Wisconsin and Minnesota men’s hockey teams goes back decades—far beyond any current player or coaches’ time with their team. The two squads have faced off 262 times in their history, and they will begin writing the next chapter this weekend when the Badgers (1-2-1 WCHA, 1-4-1 overall) head to Minneapolis to take on the No. 3 ranked Golden Gophers (3-2-1, 6-2-1).
Fresh off its 74-56 defeat to No. 10 Florida in Gainesville, Fla., No. 22 Wisconsin (1-1 overall) will look to bounce back when it hosts Cornell (1-1) Sunday at the Kohl Center.
After having the week off due to the Four Nations Cup in Finland, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team (3-3-2 WCHA, 7-3-2 overall) returns to the ice this weekend and will be put to the test in a tough road environment, as they travel to Columbus to take on WHCA foe No. 8/9 Ohio State (7-3-0, 9-3-0).
Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema looks to remain undefeated in Senior Day games as the Badger head coach while senior running back Montee Ball is looking to move into first place on the all-time touchdowns list Saturday against the Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0 Big Ten, 10-0 overall).
Three of the marquee games from college basketball’s opening weekend were scheduled outdoors on aircraft carriers. These games are scheduled right around Veterans Day and fittingly aim to honor the United States’ Armed Forces.
The Wisconsin football team (4-2 Big Ten, 7-3 overall) has proved more than ever this season that it lives and dies by one simple fact: if the team can’t establish a run game, ugly results ensue.
The Wisconsin men’s basketball team (1-0) will likely play its toughest non-conference game this season when it travels to Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday for a matchup against No. 10 Florida (1-0).
Men’s Cross Country
Back from another weekend on the road, the Wisconsin volleyball team concluded its road trip with two losses against strong Big Ten opponents. On Friday night, the Badgers (4-12 Big Ten, 16-13 overall) were swept in three sets by Michigan (9-7, 21-9) and, just 24 hours later, were swept by Michigan State (9-7, 21-7) in East Lansing, Mich.
The Wisconsin women’s soccer team (5-5-1 Big Ten, 12-8-1 overall) traveled to Los Angeles to meet a familiar foe Saturday night in a first-round NCAA tournament matchup. The Badgers fell to a then-No. 2 UCLA (8-2-1 Pac-12, 16-2-2 overall) August 31 but looked to avenge their early season loss with an upset over a talented Bruins team.
After an up-and-down season for the Wisconsin women’s soccer team (5-5-1 Big Ten, 12-7-1 overall), the Badgers claimed an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament Monday night. Wisconsin will take on No.3 seed UCLA (8-2-1 Pac-12, 15-2-2 overall) Saturday night in the first round. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m. in Los Angeles.
Five Badgers scored in double figures during Wisconsin’s 96-44 exhibition victory over the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Wednesday at the Kohl Center.
The Wisconsin men's soccer team (1-4-2 Big Ten, 6-8-5 Overall) saw their season come to an end at the hands of Michigan (4-2-1, 9-8-1) 1-0, with the one decisive goal coming from Wolverine's freshman forward James Murphy in the 68 minute. The Badgers were shut out for the ninth time this season.
ROSEMONT, Ill.—Despite an NCAA title in 1941, Wisconsin men’s basketball has a history largely defined by consistent futility. After that 1941 title, UW appeared in the Big Dance just three times over the next 57 years, never reaching the Sweet 16. But since 1999, the Badgers have gone dancing 14 consecutive years, reaching the Sweet 16 six times.
The Indiana offense leads the Big Ten in passing attempts (381) and passing yards per game (299.9). It is tied for second in the league with 19 passing touchdowns and third in scoring (33.1 points per game). Yet the Hoosiers (2-3 Big Ten, 4-5 overall) rank dead last in the conference in time of possession, averaging just 27:13 per game.
Wisconsin men’s hockey assistant coach Bill Butters announced he is leaving his position with the Badgers effective immediately according to the UW athletic department and head coach Mike Eaves.
The Wisconsin men’s soccer team (1-3-2 Big Ten, 6-7-5 overall) will play its first postseason game as the No. 6 seed against No. 3 Michigan (3-2-1, 8-8-1) in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament Wednesday. The Badgers already bested the Wolverines 2-1 at home earlier this season.
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