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This one was a gut punch.
Eighth-ranked Wisconsin and No. 2 Ohio State engaged in a nip-and-tuck game at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday night, with the Buckeyes winning 30-23 in overtime.
The Badgers controlled the first half, with their offense rolling but settling for three field goals along with a touchdown. Meanwhile, Wisconsin's defense held Ohio State to its first half without scoring a touchdown.
The second half was a different story, though. With the Buckeyes dominating the third quarter, setting up an exciting fourth quarter and overtime.
Wisconsin surely will kick itself with the chances it had to win this game. But like every gut punch, you recover. And the Badgers' season is far from over.
A recap of Saturday's game:
CLASS LESSONS
-- No team is going to play a perfect game. However, Wisconsin needed to really minimize its mistakes against a team of Ohio State's caliber. In the second quarter, the Badgers had two drives in which they entered the red zone, and both times UW came away with just three points. Wisconsin also got to the 21-yard line on its opening possession, but a third-down sack forced a field-goal attempt. If just one of those field goals is a touchdown, we have a different game.
--- From a play standpoint, one stood out to me. Wisconsin opened the second half with the ball and after picking up a first down had second-and-7. Alex Hornibrook threw to an open Eric Steffes, but the tight end dropped what would have been a sure first down and inched the Badgers close to midfield. Instead it was third-and-7 and Ohio State, which pinned its ears back on those kind of situations all game, sacked Hornibrook. The wind was taken out of the Badgers' sails and it took them a while to recover offensively.
-- That week of rest definitely did one players some good. Corey Clement looked like the Clement of old, especially on his 68-yard run in the first quarter in which had a nice bounce move and escaped a tackle. Also credit to Quintez Cephus on his downfield blocking. The longest run Ohio State had given up in its first five games was 35 yards.
-- Wisconsin jumbled its offensive line all game, at times inserting David Edwards at right tackle and Micah Kapoi at left guard (moving Michael Deiter to center and removing Brett Connors). It was kind of a strange tactic and partially effective (this line was in for Clement's big run, but Edwards was also beaten on a sack). Right guard Beau Benzschawel wasn't one who was replaced, but he had his struggles in pass protection all night.
-- The Badgers recorded two sacks, but it could -- and probably should -- have been more. J.T. Barrett eluded a few, including once when T.J. Watt was pulling on his jersey, and each time Barrett came up with a big play. On one, Barrett complete a nine-yard pass on third-and-10, setting up a makeable fourth-down play.
-- Speaking of that fourth-down play, Ohio State converted two on a third-quarter drive which eventually resulted in Barrett running in for a score from the 1.
-- After tearing it up in the first half, Wisconsin struggled, producing just 11 yards of offense in the third quarter. The tide turned when Hornibrook dropped in a beautiful pass to Peavy in the fourth quarter on a third-and-9 play. It was just the confidence boost Hornibrook and the Wisconsin offense needed.
-- On that same drive, Wisconsin made a great play call on third-and-3, faking a handoff to Dare Ogunbowale and shoveling a pass to Fumagalli for a first down. Wisconsin would drive down the field and take the lead on an Austin Ramseh touchdown run -- the first rushing TD allowed by Ohio State this year.
-- Ohio State tied the game late with a field goal. Inexplicably, Wisconsin used a three-man rush. You can't give Barrett that kind of time and he found Donte Wilson downfield for a 43-yard gain. Wilson was being defended by linebacker Zach Baun -- you can't expect a linebacker to cover Wilson that long.
-- Kudos again to safety Leo Musso, who continues to play well. His open-field trip-up of Barrett on that above drive forced Ohio State to kick a field goal and tie the game. It gave the Badgers a chance to win the game with a field goal. More on that below.
-- Ogunbowale has not had a very good season running the ball (and to be fair, he also hasn't always been used properly -- why did UW run him inside on third-and-goal with 45 seconds left in the first half?), although he did have a nice 9-yard effort, finding holes (which has been an issue) with some cuts. With Taiwan Deal out, I figured Wisconsin didn't want to take a chance with freshman Bradrick Shaw, but in the fourth quarter, on the play before Ramesh's touchdown, Shaw bursted through the line for a 6-yard gain. It was his only carry of the game. I get Ogunbowale is the third-down back, but when Clement needed a breather on first- or second-down, it is puzzling why Shaw wasn't used.
DULY NOTED
-- Wisconsin's last 13 Big Ten regular-season losses have all been by seven points or fewer.
-- The Badgers ran for 236 yards with a 5.1 average. Those were Wisconsin's second-best totals this season, behind just the Akron game. Every other game this year Wisconsin had averaged 3.82 yards or less per carry.
-- Clement tied his career high with 164 yards rushing. He also did it Oct. 11, 2014 vs. Illinois. This was the first time Wisconsin lost when Clement ran for 100+ yards; the Badgers had been 9-0 on those occasions.
-- Wisconsin held Ohio State to its fewest points in a half all season with six in the first half (previous was 10 in the second half against Oklahoma). The Buckeyes' previous low for first half points was 20. It was also the first time this season that Ohio State did not score a touchdown in a half.
-- Andrew Endicott made all three of his field-goal attempts, from 46, 32 and 22. Wisconsin kickers are now 11 for 12 on field-goal tries this season.
-- Linebacker Vince Biegel missed another game, but he did some drills in pregame. Wisconsin could have used him. We'll see if he's ready to play next week, but it appears as though his return is imminent.
-- In overtime, the Badgers had two missed tackles. That was an issue all game. After a penalty, Wisconsin had Ohio State with a second-and-13, but Barrett hit Curtis Samuel for 11 yards. A third-and-2 gave the Buckeyes so many more options and Barrett found Noah Brown for a touchdown. It looked like Derrick Tindal turned the wrong way in the end zone, but it likely wouldn't have mattered as Barrett lofted the pass in where only Brown could have caught it.
-- On Wisconsin's OT possession, a nice catch by the sideline by Robert Wheelwright gave the Badgers the ball at the 4 ... but they could get no further. On the Badgers' final play, Ohio State knew UW had to pass -- they brought the house. Hornibrook's option in the end zone was covered, but at the same point you can't duck and cover. Throw it up and hope for a miracle. Easier said than done, but the freshman QB had some learning moments in this game.
-- Wisconsin hadn't lost back-to- back regular-season games since Nov. 17-24, 2012, at Ohio State and vs. Penn State. Both of those defeats came in overtime as well.
WHAT IT MEANT
If Wisconsin had thoughts of getting involved in the football playoff, well, those are pretty much over. Do the Badgers have a chance to be one of the final four teams? Sure, run the table and win the Big Ten title game and maybe, but the odds are very long. Still, the Big Ten West is still for the taking -- although Wisconsin will need some help (namely, the Badgers have to win out and need someone else to take down Nebraska). There are no moral victories, but Wisconsin certainly has served noticed in its past two games -- close losses to two of the best teams in the country -- that it is to be reckoned with.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Jazz Peavy was a big part of what Wisconsin did on offense, compiling 146 yards. Seventy of those came on six jet sweeps. Peavy also had four catches, including the Badgers' first touchdown -- in which he was wide open between defenders on a 24-yard score -- and a big reception on the go-ahead fourth-quarter drive. Clement had a good game including a big run, but Peavy really made the offense go.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME
Linebacker Jack Cichy was all over the field. His game wasn't perfect -- he missed a tackle on Barrett's touchdown run in the fourth quarter -- but he finished with 15 tackles, 11 solo, with 3.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
THAT MOMENT
With the score tied, Wisconsin had the ball with just under four minutes in regulation and moved the ball near midfield with four rushes. On the fifth, Brett Connors was called for holding. It completely changed the Badgers' strategy as UW, now with a first-and-20, started throwing. It didn't work out and Wisconsin had to punt and settle for overtime.
THIS NUMBER
450 -- Total yards for Wisconsin, the most Ohio State has allowed in a regular-season game since Nov. 8, 2014. The Buckeyes also allowed more than that in the postseason in that same season on Jan. 12, 2015. It was also the most yards for the Badgers in a Big Ten game in over a year, Oct. 10, 2015 to be precise.
THEY SAID IT
"This one is tough ... because we didn't come into this one hoping to keep it close. This one hurts tonight." -- head coach Paul Chryst
"They're a great team, a great, sound team, they play together. ... They all fly to the ball. They don't make too many mistakes." -- Ohio State running back Curtis Samuel on Wisconsin's defense
WHAT'S NEXT
After back-to-back losses, Wisconsin tries to rebound at 5-2 Iowa. The Hawkeyes have one win over a team with a winning record currently -- Minnesota. Both of the Hawkeyes' losses have come at home, to FCS North Dakota State and Northwestern.
Dave Heller is the author of the upcoming book Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow as well as Facing Ted Williams Players From the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived and As Good As It Got: The 1944 St. Louis Browns
