Wisconsin had yet to punch an opponent in the mouth with its run game, but that’s exactly what it did on Saturday night in front of a packed Camp Randall crowd en route to a 28-0 victory.
It also got another amazing performance out of the defensive side of the ball and will go in to Big Ten play riding a three-game win streak and a 3-1 overall record.
The Badgers defense dominated the line of scrimmage and the stat sheet en route to the victory. It held Hawai’i to just 15 yards rushing and 255 total yards on just 52 plays in the contest. Most telling for the UW defense was it’s ability to get off the field on third downs.
Wisconsin held the Rainbow Warriors to just 3 of 12 on third down conversions.
Not just that, but the Badgers defense held its opponent out of the end zone once again. By preventing Hawai’i from scoring a touchdown, the Badgers have not allowed a 6-point score over the last 188:02 of game time—a period that stretches 12-consecutive quarters. The Badgers last allowed a touchdown at the 8:02 mark of the fourth quarter against Alabama.
“That’s what I love about sports is that you have to go do it again,” said head coach Paul Chryst after the game. “I think that we’ve got some good players on that defense and some great leaders, and we’ve still got room for growth. And they know that and that’s what I like about the group.”
The defense also got timely help from the run game, especially in the form of redshirt freshman Taiwan Deal. He took over on the opening drive, leading the Badgers 97 yards down field for his first of two touchdowns on the day. Deal would touch the ball nine times for 56 yards on the 16-play drive, capping it off with a two-yard scamper in to the end zone.
He would continue to be the lone bright spot for the Badgers offense for most of the contest, recording his first career 100-yard game by going for 102 yards in the first half alone. The freshman running back would finish with 147 yards on 26 carries.
“It was good,” Chryst said of Deal’s career night. “He’s been working. That’s what I love about this game is it takes everyone. I thought that he’s been growing with his opportunities. I think he’s been a patient back and trusting himself, and that’s good to see.”
However, it wasn’t always easy sledding from that point forward as the Badgers offense continued to stall without star running back Corey Clement.
Looking to get equal carries, the Badgers offense couldn’t muster much with Dare Ogunbowale in the backfield. Only after the game was well in hand did Ogunbowale get things going. He finished the night with 85 yards on 15 carries and added one touchdown.
Quarterback Joel Stave was off for the first time this season, as he struggled with accuracy and even after moving the football well, multiple drives stalled out throughout the game. Stave finished the day 14-23 for 164 yards and one touchdown.
For the first time all season, Stave wasn’t needed as the focal point of the offense though and he was even able to orchestrate one of his classic late second quarter drives. With 5 minutes, 16 seconds left to go in the first half, Stave led a nine-play, 73-yard drive right down the field. It was capped off by Deal’s second two-yard scamper in to the end zone, as he bounced it off of left tackle with just 38 seconds left in the half.
Stave went 4 of 5 for 40 yards on the drive that put the Badgers up by two scores finally.
The win marks the 35th straight home non-conference victory for the Badgers, a mark that is tied with Nebraska for 7th longest in NCAA history. One more home win would tie the Badgers with Ohio State (1991-2005) for the sixth-longest streak of its kind.
After struggling for most of the second and third quarters, the Badgers got the production needed from the offense in the fourth quarter to seal the game away. Senior tight end Austin Traylor scored on a 5-yard pass from Stave in the final minute of the third quarter to push the scoreline to 21-0, but it was Ogunbowale’s 9-yard run midway through the fourth quarter that gave UW the final margin needed.
UW switched Alec Ingold from inside linebacker to running back last week, and he got his first carries of his career on Saturday. Ingold finished with 70 yards on six carries in his debut.
Wisconsin will now head in to Big Ten play next week, hosting the Iowa Hawkeyes at 11a.m. CT on ESPN.
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