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Badgers WIN Eighth Straight!! By Barry The Bear |
IdataSports.com Sports Staff Writer
barrythebear@webtv.net
Posted Mon Oct 25 19:01:58 2004
Game MVP: Anthony Davis- 31 carries-122 yards-2 touchdowns
Offensive Player of the Game: John Stocco= 13 of 21 passing-2 touchdowns
For the first time since the 1998 ROSE BOWL season, the Wisconsin Badgers are a perfect 8-0.Its only the eighth time in ths history of the program the Badgers have boasted an 8-0 record. Anthony Davis led the way to victory by scoring two touchdowns and notching his third 100 yard running game of the year. Comming off two hard fought victories over Ohio State and Purdue,many thought that the Badgers would get tripped up for the third straight year by Northwestern. But, not this year. Wisconsin played a dominating game on both sides of the ball. Stocco and the offense controlled the game in the fourth quarter, as they held the ball for over 11 minutes.
Wisconsin started first with the ball. On first down, Stocco passed to Brandon Williams for a gain of 14. But on the next play, he was intercepted by Marvin Ward at the 27. The Wildcats were not able to cash in on the turn-over and had to punt after just three plays. The punt was BLOCKED and the Badgers had the ball in great field position. After just a one yard gain from Davis and two incomplete passes, Wisconsin elected to kick a field goal on fourth and nine. Allen missed it. The defense turned away Northwestern's next drive. The Badgers re-gained control followig the pnt at the 32. Stocco completed passes of 5 and 4 yards to Williams and Darrin Charles. Four plays later, Stocco complted a 25 yard pass to Charles for a first down at the 29. On the next play,Davis gained 16 yards down to the 13. Unfortunatly... from there the drive stalled out and the Badgers settled for a 29 yard field goal from Allen to make it 3-0. The Wildcats controlled the ball for the next five minutes to run out the first quarter.
Wisconsin started out the second quarter at the 28. Davis ran for 9 on first down. Matt Berstein then rushed for 6 to give the Badgers a first down at the 43. Stocco then completed a pass to Brandon Williams for 25 yards and another first down. Several plays later, on second and 10 from the 20, Davis gained 9 yards down to the 11. Northwestern was penalized on the play for a personal foul on a late hit on Davis after he was out of bounds. That put the ball at the 5. THree plays later, Stocco passed four yards to Owen Daniels for the TOUCHDOWN. Allen kicked the p.a.t. to make it 10-0.
The defense shut down Northwestern again on the next drive. Following a punt, the Badgers had the ball back at the 29. Stocco went to the air again and hit Williams for 10 yards and a few plays later Booker Stanley for 12 yards.That gave the Badgers a first down at the 36. Wiliams then ran for 25 yards down to the 11. Two plays later, Davis capped off the drive as he scored from the seven. After Allen added the p.a.t., Wisconsin had control at 17-0 with just over three minutes left in the half.
Northwestern opened the third quarter on offense. After just six plays, they punted. Wisconsin took over at the 34. Stocco went airbourn again and passed to Charles for 33 yards down to the 30. Davis then ran for gains of 7, 4 and 11 yards to get the Badgers down to the 8. Booker Stanley then gained 7 down to the 1, where Davis concluded the drive with the TOUCHDOWN for a commanding 24-0 lead with 9:55 remaining in the third.
The Wildcats then went on a long, time consuming drive of 16 plays-65 yards-5:55. It resulted in NOTHING, as Huffmann MISSED a field goal from 35 yards. The Wildcats defense made a big stop on the next series, forcing the Badgers to punt after just three plays. The Wildcats re-gained the ball at the 32. Basanez passed to Brandon Horn for 11 yards to the 43. Noah Herron then ran for 16 down to the 41. Three plays later, Basanez passed 29 yards for the touchdown to Mark Philmore. They elected to go for two points on the conversion, but the pass was incomplete. Wisconsin had a 24-6 lead with under a minute in the quarter.
Onthe kick-off.Northwestern did an on-side kick, which they recovered at the 49. After three plays the third quarter ended.
Early in the fourth, Northwestern scored the touchdown. They again attempted the two point conversion and again they missed. The score read 24-12 with 14:35 left in the game.
The teams traded punts on each of their next drives. Wisconsin later got the ball back at the 25 with 7:29 remaining. From that point on, all the Badgers did was run-run-run-run. Stocco only passed in attempts to get th first down and keep the rive alive. Eventually after 16 plays and 7:09 the Badgers were forced to punt.
All Northwestern could do with twenty seconds was attempt a charge. But time expired and the Badgers WON their EIGHTH STRAIGHT game by the FINAL SCORE
Wisconsin 24
Northwestern 12
Wisconsin now 8-0 overall/ 5-0 Big Ten
Following a BYE week, the Badgers return to action on Saturday November 6th vs. Minnesota.
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