The Wisconsin badgers turned in a lackluster performance on Saturday, but managed to squeak out a 24-20
victory against the mid-major Northern Illinois Huskies. This kind of victory was not the kind of game Barry Alvarez
had envisioned earlier this spring. The Badgers defense gave up a total of 455 yards, with 230 yards coming on the
ground. Huskies tailback Michael Turner ripped the defense for 160 yards and 2 touchdowns. The only thing the
Badgers defense did do was force 4 turnovers that were very costly to the Huskies.
The Huskies got on the board first with a 34-yard field goal to make it 3-0. Cornerback B. J. Tucker was beaten
on a 34-yard completion on a post pattern, to set up the score. The drive covered 63 yards in 14 plays.
The Badgers answered in the second quarter with a nine play, 58-yard drive, capped by Brooks Bollinger’s
1-yard naked boot for a touchdown. This drive was highlighted by a 22-yard reception by freshman Jonathan Orr.
Bollinger floated one out to the left sideline, and Orr made a spectacular grab.
Both teams exchanged field goals after that to give the Badgers a 10-6 half-time lead. The Huskies sustained drives
of 14 and 9 plays first half, but the Badger defense held when it counted.
The Huskies started the second half-scoring with an 11 play, 63-yard drive in which the Badger defense held
again. Freshman walk-on Jim Leonhard made a big play on 3rd down to force the Huskies to kick a 35-yard field
goal.
Then, after another stalled offensive drive, Leonhard made a huge pick to give the ball right back to the Badgers on
the Huskies 18. On 3rd and 1 from the 9, Anthony Davis took the hand-off and went untouched for the score. That
gave the Badgers a 17-9 lead with 5:56 left in the third quarter.
The Huskies answered with six play, 79-yard drive, that ended with the first of Michael Turner’s two touchdowns,
to make it 17-15.
After the Badgers offense stumbled again, the Huskies went back to work, driving 90 yards for a score. Huskie
quarterback Josh Haldi hooked up with Sam Hurd for a 53-yard strike that put the Huskies in great field position.
Turner scored his second touchdown on a 1-yard run to make it a 21-17 lead for the Huskies with 5:55 left in the
game.
The Badgers finally took the lead for good with 1:21 left, with a Bollinger taking a draw play in for the score. With
the Badgers leading 24-21, a defense that looked weary, still put the game away.
This was a terrible game for the Badgers against an inferior opponent, and they still escaped with a win. This is not
a very good 4-0 team, and next week the Badgers are in for a wake-up call against tough PAC-10 team in Arizona.
The Badgers better improve in a hurry!
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