Wisconsin keeps the Axe ; finishes 12-0

Minneapolis, M.N. ~ After their Axe-grabbing, dominating, 31-0 victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, the Wisconsin Badgers are going to Indianapolis to duel the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big 10 Championship Game, next Saturday night. Not even their biggest rivals were going to stop the Badgers from completing their perfect season. After Alabama and Miami, the top two teams, lost this weekend, Wisconsin could find themselves ranked in the top-four.

Wisconsin now has won 14 straight games over Minnesota, and also lead the series 60-59-8,and this one was a total team effort. While in past years the Badgers have scavenged from behind or held on to a tight victory, this year Wisconsin absolutely dominated Minnesota, 31-0. The fifth-ranked Badgers allowed the Gophers to only 133 yards of total offense, only allowed eight first downs, and made Minnesota 3 of 13 on 3rd Down. That is what gave the Badgers the Axe for the 14th straight year. Click here to see Wisconsin celebrate their Axe.

Ryan Connelly and T.J. Edwards, both inside linebackers, combined for 13 tackles. The Minnesota native Connelly assorted for three tackles behind the line of scrimmage and two sacks, while Edwards had 2.5 tackles for loss at TCF Bank Stadium.

After a 2nd Quarter fumble, true freshman running back Jonathan Taylor rebounded aand rushed for 149 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown.

Sophomore Quarterback Alex Hornibrook completed 15 out of 19 passes for 151 yards while tossing three touchdowns and no interceptions. This was Hornibrook’s third three-touchdown game this season and it was also his first Big 10 game without an interception.

Wisconsin scored its first points on their third drive, when Hornibrook found John Mackey Award finalist Troy Fumagalli for a one yard touchdown. Fumagalli finsished with only 2 catches for 11 yards. Image result for wisconsin vs minnesota nov 2017

Wisconsin got the ball right back when their first ranked defense forced another three-and-out on the Golden Gopher rivals. On that drive, fullback Austin Ramesh picked up 41 yards to put the Badgers in good field position. Rafael Gaglionone sent a 32-yard field goal though the uprights and Wisconsin took a 10-0 lead.

On the next Badger possession Chris James and Garrett Groshek found some holes and picked up big yardage. That allowed Hornibrook to throw a touchdown to another tight end, Kyle Penniston to put the Badgers up by 17.

Wisconsin’s defense smothered Minnesota the whole game, and the Gophers did not convert a first down until Rodney Smith’s 25 yard run. After Minnesota missed a field-goal to end the half. Wisconsin went into the half leading 17-0.

In the third quarter, Danny Davis caught his second touchdown of the season. After Davis’ score, the Badgers drove 80 yards in 8 plays in a drive that need in a 31-yard touchdown pass from Hornibrook to Kendric Pryor, a freshman.

Wisconsin finished their regular season strong against their rival, the Minnesota Golden Gophers and for the 14th straight season the Badgers held Paul Bunyan’s Axe.

Next up for Wisconsin – the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big 10 Championship Game. This game will test the Badgers to see if their good enough to make the College Football Playoff.

By Jacob Szczap

 

 

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