Wisconsin Badgers
4-0 , 1-0
Northwestern
2-2 , 0-1
Safety in numbers: Defense shines in UW victory
September 30, 2017 | Football
Badgers defeat Wildcats 33-24 in Big Ten opener
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Jonathan Taylor ran for two touchdowns to help the offense overcome a sluggish start as No. 10 Wisconsin's defense swarmed Northwestern before holding on for a 33-24 win on Saturday.
Alex Hornibrook threw for 197 yards and a touchdown, settling down after two interceptions in the first half. Garrett Dooley had three of Wisconsin's eight sacks.
Northwestern's last drive was thwarted when quarterback Clayton Thorson couldn't find a receiver out of his own end zone and was sacked by safety D'Cota Dixon for a safety.
Thorson was having a good quarter until then, throwing two touchdown passes in less than two minutes. The second scoring pass to Garrett Dickerson with 2:53 left got the Wildcats within a touchdown of the Badgers.
But Wisconsin (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) stood up the Wildcats (2-2, 0-1) again late to seal the win in each team's conference opener.
And that's game! Wisconsin earns its first Big Ten victory of the season. #Badgers
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) September 30, 2017
It was all Wisconsin in the second half until Northwestern's late push in the final stanza.
Hornibrook hit Quintez Cephus on a 61-yard pass to the Northwestern 11 on the Badgers' first drive of the third quarter. Taylor scored on the next play to give Wisconsin the lead for good, 14-10 with 9:16 left in the third.
Safety Natrell Jamerson had a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown for a 31-10 lead with 9:54 left in the game, what initially looked like the final blow to Northwestern.
But the Wildcats came back for a late rally as Wisconsin allowed two quick touchdowns before Dixon's safety finally finished off Northwestern.
D'Cota Dixon keeping this lead SAFE! #OnWisconsin
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) September 30, 2017
Taylor, a freshman, finished with 80 yards on 19 carries. Dixon had a team-high 12 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks.
Hornibrook was 11 of 20. Thorson finished 29 of 45 for 219 yards and three touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Badgers Tame the WildcatsÂ
Team Stats
NU 3, WIS 0
NU - Kuhbander, C 34 yd field goal 4 plays, 8 yards, TOP 1:27
NU 3, WIS 7
WIS - Taylor, J. 7 yd run (Gaglianone, R. kick), 7 plays, 47 yards, TOP 3:48
NU 10, WIS 7
NU - Green, Cameron 1 yd pass from Thorson, C (Kuhbander, C kick) 12 plays, 44 yards, TOP 6:38
NU 10, WIS 14
WIS - Taylor, J. 11 yd run (Gaglianone, R. kick), 4 plays, 79 yards, TOP 1:59
NU 10, WIS 21
WIS - Davis, Danny 5 yd pass from Hornibrook, A. (Gaglianone, R. kick) 4 plays, 38 yards, TOP 1:42
NU 10, WIS 24
WIS - Gaglianone, R. 23 yd field goal 7 plays, 38 yards, TOP 3:41
NU 10, WIS 31
WIS - Jamerson, N. 36 yd interception (Gaglianone, R. kick)
NU 17, WIS 31
NU - Bowman, Ramaud 2 yd pass from Thorson, C (Kuhbander, C kick) 13 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:08
NU 24, WIS 31
NU - Dickerson, G 5 yd pass from Thorson, C (Kuhbander, C kick) 7 plays, 55 yards, TOP 1:28
NU 24, WIS 33
WIS - TEAM 9 yd safety
