EVANSTON, Ill. — Graham Mertz threw for a career-high 299 yards and matched one with five touchdowns, Chimere Dike set personal bests with 185 yards receiving and three TD catches, and Wisconsin dominated in interim coach Jim Leonhard's first game, pounding struggling Northwestern 42-7 on Saturday.

Braelon Allen added 135 yards rushing. He also threw a 23-yard touchdown late in the second quarter, and the Badgers (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) raced out to a 28-0 halftime lead on the way to an easy win.

Mertz completed 20 of 29 passes.

Dike had touchdown catches of 52 and 21 yards in the first half as well as a 6-yarder in the fourth quarter. He caught 10 passes and easily surpassed his previous high of 106 yards with today's 185-yard tally and three TDs setting new career highs in all three categories.

Wisconsin racked up 515 yards in all and finished with 193 on the ground after being held to 2 yards rushing on 24 carries for its lowest total since 2015.

Northwestern (1-5, 1-2) lost its fifth straight since opening with a win over Nebraska in Ireland.

Ryan Hilinski threw for 147 yards and was intercepted twice.

The Badgers missed a field goal on the game's opening drive, but took control with touchdowns on their next two possessions.

Mertz capped a nine-play, 98-yard march when he hit a wide open Skyler Bell for a 15-yarder, and Wisconsin wasted little time adding to it.

Junior safety Kamo'i Latu intercepted Hilinski near midfield. Three plays later, Dike caught a pass from Mertz over the middle to start the second quarter and outran several defenders for a 52-yard score. Latu finished with two interceptions against the Wildcats.

Dike set up another touchdown with a 43-yard catch, this time hauling in a 21-yarder from Mertz midway through the quarter to bump the lead to 21-0. Allen threw a 23-yard TD to Chez Mellusi with just over two minutes left in the half to make it a 28-point game. Mertz went 20-for-29, finishing with a career-high 299 yards passing and matching his career high and the UW school record with five touchdown passes.

Braelon Allen posted his 11th 100-yard performance in his last 15 games and his TD pass to Mellusi was the first of his career. The touchdown pass was the first for a Badger non-QB since 2012 when James White threw for a score in the 2012 Big Ten Championship. The score also marked Mellusi's first receiving TD as a Badger.

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Markus Allen recorded his first-career touchdown on a 19-yard pass in the fourth quarter for the Badgers to cap the victory for the Badgers.

Northwestern had a chance to score just before the break, only to come away empty-handed when Jack Olsen missed a 21-yarder on his first attempt this season as time expired.

Wisconsi linebacker Nick Herbig recorded seven tackles and forced a third-quarter fumble and teammate defensive end James Thompson Jr. recovered the Wildcat fumble, recording his first recovery of his career. Thompson Jr. also recorded two tackles in the win.

The Wildcats converted a fourth-and-1 at the 4 in the final minute and threw two incompletions before coach Pat Fitzgerald opted to go for the field goal with two seconds remaining and the ball on the 3. Fans booed and they weren't happy, either, when the kick went wide left.

Looking ahead, Wisconsin remains on the road and will travel to Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 15. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT on FOX.

The AP contributed to this article.