Lucas: Best of 2022 – Keeping the Streak Alive

John Torchio and Braelon Allen combo photo

Lucas: Best of 2022 – Keeping the Streak Alive

December 26, 2022 | Football, Mike Lucas

Looking back at the most memorable Badger plays this season

By MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer

MADISON, Wis. – It's one thing to single out the top individual plays on offense and defense from the 2022 season. That is conventional. It's another thing to cite whole quarters that either generated momentum early or swung it late. This is unconventional. But then so was the season.

Two quarters stood out. Each was the difference in keeping alive long winning streaks.

The first that comes to mind was a dominant first quarter against Purdue on Oct. 22 that was the perfect gift for returning alums to Camp Randall on Homecoming Weekend '22. The Badgers beat the Boilermakers, 35-34, their 16^th straight triumph in the series dating back to the 2004 season.

Not only has Wisconsin won the last three games against Purdue by sizeable margins – an average of 16.3 points – but the Badgers have won eight straight over the Boilers in Madison, a noteworthy accomplishment this season given that Purdue went on to capture the Big Ten West.

The first quarter spelled the difference. The first possession set the tone. Wisconsin drove 76 yards on 6 plays to take a 7-0 lead at 12:34 of the quarter. That was followed by a John Torchio pick-6 on the Boilermakers' first series. And, yes, there were clearly signs that the road team was already reeling.

Braelon Allen broke off a 41-yard run on the UW's second possession which covered 80 yards on 8 plays and left Purdue in a 21-0 hole. Allen had 69 yards rushing and Skyler Bell had 69 yards receiving in the quarter – at the end of which the Badgers had 15 plays for 164 yards, the Boilers had 17 for 90.

The 21 points in the first quarter were the most Wisconsin had scored in the opening quarter of a Big Ten game since a 21-point first quarter explosion against Illinois in 2016. For the record, too, the Badgers have averaged 261.4 rushing yards during the 16-game winning streak against Purdue.

While falling short of that mark in this game (178 on the ground), it was of little consequence to the outcome. After seeing his team's four-game winning streak snapped, Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said, "We dug ourselves a hole early and couldn't get out of it. Wisconsin flat out beat us."

Four weeks later, the Badgers found themselves in a hole at Nebraska in what was a unique matchup considering that both programs were transitioning and in the hands of interim head coaches. Going into the fourth quarter, the Cornhuskers held a 14-3 lead at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.

The Huskers had scored on their final series of the third quarter (with only 34 seconds left on the clock) – on a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Casey Thompson, the Texas transfer, to slot receiver Trey Palmer, the LSU transfer. The Badgers had the ball on their own 28 to open the fourth.

In desperate need of points, the UW put together a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive culminating with a Graham Mertz touchdown pass of 10 yards to Skyler Bell. The score was so welcome a helmetless Nick Herbig, who had been ejected for targeting, came on the field to greet Bell and was penalized.

Despite playing without Herbig, a team leader and the league's best pass rusher, the UW defense rose to the occasion and forced back-to-back punts from Nebraska which kept the door open for the comeback. (The Huskers had two first downs and 27 yards of offense on 13 plays in the quarter).

The Badgers controlled the football for 9:15 of the fourth, converted on two-of-three third downs, and collected 119 yards of total offense – 50 coming on the game-winning scoring drive featuring a 27-yard pass from Mertz to Isaac Guerendo and a Mertz one-yard touchdown sneak.

That score came with only 35 seconds remaining. Behind Chez Mellusi (98 yards), Allen (92) and Guerendo (42), the UW offense grinded out 235 rushing yards (the longest run was 22). Since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, the Badgers are averaging 301.1 yards rushing against the Huskers in 11 games.

In rallying for the 15-14 decision, the Badgers have now win nine straight over Nebraska, including four consecutive wins in Lincoln. Moreover, this victory made Wisconsin bowl-eligible for the 21^st consecutive season, the longest active streak in the Big Ten and the third-longest in the FBS.

Only Georgia and Oklahoma have been bowling more consistently of late than the Badgers. The difference in earning another post-season game – the Dec. 27 Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs. Oklahoma State in Phoenix, Arizona – was really two quarters. The first against Purdue. And the fourth against Nebraska.

TOP DEFENSIVE PLAYS FROM 2022

(tie) John Torchio's 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against Illinois State in the opener and Torchio's 31-yard pick-6 against Purdue in Game 5 of the Big Ten season.

The former was the longest in school history, edging out Joe Ferguson's 99-yard return against Utah State in 2017. Illinois State had a third down from the UW 10 and quarterback Zack Annexstad, a former Gopher, was threatening to put the Redbirds on the board first in a scoreless game. But Torchio stepped in front of tight end Tanner Taula at the goal line (Taula was surrounded by four defenders) and raced down the west sidelines with Max Lofy throwing one block (on DB Keondre Jackson) and Hunter Wohler throwing another (on the aforementioned Taula).

Torchio's second pick-6 of '22 was also vintage Torch. The UW safety read the eyes of Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell and they took him to the receiver (Tyrone Tracy, the former Hawkeye) and the ball. Torchio had another interception later in the game, once again stepping in front of the intended target, Payne Durham. O'Connell has probably seen more than enough of Torchio who has intercepted him three times over the past two years.

Nick Herbig's strip sack of Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras.

Deja-Nick. In 2021, Herbig was responsible for a strip sack of Petras in Wisconsin's win over the Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium. On that day, he beat tackle Nick DeJong by utilizing his quickness on a wide rush and poked the ball out of the hands of an unsuspecting Petras. Herbig finished with 6 tackles and 2.5 sacks. At Iowa, he set a personal record with the hat trick – three QB sacks. On the strip sack of Petras, which led to a UW field goal and early 3-0 lead, Herbig whipped left tackle Mason Richmond. He also had success against right tackle Jack Plumb. Both struggled to control Herbig who recorded eight stops, matching his career high. Herbig, who has declared for the NFL draft, played in 31 career games and produced 21 sacks, tying him for eighth most in UW history with Don Davey. (Tarek Saleh is the all-time leader with 33.)

Safety Kamo'i Latu's interception of Northwestern's Ryan Hilinski

The Badgers had just scored to take a 7-0 lead in the closing minutes of the first quarter when Latu, the Utah transfer, made sure the momentum stayed on the Wisconsin sideline. On 3^rd-and-6 from the NW 42, Hilinski came up short on a toss in the middle of the field where Latu and two of his teammates, inside linebacker Maema Njongmeta and nickel Cedrick Dort, converged on the errant toss. A diving, sprawling Latu picked off the pass for his first career interception. Three plays later, the Badgers scored, making it 14-0.

On the first possession of the second half, Northwestern was driving with the hope of making it a competitive, down to the wire finish. On 4^th-and-3 from the UW 13, Hilinksi was again picked off by Latu whose 32-yard return was the second longest of the season (behind Torchio's 100-yarder against Illinois State). The following week at Michigan State, Latu continued his fine play with a season-high 13 tackles and a TFL.

Keeanu Benton's sack of Illinois quarterback Tommy DeVito

There weren't many UW highlights in an ugly loss to the Illini. Save for Benton's inspired play on the line of scrimmage. With the Badgers protecting a 10-7 second quarter lead, he sacked DeVito, the linchpin in the Illini turnaround, on a third-and-4 from the Illinois 47, forcing a punt. After the Illini scored on the first possession of the second half, extending their lead (21-10), Isaac Guerendo fumbled on the subsequent kickoff and Illinois recovered on the UW 16. On third-and-10, Benton sacked DeVito for a loss of 10, forcing a 44-yard-field goal. Though good, it was still a two-possession game. Temporarily. Benton's play upfront was essentially the only life that the Badgers showed in a dreadful second half. Benton also had sacks against Maryland and Nebraska to finish with four for the season. Mere statistics don't do justice to all the blockers, the double-teams, that Benton consistently ate up with little or no fanfare in the trenches.

Cornerback Ricardo Hallman's one-handed interception against New Mexico State

Randy Moss would have been proud of this catch by Hallman who started the first seven games of the season while Alexander Smith was rehabbing from a training camp injury. Hallman's pick of New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia was a thing of beauty and artistic expression. Hand-fighting on the route with receiver Dylan Early, Hallman eventually won the battle with a one-handed stab of the football. Hallman, the stepson of former NFL tailback Frank Gore, went through the normal growing pains in '22.

TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYS FROM 2022

Braelon Allen's 96-yard touchdown run against Illinois State

After a holding penalty on a first down Braelon Allen run from the UW 8, the Badgers had to deal with a rare 1^st-and-14 from their 4. Allen's number was called again. After finding gridlock over his left tackle, Allen bounced the ball several gaps to his right and glided through a crease that was created by blocks from pulling guard Tyler Beach, fullback Jackson Acker, wide receiver Chimere Dike, tight end Hayden Rucci and center Joe Tippman. Once Allen got to the second level, it was a foot race to the opposite goal line with Illinois State defensive back Franky West. It was a mismatch. Allen won to complete the longest run from scrimmage in Badger history (breaking the previous record of 93 yards set by James White against Indiana in 2013). At the time, it was Allen's third career run of at least 70 yards (Purdue 70, Nebraska 71). Allen added another to that impressive total with a 75-yard touchdown dash at Ohio State.

Braelon Allen's 23-yard touchdown pass to Chez Mellusi against Northwestern

Operating out of the Wildcat formation, Allen took the direct snap, felt pressure coming off the edge (Jaylin Pate), stepped up in the pocket and moved laterally to his right outside of the tackle box. When he got to the numbers, he spotted a wide-open Mellusi downfield. With Devin O'Rourke pressuring, Allen kept his poise and got the ball to Mellusi who scored on the 23-yard pass play (his first receiving TD with the Badgers). It was Wisconsin's first non-QB touchdown pass since the 2012 Big Ten championship game when tailback James White took the snap in what was known as the Barge formation (the creation of then OC Matt Canada) and hooked up with tight end Sam Arneson on a 3-yard scoring pass in a 70-31 rout of Nebraska. (Wide receiver Jared Abbrederis, by the way, also completed a pass against the Huskers in that game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.)

Isaac Guerendo's 89-yard touchdown run against Maryland

Guerendo, a prep track star, shot through the gap like a bolt of lightning. At the point of attack, right guard Trey Wedig collisioned the inside linebacker (behind the play center Joe Tippmann is knocking down not one, but two would-be tacklers). Running to daylight, Guerendo cut back to the boundary and the Wisconsin bench. Wide receiver Skyler Bell got a shield block in the middle of the field and Guerendo picked up an escort, wide receiver Chimere Dike, who tied up Maryland defensive back Jakorian Bennett, the only defender who had a chance of slowing down Guerendo, who kept his balance while tight-roping the sidelines for an 89-yard score. It pushed the Badgers into a 14-0 lead.

Chimere Dike's 52-yard touchdown reception against Northwestern

Most opponents don't like playing at Ryan Field due to its lack of atmosphere/personality. Don't count Dike among them. In 2020, he caught his first career touchdown pass at Northwestern, a 49-yard completion from Graham Mertz. This season, he didn't double-down, he triple-downed on that feat with 10 receptions for 185 yards and three scores, the first of which stalked Wisconsin to a 14-0 lead. Lining up in the slot, he ran a crosser, from right to left across the formation, and left Northwestern's Rod Heard in his wake. Dike had enough quickness to turn up field and erase the tackling angle from the safety. Getting a brush block from Keontez Lewis, Dike shifted into another gear and outran the pursuing defenders to the end zone.

Skyler Bell's 29-yard touchdown catch against Purdue

After Graham Mertz had extended the opening possession of the game with a nine-yard first down run on third-and-4, Mertz found Bell in the corner of the end zone for Wisconsin's first touchdown against the Boilermakers. Bell cleanly beat defensive back Cam Allen with his route on the 29-yard score. Bell established himself early and often. He caught a 27-yard pass on the second play of the drive by finding the window in the defense after executing a crossing pattern. Bell went 4-for-4 against the Boilers. Four targets, four catches for 87 yards; his second most productive outing of the season (He had four receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns against New Mexico State). Throughout the season, Bell posed a dual threat receiving (29 catches for 439 yards and five touchdowns) and rushing (12 carries for 116 yards). Moving forward, Bell and Dike loom as key pieces in a revamped UW passing attack for 2023.