Wisconsin football finishes the regular season a perfect 12-0 after crushing Minnesota. The Badgers beat the Gophers for the 14th straight time.
Wisconsin football once again retained Paul Bunyan’s Axe as the annual rivalry meeting was never truly in doubt. Wisconsin was up 17-0 at half and never let the host Gophers get comfortable.
The Badgers scored touchdowns on its first two second half possessions and that settled things early in Minneapolis. The second and third stringers got most of the final quarter as the game mercifully drew to a close.
So what should Wisconsin football fans take away from this one? Well for starters, that was Wisconsin’s best and most complete performance of the season.
Wisconsin Badgers Football
The Badger confidence has to be soaring now being (1) undefeated (2) pitching a 31-0 shutout against a Big Ten opponent.
Give a game ball to embattled QB Alex Hornibrook. The redshirt sophomore went 15/19 for 151 yards and three crisp touchdown throws. Most importantly, he didn’t throw an interception for the first time since the BYU game the third one of the season.
He spread the ball around too using six different targets for his completions. Minnesota loaded the box to stop the run. Hornibrook punished the Gophers by hitting WR on in breaking routes early and out routes later. He was efficient and safe in the red zone too.
Give a game ball again to the Badger defense. Wisconsin never let the run heavy Gophers get going. The Minnesota offensive stats tell the tale:
- First Downs: 8
- 3rd Down: 3/13
- Total Yards: 133
- Passing: 3/9
Per usual, the linebackers stole the show. TJ Edwards especially was a menace all game. The Gophers tried zone run runs vertically. It tried option plays to the boundary. Nothing worked.
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The Wisconsin defense set the tone. And after a slow start, the offense did its part to finish things early. A turnover free Hornibrook and the young speedy WR make the Badger offense hard to stop.
Next week they’ll have a chance to book a College Football Playoff spot in the Big Ten title game.