Wisconsin wears down Nebraska
Jonathan Taylor ran for 221 yards and three scores, including a career-best 88-yarder in the fourth quarter, and No. 16 Wisconsin’s punishing ground game wore down winless Nebraska in a 41-24 victory on Saturday night.
The host Badgers (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) withstood the Cornhuskers’ desperate second-half comeback attempt from a 17-point halftime deficit led by two touchdown passes in the third quarter by Adrian Martinez.
Nebraska’s offense flashed bigplay promise behind their freshman quarterback, who threw for 384 yards and rushed for a score. JD Spielman had nine catches for 209 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown catch.
It still wasn’t enough to prevent the Cornhuskers (0-5, 0-3) from losing their ninth consecutive game, extending a program record. They made too many mistakes to keep up with the disciplined Badgers.
Nebraska was flagged 10 times for 100 yards. Martinez fumbled in the third quarter, a turnover that Wisconsin cashed in for a 20-yard touchdown run from Taiwan Deal for a 24-point lead with 6:50 left in the third quarter.
Michigan 42, Maryland 21
Shea Patterson threw for a season-high 282 yards and three touchdowns to help the No. 15 Wolverines (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) brush off a sloppy start to beat the visiting Terrapins (3-2, 1-1).
Michigan fell behind late in the first quarter and didn’t take the lead again until midway through the second quarter. They scored the next 24 points to take control and cruise to their fifth victory in a row.
Maryland went ahead on Ty Johnson’s 98-yard kickoff return with 1:10 left in the first half, but they didn’t score again until early in the fourth quarter. Patterson went 19-for-27 and had one interception, a pass that went off tight end Zach Gentry’s hands.
Iowa 48, Minnesota 31
Nate Stanley overcame two costly turnovers with four touchdown passes, and the visiting Hawkeyes (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) used four interceptions and five sacks of Zack Annexstad to beat the Gophers (3-2, 0-2) for the fourth consecutive time.
Stanley went 23-for-39 for 314 yards, finding T.J. Hockenson, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Nick Easley and Noah Fant for scores. Hockenson added a short touchdown run on a fake field goal to help Iowa hoist the Floyd of Rosedale bronze pig trophy for the 14th time in the last 18 meetings.
Annexstad finished 17-for-33 for 218 yards and three touchdowns, as Minnesota continued its growing pains on offenses.