Wisconsin’s fourth-down ‘D’ foils No. 7 Huskers in OT

MADISON, Wis. — Safety D’Cota Dixon turned around in the end zone and extended his right arm in front of receiver Stanley Morgan Jr. to swat away Nebraska’s desperation pass on fourth down.

This time, No. 11 Wisconsin found a way to finish in overtime.

Dare Ogunbowale scored on an 11-yard run in overtime, the defense followed up with a clutch stop and the Badgers held on to beat No. 7 Nebraska 23-17 on Saturday to hand the Cornhuskers their first loss.

Unlike two weeks ago against Ohio State, the Badgers (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) won in the extra period after watching a lead slip away in regulation.

“We were in the same predicament two weeks ago. We know how to finish it out,” cornerback Sojourn Shelton said.

The giddy Badgers rushed from the sideline to meet Dixon in the end zone after he turned away the pass by Tommy Armstrong Jr. on fourth-and-8 from the 23. Tested Wisconsin picked up its third victory over a Top 10 program, a school first.

Nebraska (7-1, 4-1) gained respect after coming back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Drew Brown’s 35-yard field goal with 3:43 left tied it at 17.

“We didn’t have anything to prove,” Armstrong said. “We had to fight hard to get back in the game.”

Wisconsin had a chance to break the tie with 1:43 left, but Andrew Endicott’s 45-yard field-goal attempt went wide left. Endicott also missed the extra point following Ogunbowale’s touchdown.

But a tough-as-nails defense bailed out the Badgers again.

“It wasn’t ideal but we had a shot,” Nebraska coach Mike Riley said about the game ending fourth-down incompletion.

Armstrong finished 12 of 31 for 153 yards. He gained 39 yards on 13 carries, including a 2-yard score with 13:45 left in the fourth quarter to draw Nebraska within 17-14.

Needing only 11 yards to go over 10,000 in total offense for his career, Armstrong set the mark in the first quarter to become the 11th player in Big Ten history to reach that milestone.

But he also threw two interceptions in the first half, one on a pass tipped by lineman Alec James. It set up Endicott’s 44-yard field goal with 6:53 to go in the second quarter for a 10-7 lead that Wisconsin would hold through halftime.

“The defense fought back today. We’re really resilient,” inside linebacker Leon Jacobs said.

ANDY MANIS/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Wisconsin safety D’Cota Dixon, bottom, breaks up a fourth-down pass intended for Nebraska receiver Stanley Morgan in overtime, giving the 11th-ranked Badgers a 23-17 victory over the previously unbeaten, seventh-ranked Cornhuskers on Saturday at...