UW awaits showdown with Wildcats
MADISON – Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst noted astutely after his team’s 49-20 victory over Illinois on Saturday that the game offered fans a little bit of everything.
UW rolled up 20 rushing first downs and rushed for 357 yards; quarterback Alex Hornibrook had two interceptions but also hit three big touchdown passes; Illinois averaged 5.8 yards per carry and finished with 210 rushing yards; and the teams combined for seven turnovers, five by Illinois in the opening half.
UW was far from flawless, but the Badgers (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) won to set up an intriguing battle for first place in the West Division this week at Northwestern (4-3, 4-1).
The Badgers held at No. 19 in the Amway coaches poll and moved up three spots to No. 20 in The Associated Press poll on Sunday.
Here are 10 takeaways from UW's victory over the Illini.
Fundamental breakdown
Illinois tailback Reggie Corbin should have been stopped for no gain – at best – on his 80-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
UW’s left side had the play shut down, but when Corbin reversed field, end Matt Henningsen, linebacker Christian Bell and safety Eric Burrell were too far inside. They lost leverage and Corbin was able to get to the edge.
Diminutive duo
UW wide receivers Jack Dunn and Aron Cruickshank won’t wow you with size. Dunn is listed at 5-foot-7 and 172 pounds; Cruickshank at 5-9 and 154.
Both players came up big on Cruickshank’s 23-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter.
Dunn, lined up on the right side, headed down the field and blocked free safety Stanley Green (5-11, 200).
Cruickshank, who came in motion from left to right before taking the handoff from Hornibrook, was untouched until he reached the 7-yard line. He ran through a high tackle attempt by cornerback Nate Hobbs (6-0, 185) and into the end zone.
Penniston finds the end zone
Redshirt junior tight end Kyle Penniston entered the day with one catch for 4 yards. He had just one catch against the Illini, but it was an 11-yarder for a touchdown to help UW take a 28-7 lead late in the first half.
Penniston engaged Jimmy Marchese on the edge while Hornibrook faked a handoff to Jonathan Taylor and then used power to disengage and leak out uncovered into the end zone.
Hornibrook made an easy throw for the score.
Edwards always around the ball
Senior linebacker T.J. Edwards is a sure tackler in close quarters or in the open field.
However, his best trait might be his feel for getting into the passing lanes.
Illinois faced third and 2 from the UW 48 in the opening quarter when Edwards, lined up at left inside linebacker, read the eyes of quarterback AJ Bush and drifted to the right.
When Bush tried to a hit a receiver running a slant, Edwards was there for the interception. His 28-yard return gave UW the ball at the Illinois 25, and the Badgers scored two plays later on Cruickshank’s run.
Kudos to Wildgoose
Freshman linebacker Jack Sanborn forced Corbin to fumble in the second quarter and junior linebacker Chris Orr recovered at the UW 23 to end an Illinois scoring chance.
But give freshman cornerback Rachad Wildgoose an assist.
Wildgoose quickly diagnosed the screen in the flat and shot up the field and past a pulling lineman to make a play on Corbin. Wildgoose didn’t make the tackle, but he slowed Corbin and forced him to the inside toward the pursuit.
If Wildgoose doesn't react that quickly, Corbin is heading down the sideline toward the end zone.
Penalties kill
UW held a 28-7 lead late in the first half and faced first and 10 at the Illini 26.
Hornibrook hit tight end Jake Ferguson down the seam for 21 yards to the 5, but the play was wiped out by a holding call on Michael Deiter.
No big deal, right?
Well, Hornibrook overthrew Danny Davis on the next play and then threw an interception on second and 20.
Hornibrook and A.J. Taylor weren’t in sync on the interception.
It appeared Hornibrook expected Taylor to run a post, but Taylor, who stayed to the outside, appeared to expect the ball to be thrown toward the boundary.
Ingold’s versatility a plus
Fullback Alec Ingold touched the ball five times Saturday and generated a total of 60 yards and two touchdowns.
His power came in handy on a 1-yard run to open the scoring and his receiving skills were on display on his 19-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Hornibrook executed another playaction fake and found Ingold, who had circled out of the backfield, down the right sideline.
The play was similar in concept to the pitch-and-catch against Iowa, a 33-yarder down the left sideline that set up UW’s first score in that 28-17 victory.
Illini caught napping
UW’s offensive staff used a nice wrinkle by using Jonathan Taylor instead of Garrett Groshek in a set that featured three wide receivers, one tight end and Hornibrook in the shotgun.
Groshek is almost always the preferred back in that set, but Taylor was used twice and had runs of 13 and 17 yards, both on sweeps around the left end.
The real deal
Senior tailback Taiwan Deal, who enjoyed his best preseason camp at UW, continues to play his best football.
Deal runs like a battering ram every time he touches the ball. He doesn’t hesitate but he is also patient enough to wait for his blocks.
His numbers against the Illini - 111 yards and two scores on just 12 carries were the result.
Weathering the weather
Saturday offered a buffet for local meteorologists.
There was brilliant sunshine early, then ominous clouds, then rain and then enough snow to make you think the calendar had flipped to January.
What mattered most, however, is that UW handled the elements better than the Illini.
Illinois had five turnovers, all in the first half when the weather seemed to be in constant flux.