Badgers fall to Penn State in ugly fashion, 22-10.
Fast start by Wisconsin quickly deteriorates into another ugly loss
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – You know that annoying sound made when the air rushes out of a balloon until it is completely deflated?
That is an apt description of Wisconsin’s latest loss – a 22-10 decision to No. 20 Penn State on Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
UW’s defense forced a punt after giving up only one first down on the opening series of the game.
Jonathan Taylor raced 71 yards for a touchdown on UW’s third offensive play, on third and 2, to help the Badgers take a touchdown lead just 4 minutes 56 seconds into the game.
The rest of the day, save for a few
individual plays, belonged to Penn State, which rode the arm of Trace McSorley and the feet of Miles Sanders to the victory.
UW (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) has lost four games for the first time in Paul Chryst’s four seasons. UW lost a combined seven games in Chryst’s first three seasons – 10-3, 11-3 and 13-1.
“I think everybody is kind of frustrated right now, which is natural,” senior safety D’Cota Dixon said. “That’s OK. That’s normal. Accept it, roll with it and get better.
“I think all of us knew our potential. I think we all still believe in that potential. We’ve yet to reach it.”
Northwestern reached its potential -and clinched the Big Ten West Division title -- with a 14-10 victory at Iowa. The Wildcats (6-4, 6-1) will be making their first appearance in the title game.
Penn State (7-3, 4-3) defeated UW for the fourth consecutive time. That streak includes a 31-24 victory in Madison that knocked UW out of the running for a BCS bowl and a 38-31 victory in the 2016 Big Ten title game to deny UW a berth in the Rose Bowl.
“I think the story of the game is we kind of won all the things that we talked about weekly,” Penn State coach James Franklin said.
His team outgained UW, 343-269, held the ball for 33 minutes 59 seconds, converted 6 of 15 third-down chances and 2 of 2 fourth-down chances, committed few penalties and finished a plus-two in the turnover battle.
McSorley, playing on a bad right knee, completed 19 of 25 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. Sanders made UW defenders clutch air all day and finished with 159 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
UW came in No. 4 nationally in rushing at 273.0 yards per game. Penn State countered with the 78th-ranked run defense, allowing 172.2 yards per game (4.1 per carry).
Taylor finished with 185 yards and the lone touchdown on 20 carries, but UW continued to struggle to finish drives. UW managed 79 yards on its first possession, converted just 4 of 15 thirddown chances and mustered a combined 190 yards on its final 11 possessions.
Jack Coan, subbing for injured starter Alex Hornibrook, completed just 9 of 20 passes for 60 yards. He had two fumbles and one interception. He was sacked five times.
“I’d just say they had a great defense -- a lot of good D-backs, linebackers and D-line,” Coan said. “They were all great athletes and all getting after us.” UW got the fast start it wanted. Penn State took the opening kickoff and got one first down, but on third and 3 linebackers Zack Baun and Andrew Van Ginkel combined to sack McSorley for a 9-yard loss.
That led to the big hit by Taylor, who took the handoff from Coan and surged through the middle of the line and into the clear. He outran several defenders to the end zone to help UW take a 7-0 lead with 11:04 left in the quarter.
“It definitely did spark everybody,” Taylor said. “Any time you get a big play like that early in the game it sparks your team.
“The only thing you can do after that is to continue to roll and keep that same energy up.”
UW lost the momentum, and the game, quickly.
A pass-interference call on Rachad Wildgoose on third down kept Penn State’s next series alive, and the Nittany Lions capitalized to drive 75 yards in eight plays, with McSorley hitting De’Andre Thompkins for a 14-yard score.
A fumble by Coan on the next series, on a botched snap from center Tyler Biadasz, was recovered by Penn State end Shareef Miller at the Nittany Lions’ 48.
That ended a promising UW drive and led to a 49-yard field goal by Jake Pinegar and a 10-7 Penn State lead with 1:53 left in the opening quarter.
“You’ve got to try to make sure you rally the guys and understand someone has to make a play to get the energy back,” Taylor said.
The Badgers never got the momentum back.
Penn State built its lead to 16-7 on a 1-yard run by Sanders, who gained 23 yards to the UW 17 on third and 7.
“He was a good back,” Dixon said. “Had great balance. Very patient.”
Two second-half series highlighted the struggles of UW’s offense.
The Badgers took the second-half kickoff and drove from their 25 to the Penn State 13 and appeared on the brink of scoring a touchdown.
Taylor lost 2 yards on second and 5, however, and Coan underthrew A.J. Taylor in the right flat on third and 7 and the ball fell incomplete.
“It got away from me,” Coan said. Rafael Gaglianone salvaged three points with a 28-yard field goal to pull UW within 16-10 with 9:45 left in the quarter.
Penn State responded with a 42-yard field goal by Pinegar for a 19-10 lead with 4:07 left in the quarter.
The Nittany Lions ran a fake punt to pick up 1 yard to their 37 on the fourth play of the drive and Baun was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play.
That gave Penn State a first down at the UW 48 and the Nittany Lions parlayed the sequence into a nine-point lead.
UW took over at its 27 with 11 seconds left in the third quarter and put on a clinic on how to play undisciplined football.
Beau Benzschawel was called for a false start, Biadasz for a snap infraction and David Edwards for a false start.
Coan was pressured and forced to throw the ball away on fourth and 10 from the UW 27.
“That’s super-annoying,” senior left guard Michael Deiter said of the presnap penalties. “That stuff just can’t fly or else you’re never going to win football games. You’re going to be behind the chains.
“You’re going to be frustrated all the time and you never get into a rhythm.”
Penn State then took over at its 45 after a 28-yard punt by Connor Allen.
The Nittany Lions took 6:40 off the clock during a 13-play, 49-yard drive that ended with a 23-yard field goal by Pinegar.
Penn State’s lead was 22-10 and the Badgers had just 7:23 left to rally.
They had no chance.
“You have to execute it,” Chryst said of the passing game. “You guys see it. Early we gave up some pressures. That’s not just on the line. That’s got to be on winning downfield.
“We didn’t throw the ball a ton early and I think we had a number of pressure sacks, so not good enough there.
“It took us a while to get in the red zone. We did have a couple of chances. We’re missing on a couple throws, and you’ve got to be able to win on some things. We’ve just got to execute better.”