Dunn delivers career game in big spot
Wisconsin’s two top receivers (Danny Daivs and Kendric Pryor) were unavailable again, and top remaining receiving threat Chimere Dike was held to one catch for 9 yards. The passing offense simply had to come from another resource.
Jack Dunn, the diminutive 5-7 senior receiver from Madison Edgewood High School saved his best career game for a big spot, helping Wisconsin topple Minnesota for Paul Bunyan’s Axe with a 20-17 overtime win. Dunn’s touchdown catch with 2:26 to go in the third quarter positioned the Badgers into the lead.
Dunn set career highs with seven catches and 76 yards receiving, and he also caught his first touchdown of the year, a crucial play in the third quarter when Chase Wolf subbed in for an injured Graham Mertz on 3rd and goal from the 4.
“If someone forced me to make a list, I wouldn’t put my name on there,” Dunn said when asked about the many heroes in the game. “So many guys who contributed tonight. Obviously, the entire defense stepping up when we needed them most, making plays and getting stops.
“EB (Eric Burrell) with that interception in the end zone ... special teams was good tonight, getting us the ball in good field position, Collin (Larsh) made that huge kick to win the game at the end . ...
Graham and Chase both played well. Chase’s ability to lead us down the field and get points on the board, I can’t say enough good things about what he did tonight, I’m really proud of his contribution.”
Wolf handled the first snaps of Wisconsin’s initial second-half drive, which gave him an early in-game flavor. When he was pressed into duty next, he didn’t miss a beat. Wolf flipped the ball to Dunn just as pressure arrived, and the senior found paydirt for a 14-10 UW lead.
“At the end of the day, I don’t think anyone felt any differently with Chase in there,” Dunn said. “We have full confidence in him.”
Dunn brought in 10 catches for 64 yards in his first three games. In his last two, he has 12 catches for 131 yards.
Dunn, who came into 2020 with just six career catches for 61 yards and a pair of touchdowns (one rushing), also caught a perfectly placed ball by Mertz for 24 yards and a third down conversion on the drive, then added another 8-yard catch one play later. The 24-yarder marked another career best.
Burrell avoids becoming a meme
Eric Burrell made one of the night’s standout defensive plays with an interception in the end zone, thwarting what could have otherwise been a go-ahead Minnesota drive in the second quarter.
Burrell celebrated with the mock chopping of the goal post, a ritual typically reserved for the winning team with the Paul Bunyan’s Axe in hand.
“I was in a drought, man,” Burrell said. “I was due to make a play, honestly, do whatever I can as a senior to help this program take the next step. If I didn’t make that, they kick the field goal, that’s three extra points they could have had. It was a key turnover for us and I just wanted to celebrate that, you know what I mean?
“I was in the moment, I think it was the right thing to do. If we’d have lost, I would have been a meme, that would have been very unfortunate. I’m just happy things worked out in our favor and I’m excited to move forward.”
Burrell was able to replicate the celebration afterward, this time with a certain accessory in hand.
Offensive line has to shuffle
In addition to absent skill players (Jalen Berger, Nakia Watson, Davis, Pryor), starting left tackle Cole Van Lanen was listed as out on the pregame status report, forcing an offensive line shuffle.
Jon Dietzen moved from guard to tackle, with Josh Seltzner subbing in at left guard. Cormac Sampson played at center with Kayden Lyles lost for the year, but the makeshift arrangement worked. Garrett Groshek ran for 157 yards.