Badgers roll in bowl
Wisconsin broke the game open in the second half to beat Wake Forest, 42-28, in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Very little has come easily for Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst and his players in 2020.
So why would their final game of a season disrupted by COVID-19, injuries and sometimes awful execution on offense be stress-free?
UW's defense gave up 65- and 71yard touchdown drives on its first two series in the Duke's Mayo Bowl Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina. The offense generated no points on its first two series.
A 14-point deficit just 7 minutes 39 seconds into the game certainly wasn't included in UW's game plan.
Yet led by a defense that matched its season total of interceptions with four, several critical plays by the special teams and an opportunistic offense that scored 21 points off the turnovers, UW rallied for a 42-28 victory.
“It has been adversity and handling adversity since before the season started," said junior linebacker Jack Sanborn, who was named game MVP after recording a teamhigh 11 tackles and one of UW's four interceptions. "Throughout the year we've all had to learn to just bounce back and keep on pushing.
"We got ourselves into a really bad position down, 14-0. But everyone was calm. We all understood…there's a ton of football to play. A ton of guys stepped up today."
In all three phases, which allowed UW (4-3) to end the season on a two-game winning streak and avoid finishing below the .500 mark for the first time since the 2001 season.
The Badgers improved to 5-1 in
bowl games under Chryst. The lone loss came to Oregon in the 2020 Rose Bowl.
"Guys wanted to play in this game," Chryst said. "And to be able to finish with a victory feels good."
Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman entered the day with one interception in 236 attempts. He was pulled after his fourth interception – in 37 attempts – and UW holding a 42-21 lead with 9:24 left in the game.
Linebacker Noah Burks, safety Scott Nelson, linebacker Jack Sanborn and safety Collin Wilder recorded secondhalf interceptions for UW – in a span of four series and 7:31. The Badgers, who had a total of four interceptions in their first six games, failed to score only after Sanborn's interception.
"We had a stretch there defensively in the second half that absolutely changed the game," Chryst said.
Jaylan Franklin blocked a punt to give UW the ball at the Wake Forest 9, with the Badgers trailing, 14-7. Freshman wide receiver Devin Chandler returned a kickoff 59 yards to the Wake Forest 33 with UW trailing, 21-14. Both plays led to UW touchdowns. As a result of the turnovers and special-teams plays, UW's scoring drives covered 75, 9, 33, 32, 2 and 3 yards.
Quarterback Graham Mertz missed some open receivers but hit several big throws and finished 11 of 17 for 130 yards and a touchdown. Mertz also scored on a pair of 1-yard sneaks.
UW ran the ball by committee. Garrett Groshek (13 carries, 41 yards) and Jalen Berger (15-34) led the way.
Fullback John Chenal ran for one score and fellow fullback Mason Stokke had a 14-yard touchdown catch.
UW overcame the early deficit despite playing without five starters – right guard Logan Bruss, left tackle Cole Van Lanen, wide receivers Danny Davis and Kendrick Pryor – and defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk. The Badgers then lost nose tackle Keeanu Benton (lower leg) with 8:15 left in the third quarter.
"Fourteen-zero; that's obviously not a good spot to be in," Mertz said. "It was a great team win, in all three phases."
UW's defense came up with the big turnovers and held Wake Forest to 7 of 16 on third-down chances. The Demon Deacons were 4 for 4 after their first two series and went 3 for 12 the rest of the way.
Hartman finished 20 of 37 for 318 yards and three touchdowns for Wake Forest (4-5) but the four interceptions marred his performance and proved to be the difference in the game.
"We just made too many fatal mistakes to overcome," Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. "A blocked punt that leads to a touchdown. We take a lead in the third quarter and then we give up a (long) return. We throw four interceptions in the last 17, 18 minutes of the game...
"And what happens is a very hardfought, competitive game got out of hand."
After the arduous road the Badgers have traveled this season, a road that included three games lost to COVID-19 and three consecutive losses, and after falling into a 14-0 hole Wednesday, the UW players celebrated as if they had won a title.
"Obviously, it's not a national championship," Mertz said. "But it's a bowl game and a way to end as a champion.”
Now Mertz needs to learn to hold onto the trophy. He dropped the Duke's Mayo Bowl trophy in the locker room after the game, with the glass football shattering after hitting the floor.
“I dropped it,” Mertz said, laughing. “That's on me. Yep. I did it.
“We'll be all right. We'll bounce back. It will be the last trophy I'll ever drop.”