Badgers hold off Illini’s surge
CHAMPAIGN,
Ill. — Alec Ingold and Garrett Groshek scored on short runs in the first half, offensive lineman Michael Deiter added another touchdown on a trick play late in the game, and No. 5 Wisconsin (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) beat Illinois (2-6, 0-5) 24-10 on Saturday to remain unbeaten.
Star running back Jonathan Taylor rushed for just 73 yards but didn’t appear in the second half for Wisconsin because of a left leg injury. The freshman entered the game averaging 158.6 yards rushing.
Despite Taylor’s absence, Alex Hornibrook made enough throws to get the team’s eighth win.
The Illini finally scored a touchdown on a 3-yard run by Kendrick Foster late in the fourth, but Thomas threw his second interception that ended any hopes of a comeback.
IOWA 17, MINNESOTA 10: Nate Stanley threw for 190 yards as the Hawkeyes (5-3, 2-3) beat the Gophers (4-4, 1-4) in Iowa City. After missing one game, linebacker Josey Jewell returned to lead the Iowa defense with 11 tackles, six of them solo. The Hawkeyes’ only touchdowns came on their first drive of each half, which combined to be 10 total plays for 147 of Iowa’s 315 yards. MICHIGAN 35, RUTGERS 14: Brandon Peters helped Michigan score touchdowns on his first three drives, allowing the Wolverines (6-2, 3-2) to pull away and beat Rutgers (3-5, 2-3) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. NEBRASKA 25, PURDUE 24: Tanner Lee threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Stanley Morgan Jr. with 14 seconds left rally the Cornhuskers (4-4, 3-2) for a season-saving victory against Purdue (3-5, 1-4) in West Lafayette, Indiana. Lee capped the best night of his career with two TD passes in the final 11½ minutes to erase a 12-point deficit. MARYLAND 42, INDIANA 39: Max Bortenschlager threw two touchdown passes, Jake Funk ran for a pair of fourth-quarter scores and Maryland (4-4, 2-3) outlasted Indiana (3-5, 0-5) in College Park, Maryland.