Badgers Knock Off Ohio State, 20-17
October 13, 2001 | Football
The Wisconsin football team overcame an early 17-0 deficit and held No. 21 Ohio State scoreless for over 40 minutes as the Badgers upset the Buckeyes, 20-17, today at Ohio Stadium.
Sophomore Mark Neuser kicked the game-winning 33-yard field goal with 2:10 remaining and the Badger defense stopped OSU's final drive on the Buckeyes ' 39-yard line. Wisconsin ran out the clock to improve to 4-3 overall, 2-1 in the Big Ten.
Ohio State (3-2, 2-1) scored on its first three drives of the game as the Badger offense struggled to move the ball. OSU quarterback Steve Bellisari dove over the goal line on fourth-and-one to put the Buckeyes ahead 10-0 with 4:28 remaining in the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Bellisari led an 80-yard scoring drive capped by a three-yard run by Lydell Ross, who rushed 14 times for 64 yards in the game.
Momentum shifted just before halftime when a snap to Buckeye punter Andy Groom was high and to his right, forcing a turnover on downs at the OSU 23. UW freshman Anthony Davis, who gained 103 yards on 26 carries today, used a 23-yard scamper on the next play to cut the deficit to 17-7 at halftime.
On Wisconsin's opening drive of the second half, the Badgers faced a third-and-12 situation at the OSU 42-yard line when junior quarterback Brooks Bollinger found senior wide receiver Nick Davis open across the middle of the field. Davis outran the Buckeye defenders and was tackled in the endzone to bring the Badgers to within three points at 17-14.
Neuser tied the game with a 25-yarder with 14:10 left in the game prior to his game-winner.
Bollinger completed 12-of-22 passes for 202 yards, 90 of which went to Davis while senior Lee Evans caught three passes for 92 yards. The Badger defense held OSU to '4 yards rushing in the second half, compared to 125 yards on the ground in the first half. Bellisari was sacked four times for a loss of 27 yards.
Senior safety Joey Boese had a season-best 15 tackles while fellow senior Nick Greisen had 13 to lead the Badger defense.
Wisconsin returns to action on October 20 at Illinois. Kickoff is set for 11:10 a.m.
