Box Score Nov. 21, 2009
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Wisconsin trailed by as many as 10 and came within two points late in the game but could not come back as the Badgers fall 33-31 to Northwestern in UW’s 2009 Big Ten finale.
Northwestern 33, #14/17 Wisconsin 31
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
| Wisconsin (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) | 0 | 14
| 10
| 7
| 31 |
| Northwestern (8-4, 5-3 Big Ten) | 10 | 17
| 3
| 3
| 33 |
Statistical Leaders
|
Rushing: John Clay (UW) 23-100, 1 TD
|
Passing: Scott Tolzien (UW) 19-30, 235 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
|
Receiving: Garrett Graham (UW), 6-98, 2 TDs
|
Defense: Blake Sorensen (UW), 8 tackles
|
With the loss, Wisconsin drops to 8-3 overall, with one game to play, 5-3 in the Big Ten, while Northwestern improves to 8-4, 5-3.
Badger quarterback Scott Tolzien finished 19-of-30 for 235 yards and threw two touchdown passes to tight end Garrett Graham. Tolzien’s lone interception of the game came on the Badgers’ final drive as they tried to score one last time with 42 seconds left in the game.
Sophomore running back John Clay finished with 23 carries for 100 yards and had a 2-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
The Wisconsin defense limited the Wildcats to just 73 rushing yards, making them the eighth Big Ten opponent to finish with less than 100 yards on the ground. The Badgers are the first team since Ohio State in 1998 to go an entire Big Ten season without allowing a team to run for 100 yards.
NU quarterback Mike Kafka finished 26-of-40 for 326 yards and two touchdowns. He found Andrew Brewer six times for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
Northwestern jumped on the Badgers early, getting out to a 10-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. Wisconsin responded in the second quarter, using Clay’s 2-yard TD drive to get on the board at the 13:52 mark. His touchdown capped off a seven-play, 57-yard drive to put Wisconsin within three points at 10-7.
The Badgers then pulled ahead, 14-10, after Chris Borland forced his fifth fumble of the year. That put Wisconsin at the NU 37 and five plays later, Tolzien threw 27 yards to Graham for his first touchdown of the game.
Northwestern responded though, scoring on its next three possessions and holding Wisconsin scoreless for the rest of the half. NU finished the half with two touchdowns and Stefan Demos kicked a 38-yard field goal to give the Wildcats the 27-14 halftime lead.
Wisconsin opened up the second half with some points as Philip Welch kicked a 35-yard field goal, which put the Badgers within 10 (27-17). David Gilreath then provided a spark for the Badgers, returning a Demos punt 68 yards for a UW touchdown.
The Badgers were once again within three points but Northwestern gave itself a six-point cushion (30-24) as Demos kicked a 45-yard field goal with 4:20 left in the third quarter.
Wisconsin had a chance to go up once again and faced fourth and two from the NU 33. The Badgers opted to go for it, but Tolzien was sacked for a loss of five yards as Northwestern took over at its own 38. That set up another NU field goal in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter as the Wildcats took the 33-24 lead with 14:50 to play.
On the Badgers’ next possession, Tolzien found Graham for his second touchdown of the day, to pull Wisconsin within two points (33-31). The Badgers had three opportunities in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter to take the lead, but turned it over on their final two possessions to let Northwestern hang on for the 33-31 win.
Wisconsin will close out the 2009 season on Dec. 5 when it travels to Hawaii.
