Wisconsin vs. UNLV
Sept. 4, 2010
Las Vegas, Nev. – Sam Boyd Stadium
Game Notes

• Recap  |  Final Stats  |  Printable Game Notes

Team Notes
•    The temperature at kickoff was 97 degrees. That is tied for the second-hottest kickoff temperature in school history (also 97 degrees when the Badgers played UNLV on Aug. 31, 2002). The hottest UW game on record was 98 degrees at UNLV on Sept. 8, 2007.
•    UW is now 25-3 in its last 28 night games, including wins in its last four night games.
•    Wisconsin has now won 13 consecutive season-openers.
•    The Badgers have also won 25 consecutive regular season non-conference games dating back to the 2003 season. The last UW loss to a non-conference foe came at home to UNLV on Sept. 13, 2003.
•    In QB Scott Tolzien’s 14 career starts, UW has scored at least 30 points in 10 games.
•    After leading the country in time of possession last season, the Badgers held the ball for 38:19 tonight.
•    The Badgers piled up 475 yards of offense Saturday night. Wisconsin had two games of 475 yards or more last season with 554 at Hawaii and 488 at Indiana.
•    UW outgained UNLV by a margin of 258 yards of total offense (475-217). Wisconsin achieved a margin that big on only one occasion last season, outgaining Hawaii by 340 yards (554-214).
•    UNLV rushed for 112 yards. Wisconsin had held its last 10 opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing. The Badgers ranked fifth in the country last year in rushing defense, allowing 88.2 yards per game on the ground.

Individual Notes
•    The Badgers’ opening drive covered 80 yards in 14 plays, lasting 7:37 and culminating in a 5-yard touchdown run by John Clay. UW ran the ball 12 times on the drive and was 3-of-3 on third-down conversions. Wisconsin’s longest touchdown drive last season lasted 6:07 (UW had three 8-plus minute drives that ended in field goals).
•    Clay ran carried the ball 17 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns. It was his 13th career 100-yard rushing game and seventh straight.
•    RB James White had 11 carries for 59 yards tonight. He is the first Badger true freshman running back to carry the ball during the season-opener since Zach Brown had four carries for 13 yards against Washington State in 2007. As a comparison, Ron Dayne had nine carries for 53 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman in his first game of the 1996 season (vs. Eastern Michigan). White also had three catches for 37 yards.
•    Backup guard Ryan Groy started the game as a fullback wearing No. 47 and later switched to No. 79 to play left guard.
•    Aaron Henry scored the second touchdown of his career on a 20-yard fumble return in the third quarter. Henry also scored a touchdown last year when he returned a blocked punt vs. Purdue. Henry’s TD tonight was UW’s first fumble return for a touchdown since Jack Ikegwuonu returned a fumble 50 yards vs. Minnesota on Oct. 14, 2006.
•    With two field goals tonight, Philip Welch now has 39 in his career, tying Mike Allen for fourth place on UW’s career FGs list. With 11 points tonight, Welch also moved into seventh place on UW’s career scoring list (208 points).
•    Freshman TE Jacob Pederson recorded his first career catch in the fourth quarter. He finished with one catch for six yards.
•    Junior DE J.J. Watt recorded his first career forced fumble and recorded a career-high three pass break-ups. He had a total of five pass break-ups in 2009.
•    Junior LB Kevin Rouse and freshman DL Jordan Kahout each recorded their first career sack.
•    Junior DE Louis Nzegwu made his first career start and also notched his first two career passes defensed. He added a sack as well.