MADISON, Wis. — Jonathan Taylor rushed for 208 yards and three touchdowns, and Wisconsin played smash-mouth football in the second half to run away from Rutgers for a 31-17 win on Saturday.

The Badgers are now bowl eligible again for the 17th consecutive season. Wisconsin's run of 16 straight bowl game appearances is the longest active streak in the Big Ten and tied for the sixth-longest in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The Badgers have won four straight bowl games.

After a slow start and two turnovers, Wisconsin took control to defeat the Scarlet Knights (1-8, 0-6). Ryan Connelly led a strong defensive effort from the front seven with eight tackles, while D'Cota Dixon blocked a field-goal attempt for the Badgers (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten).

Starting quarterback Alex Hornibrook left the game at halftime because of a head injury, a week after missing a loss at Northwestern while in the concussion protocol. Backup quarterback Jack Coan ably stepped in during the third quarter to lead the Badgers' run game.

Wisconsin completed 13 plays, all runs, for 163 yards in the quarter to turn a 10-0 halftime lead into a comfortable 24-3 advantage. Taylor, who had 27 carries on the day, scored on runs from 38 and 18 yards in the third.

Rutgers' Saquon Hampton picked off Hornibrook twice in the first half and the Scarlet Knight's defense also held Wisconsin scoreless after a drive that started at the Rutgers 41 set up by Dixon's block of a 45-yard field-goal attempt and 34-yard return.

Running back Raheem Blackshear had eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown to lead Rutgers, often getting chunk plays on screens or short passes as the Badgers tried to swarm quarterback Artur Sitkowski. Blackshear also ran for 38 yards for 10 carries to give him 200 yards of total offense on the afternoon. Sitkowski was 20 of 39 for 261 yards but absorbed several hits from unblocked defenders. Rutgers finally got its first touchdown with 8:14 left on Jonathan Hilliman's 1-yard run to get within 14.

Hornibrook was 7 of 16 for 92 yards before leaving at the half. Coan was 5 of 7 for 64 yards and an 11-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to receiver Danny Davis.

Wisconsin travels to Penn State next Saturday, Nov. 10. It'll be the Badgers' first trip to Beaver Stadium since 2012. Kickoff time has yet to be announced.
 

The AP contributed to this article.