11-26-2017, 05:55 AM
Minneapolis â Quarterback Alex Hornibrook threw three touchdown passes to lead fifth-ranked Wisconsin to a a shutout of rival Minnesota 31-0 on Saturday for their 14th consecutive victory over the Gophers. The victory improves the Badgers to 12-0 overall for the first time in school history and completes the first undefeated regular season since finishing 7-0 in 1912.
Wisconsin's victory also extends the longest win streak in the history of the most-played rivalry in the FBS (127 games) and improves its record vs. Minnesota to 60-59-8, taking the lead in the teams' all-time series for the first time in the history of a rivalry that dates to 1890.
Hornibrook went 15-for-19 for 151 yards with 3 TDs and zero interceptions, which is good for a 197.81 passer efficiency rating. Hornibrook has now won 18 consecutive starts â the nation's longest active win streak by a quarterback â dating back to Oct. 22, 2016.
Jonathan Taylor rushed for 149 yards on 20 carries, including a 53-yard scoring sprint on the first play of the fourth quarter that gave the Badgers (12-0, 9-0, No. 5 CFP) their largest winning margin in a Big Ten game this season. The only other time Wisconsin completed the conference slate without a loss was in 1912, when there were only five contests on the schedule.
Taylor recorded his 9th 100-yard rushing game in 12 career games. Taylor now has 1,806 yards on the season, the third-most by a freshman in FBS history, trailing only Ron Dayne (2,109, 1996) and Adrian Peterson (1,925, 2004) (Note: bowl stats were not recognized by the NCAA prior to the 2002 season, Peterson's mark is recognized as the official FBS freshman record).
Rodney Smith rushed 16 times for 82 yards for the Gophers (5-7, 2-7), who finished head coach P.J. Fleck's first season by suffering the program's first consecutive shutouts since 1950.
A smothering performance by the Badgers defense â ranked second in the FBS in fewest points and yards allowed â kept Paul Bunyan's Axe from changing hands and prevented the Gophers from reaching a bowl game for the first time in six years.
Demry Croft completed only 3 of 9 passes for 40 yards for Minnesota and took a pair of costly 12-yard sacks by Badgers linebacker Ryan Connelly. The Gophers totaled only 133 yards and eight first downs, with a pair of missed field goals by Emmit Carpenter sealing Wisconsin's win.
After Hornibrook's touchdown pass to Troy Fumagalli put the Badgers on the scoreboard late in the first quarter, Smith returned a kickoff more than 90 yards to inside the Wisconsin 10. The Gophers were flagged for holding, though, pushing them back to their own 33. They went three-and-out for their third of five straight possessions to start the game.
The last of those came right after Taylor lost a fumble forced by Thomas Barber at midfield. On the first play after the turnover, Connelly came racing into the backfield to drop Croft for a big loss back to the Gophers 37.
Up next, Wisconsin takes its fifth trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship in seven editions of the event, to face No. 8 Ohio State (10-2, 8-1, No. 9 CFP) next Saturday.
http://www.uwbadgers.com/news/2017/11/25...-game.aspx
Wisconsin's victory also extends the longest win streak in the history of the most-played rivalry in the FBS (127 games) and improves its record vs. Minnesota to 60-59-8, taking the lead in the teams' all-time series for the first time in the history of a rivalry that dates to 1890.
Hornibrook went 15-for-19 for 151 yards with 3 TDs and zero interceptions, which is good for a 197.81 passer efficiency rating. Hornibrook has now won 18 consecutive starts â the nation's longest active win streak by a quarterback â dating back to Oct. 22, 2016.
Jonathan Taylor rushed for 149 yards on 20 carries, including a 53-yard scoring sprint on the first play of the fourth quarter that gave the Badgers (12-0, 9-0, No. 5 CFP) their largest winning margin in a Big Ten game this season. The only other time Wisconsin completed the conference slate without a loss was in 1912, when there were only five contests on the schedule.
Taylor recorded his 9th 100-yard rushing game in 12 career games. Taylor now has 1,806 yards on the season, the third-most by a freshman in FBS history, trailing only Ron Dayne (2,109, 1996) and Adrian Peterson (1,925, 2004) (Note: bowl stats were not recognized by the NCAA prior to the 2002 season, Peterson's mark is recognized as the official FBS freshman record).
Rodney Smith rushed 16 times for 82 yards for the Gophers (5-7, 2-7), who finished head coach P.J. Fleck's first season by suffering the program's first consecutive shutouts since 1950.
A smothering performance by the Badgers defense â ranked second in the FBS in fewest points and yards allowed â kept Paul Bunyan's Axe from changing hands and prevented the Gophers from reaching a bowl game for the first time in six years.
Demry Croft completed only 3 of 9 passes for 40 yards for Minnesota and took a pair of costly 12-yard sacks by Badgers linebacker Ryan Connelly. The Gophers totaled only 133 yards and eight first downs, with a pair of missed field goals by Emmit Carpenter sealing Wisconsin's win.
After Hornibrook's touchdown pass to Troy Fumagalli put the Badgers on the scoreboard late in the first quarter, Smith returned a kickoff more than 90 yards to inside the Wisconsin 10. The Gophers were flagged for holding, though, pushing them back to their own 33. They went three-and-out for their third of five straight possessions to start the game.
The last of those came right after Taylor lost a fumble forced by Thomas Barber at midfield. On the first play after the turnover, Connelly came racing into the backfield to drop Croft for a big loss back to the Gophers 37.
Up next, Wisconsin takes its fifth trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship in seven editions of the event, to face No. 8 Ohio State (10-2, 8-1, No. 9 CFP) next Saturday.
http://www.uwbadgers.com/news/2017/11/25...-game.aspx