As snow began to fall at Camp Randall during the third quarter of Wisconsin football team's 35-32 win over archrival Minnesota Saturday, the scene was profound. Down 21-7, the Badgers, seemingly reborn with the fresh snowfall, began to play like Badger teams of old with a pounding running game and a suffocating defense.
Wisconsin went on a 21-3 run to begin the second half, and two plays in particular made all the difference.
As if taken straight from a Hollywood movie, UW freshman defensive back Antonio Fenelus' hit on Golden Gopher freshman wide receiver Troy Stoudermire during a kick return was as textbook as can be. With the crushing blow, the ball jetted from Stoudermire's grasp and sailed through the air down by Wisconsin's goal line, leading to a UW safety.
Wisconsin's first of two safeties proved to be all the Badgers would need in terms of momentum.
Minnesota had the momentum for a while, and once we made that play we were able to pick things back up,"" junior defensive end O'Brien Schofield said.
""The offense was able to flow from there and the defense was sparked.""
The two safeties - the second of which came on a sack by UW senior defensive tackle Mike Newkirk on Minnesota sophomore quarterback Adam Weber - capped a Badger comeback late in the game after recent fourth quarters against Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State which have gone in the opposite direction.
The rivalry between Minnesota and Wisconsin has become known for big plays. Three years ago at Minnesota, Wisconsin rattled off 14 points in the final 2:10 of the game to win 38-34, finishing the comeback with a blocked punt by then-freshman linebacker Jonathan Casillas that was recovered in the endzone by defensive back Ben Strickland.
Saturday's two safety game - Wisconsin's first since 2004 - was very reminiscent of UW's win in 2005.
""Absolutely, it seems like this rivalry always has big plays in it,"" Newkirk said. ""Big plays determine the game.""
Although the safeties came when Wisconsin had already tied the game 24-24, they completely shifted the momentum to the Badgers, and after a first half of inefficient play across the board UW was unwilling to let the momentum swing back.
After scoring an early touchdown off of a Golden Gopher fumble in the first quarter, the Badger offense was stifled for the rest of the half. UW had the ball six more times in the half, with three of those drives ending with a three-and-out, one ending with a missed field goal due to a poor hold and three ending with fumbles.
It became clear that the defense would have to shoulder the responsibility, something that the group has no problem doing.
""It was something that we always take pride in putting the game on our shoulders, and it was something that I think we really wanted and were really able to get after,"" Newkirk said.
The defense came through in the end as sophomore Niles Brinkley intercepted a pass from Weber to seal the victory.
Along with the safeties, the traditional ""Jump Around"" that took place after the third quarter became its own monster.
While the stadium was hopping, so were both sidelines.
""[Defensive line] coach Partridge told us, 'If they got more guys jumping around then we do it's a problem,'""
Schofield said. ""So we're always jumping around and coach Partridge is jumping around and then it became a battle from sideline to sideline. That was a real big momentum thing too, that was real fun.""
Both the Wisconsin and Minnesota sidelines began jumping, and actually started moving toward each other on the field.
The result was obvious. The fans were excited, the players were excited and the officials were desperately trying to restore order while ushering players and coaches back to their respective sidelines.
With the win, Wisconsin has finally met the required six wins to be bowl eligible. It may have taken longer than expected but the team is happy to finally meet that goal, although they haven't given it too much thought. And with the level of dissent about the current bowl system, it makes sense.
""I really don't know how the bowl system works,"" sophomore center John Moffitt said jokingly. ""I feel like there's like three guys in a room and they flip a quarter and that's who gets in.""
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