Playing at Camp Randall for the first time since the events of Sept. 11, the UW football team ground out a 24-6 victory against the University of Western Kentucky in front of a patriotic crowd of 75,662 Saturday afternoon.
While their offense lacked the consistency that it showed last week at Penn State, the Badgers' defense came through, holding the Hilltoppers' vaunted rushing attack to 115 yards and allowing only two field goals, despite the good field position repeatedly given to Western Kentucky.
After primarily using Brooks Bollinger's legs against a porous Penn State defense last week, Head Coach Barry Alvarez went back to the quarterback-by-committee system, using both Bollinger and Jim Sorgi. Neither quarterback was particularly effective, however, and together they only managed 128 yards through the air. Bollinger started the game and led two scoring drives, but was not able to move the offense with the ease he did last week.
Sorgi seemed to inject some life into UW's dormant offense, coming off the bench in the second quarter and providing the spark for two touchdown drives. However, Sorgi missed the opportunity to put the game out of reach by twice failing to hit a wide-open Lee Evans for a long score.
Sorgi also had two interceptions, one of which led to a Hilltopper field goal at the end of the first half.
Alvarez was pleased with the win, but was visibly frustrated with his offense'particularly his quarterbacks.
'I don't think we played well on offense, and that all starts with the quarterback,' Alvarez said. 'We really couldn't get any rhythm.'
The players agreed with that assessment, giving credit to Western Kentucky's defensive effort, but shouldering the blame for the team's execution.
'It got to a point where we smelled blood, and we didn't take advantage of it,' Evans said. 'It seemed like we were trying to get the game over with, instead of pounding them, and pounding them and pounding them, and showing what Wisconsin football is about.'
Evans' day was a good example of how inconsistently the offense played. He was brilliant when the ball was thrown to him, had six catches for 85 yards before halftime and looked poised to have another monster game.
When Sorgi substituted for Bollinger in the second quarter, the sophomore quarterback picked up where he left off with Evans, completing five passes to his favorite target. However, when Bollinger came back in the game, Evans caught no more balls, and besides springing Nick Davis for a touchdown with a key block, was a nonfactor.
To be fair, Sorgi was also unable to find Evans in the second half.
Anthony Davis found pay dirt for the first time since UW's game against Oregon Sept. 1, scoring on runs of one and 18 yards, but was unable to top the 100-yard mark. Several times, he was one man away from breaking a long run, only to be stopped by Western Kentucky's secondary.
In the soap opera that has been UW special teams this year, this game went relatively smoothly. Mark Neuser, who did not miss a kick during practice last week, got the job and connected on his only field goal attempt of the game and both extra points. Kirk Munden averaged 40.5 yards per punt, and was able to pin Western Kentucky deep in its own territory on at least one occasion.
While Alvarez was not satisfied with his team's performance, he did find some light at the end of the tunnel.
'I feel fortunate we walked off with a win today and didn't play well,' Alvarez said. 'The one thing I've always noticed [in a game like this] we do get our kids' attention.'
