In a battle between the two remaining unbeaten teams in the Big Ten, Wisconsin (4-0 Big Ten, 7-0 overall) came from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter Saturday to win 20-17 over Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind.
Playing in front of a sold-out audience of 65,196 at Ross-Ade Stadium, the Badgers sent the homecoming crowd home heartbroken as UW scored a defensive touchdown to take the lead for good with less than three minutes to go. Purdue had a chance to send the game into overtime but a 42-yard field goal attempt in the final minute was pushed right and wide of the uprights.
Saturday's game marked the first time since 1998 that the team has won seven straight games. The only other Badger team to accomplish this feat was the UW team from 1912. And not since 1999, when the Badgers beat the UCLA Bruins in the Rose Bowl, has UW beaten a team ranked in the top 10.
The focus of the game may have been on Purdue senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy-hopeful Kyle Orton, but it was UW sophomore quarterback John Stocco who made the biggest plays late in the game in giving his team a chance for the miraculous victory.
The win now places UW at No. 6 in the Associated Press poll and No. 7 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll.
-compiled from staff reports
