MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - In a back and fourth contest, the Wisconsin Badgers prevailed over border rival Minnesota Golden Gophers in a 41-34 victory. The win gave Wisconsin its fourth straight season of at least nine wins and its fourth straight win over Minnesota.
The Badgers scored on its opening possession when senior kicker Taylor Mehlhaff booted a 29-yard field goal, but the Gophers responded with a field goal of their own to tie the game.
After a Badger three-and-out, the Gophers put the Badgers back on their heels by marching 54 yards and scoring on a 22-yard pass from freshman quarterback Adam Weber to sophomore wide receiver Eric Decker.
Wisconsin's fortunes grew worse when senior quarterback Tyler Donovan threw an interception on the first offensive play after the Minnesota touchdown. The turnover was converted into a field goal and the Badgers found themselves in a 10-point hole.
In the first half, anything that could go wrong pretty much did. We just needed to persevere through that,"" UW head coach Bret Bielema said. ""I knew that our guys wouldn't be denied the opportunity to carry that axe around the field in the last game. It is always special for our guys.""
Freshman running back Zach Brown ripped off 64 of his 250 rushing yards for the day to set up a field goal attempt for Mehlhaff, but it was missed. The Badgers later cut into their deficit when Donovan carried the ball to the end zone from eight yards out.
The Badgers ended the first half down three after Mehlhaff failed to connect from 46 yards in the waning seconds. It was the first time this season that Mehlhaff missed two field goals in one game.
Early in the second half freshman wide receiver David Gilreath set up the Badgers with a 56-yard punt return to Minnesota's 18-yard line. Brown would finish the drive with a score.
Wisconsin later added a field goal, but the Gophers responded with a game tying 79-yard drive capped by a 2-yard touchdown from Gopher freshman running back Duane Bennett.
Near the close of the third quarter, Brown again carried the Badger offense with a 60-yard run to the Minnesota 3-yard line that lead to another Badger touchdown.
The Gophers failed to convert a fake punt on their next drive which gave Wisconsin a short field. A few plays later, Donovan found junior tight end Travis Beckum, who extended the ball into the end zone and put the Badgers up by 14. Beckum had five catches for 89 yards, but injured his shoulder on the touchdown.
Minnesota cut Wisconsin's lead in half on Decker's second score of the day and stopped the Badgers on their ensuing position. Freshman returnman Harold Howell, however, muffed the punt and allowed Wisconsin to go up by 14 with five minutes left in the game.
""Daven Jones ... was flying down the field, ran interference and then Steve Johnson being in position to cover up that ball was a huge momentum changer,"" Bielema said.
The Gophers, however, would not go away quietly. Weber had a pass attempt broken up by Wisconsin freshman cornerback Aaron Henry, but Gopher freshman wide receiver Ralph Spry managed to get under the tipped ball and raced the rest of the way for a 71-yard score.
On their next drive the Badgers won a dangerous gamble converting a fourth-and-one play on their own 42-yard line. Minnesota got one more chance to tie the game but Weber threw his second pick of the day to senior defensive back Ben Strickland to close the game.
