The UW football team (3-3 Big Ten, 7-3 overall) had the No. 1 ranked team in the country on the ropes at Ohio Stadium Saturday. The Badgers couldn't connect with the knockout punch that would have been UW's fourth straight victory in Columbus and another huge upset this college football season.
To put credit where credit is due, Ohio State reminded everybody in attendance that they were indeed the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, especially once the fourth quarter started.
After falling behind 17-10 in the third quarter, the Buckeye's began to pound the ball against what eventually became a battered UW defensive line as junior defensive tackle Jason Chapman left the game with what head coach Bret Bielema coined a significant injury.""
Missed tackles on the Badgers' part did not help either as Ohio State sophomore running back Chris Wells scored two touchdowns on eerily similar plays in the fourth quarter to open up a Buckeye lead from 31 and 30 yards out.
""Down the stretch there, we were missing key tackles,"" Bielema said. ""They executed and were able to do some things ... a couple of cutbacks there towards the end really hurt us in the long run.""
UW was guilty of missed tackles, penalties and miscommunications throughout the entire game, making it difficult to beat a top-notch team like Ohio State at their home stadium.
No miscommunication turned the momentum of the game more than what appeared to be UW's second fake punt of the game.
After what seemed to be a good snap, senior punter Ken Debauche took off running and was brought down five yards short of the first down by Ohio State's James Laurinitis setting the Buckeye's up with the ball at the Badger 25 yard line.
After failing to see the signal that he was supposed to punt the ball, Debauche assumed the fake was on, leading to a momentum swing UW was unable to turn around.
""In retrospect, I could have done something differently,"" Debauche said. ""But I was sure that it was on when I was back there until the moment I caught the ball and I looked up and saw that it wasn't the look we were supposed to get out of that.""
The Badgers were already down seven points at the time of the failed fake punt, and a normal punt could have swung field position back into UW's favor.
""It didn't end the game right there,"" Bielema said. ""But obviously put a big damper on the spirits on our sidelines and gave them the momentum.""
Ohio State scored 28 unanswered points after being down 17-10 against a Badger defense that had played a solid game for nearly three quarters. However, Ohio State flexed their muscles and kept their national championship hopes alive.
""You can never think that you have it, especially playing the No. 1 team in the country,"" senior quarterback Tyler Donovan said. ""We're trying to keep putting points on the board and stay aggressive, especially against a good team like Ohio State. We're just trying to keep the momentum going in our way.""
Unfortunately for the Badgers, the exact opposite happened, leading to a myriad of questions that may remain answered and a sour taste that will linger until the next time the Badgers get a shot at the Buckeyes.
""We didn't come here to play Ohio State, we came here to beat them,"" junior linebacker Jonathan Casillas said. ""But they showed they were a better four quarter team today, they put together a complete game and we didn't.
