After a sub-par first-quarter performance created a two-touchdown deficit for the Wisconsin football team, quarterback Allan Evridge revitalized the offense with over 300 passing yards.
That effort, along with a fine defensive performance, allowed the Badgers to score 51 unanswered points and soundly defeat Marshall 51-14 Saturday.
He did a tremendous job being a leader, stepping up and getting us down the field when the running game was kind of hurting at the moment,"" freshman running back John Clay said.
In the first quarter, nothing seemed to go right for the Badgers. Wisconsin went three-and-out on all but one drive and gave Marshall 40 yards on penalties alone.
But after going 0-for-4 in the first quarter, Evridge completed 17-of-26 passes for 308 yards and one touchdown. After netting a mere 25 rushing yards in the first quarter, running backs P.J. Hill, Zach Brown and Clay accumulated 147 yards and five touchdowns by game's end.
The start of the turnaround in UW's performance was a 36-yard toss to junior tight end Garrett Graham, who got wide open on the left sideline. It put UW beyond midfield for the first time. From that point - a few minutes into the second quarter - through the rest of the game, the defense did not allow another score, and the offense capitalized on nearly every drive.
""We just got in a rhythm there, and I think you could kind of see the pendulum swing,"" head coach Bret Bielema said.
The Badgers were ahead 17-14 by halftime but started to bury the Herd after defensive backs Niles Brinkley and Shane Carter intercepted passes on three consecutive Marshall drives.
Brinkley returned his first interception 16 yards and barely kept his feet in-bounds after snagging the ball when it bounced off a Herd receiver's fingertips for his second. Carter looked like a receiver when he weaved across the field and ran 43 yards after picking off Marshall quarterback Mark Cann's throw.
""Big plays like that give the team a boost of energy,"" Brinkley said. ""All I wanted to do was give the offense the ball back so they could be in position to score.""
And the offense took advantage by scoring after two of the three turnovers, going most of the way through the air.
""Everybody thinks we didn't throw last week because we couldn't,"" Evridge said. ""They were shutting some things down, but we got it going after that.""
While the Badgers were still behind, Evridge launched a 42-yard pass to sophomore receiver Kyle Jefferson, who clutched the ball while between two defenders.
That play set up a successful 45-yard field goal against the wind for freshman place-kicker Philip Welch.
Graham caught a 26-yard touchdown pass midway into the third quarter after getting wide open - something he was able to do over and over.
""He's got a magical cloak or something,"" Evridge said. ""He's just a tremendous athlete, and he makes my job easy - that's for sure.""
Wisconsin's running game wasn't shabby either. Hill went for 57 yards, Clay for 56 yards and Brown for 36. Hill and Clay scored two touchdowns each, while Brown got into the end zone once.
Clay kept the momentum going through the fourth quarter by consistently pummeling up the middle, sometimes with a defender or two on his back.
""I try to think that I shouldn't just get tackled by one person,"" Clay said. ""I like to have a whole gang try to take me down.""
After letting two touchdowns slip by in the first 17 minutes, the defense stepped it up by putting pressure on the quarterback to shut down the Herd's passing options.
Carter credited the defensive line for his interception.
""I'm thankful for any time they can get their hands up and pressure the quarterback,"" Carter said. ""Because when you have to get rid of the ball fast, you get flustered.""
Middle linebacker Jaevery McFadden racked up nine tackles, and defensive lineman Dan Moore had six.
Cann completed 20-of-39 passes for 211 yards for the Herd, and leading rusher Darius Marshall gained 50 yards in 15 carries.
