MINNEAPOLIS—As the Wisconsin Badgers paraded around TCF Bank Stadium's field with Paul Bunyan's axe, allowing as many red clad fans to touch it as they could, the celebration almost felt like an emotional release of all the tension that led up to it.
The Badgers (2-0 Big Ten, 5-0 Overall) survived a back-and-fourth final quarter filled with big plays to score a sixth straight win over the rival Gophers (1-1, 3-2) 31-28. The victory was not easy, however, and marked the fourth time in five weeks Wisconsin endured a tense ending to a game.
""I knew we were going to go through some momentum swings today,"" Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema said. ""I can't say enough about the resiliency of this team. We tend to make things a little more difficult than they need to.""
With less than eight minutes to go, it looked like the Badgers would roll to victory as the team was driving toward a third-straight touchdown and an 18 point lead. Then junior running back Zach Brown fumbled on a draw and Minnesota's Marcus Sherels scooped up the ball and raced 88 yards to the end zone to put the score at 24-21.
Wisconsin responded with sophomore John Clay's third touchdown of the day, but Gopher junior quarterback Adam Weber answered right back with passes of 38 and 40 yards to set up another score.
Minnesota had one last possession with under two minutes to go, but after wide receiver Eric Decker caught an 18 yard pass on 4th and 16 to keep his team in it, the UW defense forced and recovered a Weber fumble.
The Badgers ran out the clock and the celebration began
""The axe means pride, it means a victory, getting bragging rights for a whole year, but then again you have to come back here next year and do it all over again,"" sophomore corner Aaron Henry said. ""I was telling one of the players on the sideline, every year something always happens to either get them back in the game or get us back in the game ... every year something crazy happens to make this rivalry even that much better.""
The Wisconsin pass rush was on full display with senior defensive end O'Brien Schofield, freshman linebacker Chris Borland and sophomore end Louis Nzegwu leading the way.
That trio combined for four and a half of the Badger's five sacks and generally wrought havoc in the Gopher backfield.
Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema credited the pass rush to his team's depth at defensive line. That pressure also helped force three turnovers, placing the Badgers atop the conference and fourth in the nation in turnovers forced.
""Honestly it's good to have a plethora of playmakers on your team"" Schofield said. ""I was very happy when, there was a point where I missed a sack, and Weber was able to get out of it and Louis Nzegwu came through and made the sack and that made me so happy because I told him in the locker room, today's his day to show some production.""
One area where the Wisconsin defense did struggle was in containing senior Minnesota receiver Eric Decker. Despite being double-covered at times, Decker caught eight balls for 140 yards and a score, accounting for over 40 percent of the Gophers' offense.
Turnovers, however, were not limited to the Gophers. Junior quarterback Scott Tolzien threw a first quarter pick that set up the Gophers' first score and later fumbled away the ball on the first possession of the second half. Both turnovers let Minnesota start drives on Wisconsin's side of the field.
But Tolzien did not fold in the face of early adversity in his first road start.
""It was a stupid play, [fumbling was] inexcusable,"" Tolzien said. ""Once that happens, it's the next play, you put it behind you. It was still early in the game and you can't let that affect you the rest of the way.""
Bielema said after the game that he expected Tolzien to respond and that's what he did. Tolzien finished with only 159 yards and a score, but was productive on third downs and, with the help of his offensive line, avoided taking a sack in the face of Gopher blitzes.
But despite the turnovers, the early deficit and the big plays allowed, the Badgers survived. Now they will have a week to savor the axe and hope that their resiliency proves to be an asset down the road.
""There's ups and downs in every football game, and good football teams are able to not get too high with the highs and not get too low with the lows, I feel that we're able to do that,"" sophomore wide receiver Nick Toon said. ""If you can bounce back when you're facing adversity, you're going to have success.""
