Showing no signs of looking ahead to next week’s divisional showdown with Nebraska, No. 25 Wisconsin rolled to a 34-16 victory over Purdue Saturday in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Wisconsin (4-1 Big Ten, 7-2 overall) was largely in control throughout, using balanced offensive playcalling and a swarming defense to shut down Purdue’s (1-5, 3-7) second-half rally.
The Badgers dominated offensively in the first half. After punting on the first drive of the day, Wisconsin proceeded to score on each of its next four trips down the field to build a 24-6 halftime lead.
Redshirt juniors Melvin Gordon and Joel Stave led the first-half offensive attack. At the break, Stave was 15-20 for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Gordon, meanwhile, tallied 83 rushing yards and a touchdown on nine carries.
Stave also found Gordon for a 27-yard receiving touchdown midway through the second quarter after the Heisman candidate slipped out of the backfield. Gordon hurdled a Purdue defender as he crossed the goal line to make it 17-6.
For the first time all season, Stave and redshirt junior Tanner McEvoy substituted for each other on specific plays, rather than having an entire drive to themselves. McEvoy typically came in on short yardage situations to run read option. He had a 13-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to seal the outcome.
However, Stave was under center for much more time than his speedy counterpart. Stave’s first half was probably the best passing performance Wisconsin has had all season. He was poised in the pocket and hit his receivers in stride, at one point completing nine straight passes across two touchdown drives.
However, he stalled in the second half, going just 4-9 for 29 yards and an interception. But his overall day—19-29 for 219 yards, two touchdowns and a pick—was certainly good enough to open up rushing lanes for Gordon.
Gordon carried the football 25 times for 205 yards, his third 200-yard game of the season and fourth of his distinguished career. His performance against the Boilermakers was quintessential Gordon, who showed off his speed, agility and power multiple times.
His 34-yard run early in the third quarter exemplified all those traits. Gordon took the ball off right tackle through a huge hole cleared by right tackle Rob Havenstein and tight end Sam Arneson and broke two tackles as he gained a first down. Now in the secondary, Gordon shoved a defender to the turf with a stiff arm, then stopped on a dime to cut it back toward the middle for a would-be touchdown had he not barely stepped out of bounds.
Despite some offensive shortcomings, Wisconsin’s defense dominated all day. Redshirt sophomore Vince Biegel had a spectacular game, recording seven tackles, three sacks and four tackles for loss. All three figures were career highs.
Even when he didn’t come up with a stat-producing play, Biegel wreaked havoc in the backfield, routinely pressuring Purdue quarterback Austin Appleby and holding contain on the outside.
Biegel wasn’t the only linebacker with a big game. The rest of the starters—Derek Landisch, Joe Schobert and Marcus Trotter—each had a tackle for loss of their own and combined for 14 tackles overall.
The Badgers stifled the Boilermakers, who accumulated 230 total yards and averaged 3.7 yards per play. Purdue tallied 79 of those yards on one play, when running back Akeem Hunt caught a wheel route pass and ran untouched up the right sideline for a score to make it 24-16.
Trying to take advantage of momentum and a revitalized home crowd, the Boilermakers subsequently tried an onside kick and appeared to successfully recover. However, a booth review correctly ruled that Purdue’s Raheem Mostert was out of bounds when he gained possession. From there, Wisconsin remained in control.
With their Big Ten West destiny in their own hands, the Badgers return home next week to Camp Randall to take on Nebraska (4-1, 8-1) in a de facto division championship game.
