Football - The Daily Cardinal

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Wisconsin's defense stars against Purdue despite turnover woes on offense

By Lorin Cox | Oct. 14, 2017

For the first 15 minutes of their 17-9 win over the Purdue Boilermakers (1-2 Big Ten, 3-3 overall), the No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers (3-0, 6-0) played like an undefeated powerhouse rolling over the rest of their conference opponents. Then, an early second-quarter interception by redshirt sophomore quarterback Alex Hornibrook became the catalyst for three quarters of sloppy football from an offense that left UW looking vulnerable despite their perfect record. Purdue climbed back to make it a one-score game late in the third quarter, and Wisconsin held on.

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Wisconsin knocks off Purdue 17-9 in underwhelming performance

By Ben Pickman | Oct. 14, 2017

On a gloomy Saturday afternoon, more than half of Wisconsin’s student section was still filing into Camp Randall Stadium as freshman running back Jonathan Taylor and the No. 7 Wisconsin Badgers (3-0 Big Ten, 6-0 overall) opened the floodgates on the Purdue Boilermakers (1-2 Big Ten, 3-3). Taylor, on only Wisconsin’s third play from scrimmage, knifed through the Boilermaker defense, breaking two tackles, for a 67-yard touchdown run.

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Jonathan Taylor stars, rushes for 249 yards

By Nathan Denzin | Oct. 13, 2017

The numbers didn’t lie last Saturday night when the Badgers rushed for 353 yards en route to a 38-17 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

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Becoming a 'Bigg Dogg': After his father's death, Cephus finds strength in football

By Lorin Cox | Oct. 13, 2017

Andre Taylor was known as “Bigg Dogg,” and he called everybody he knew Bigg Dogg. Not everybody, though, was a Bigg Dogg. That distinction meant everything to his son, Quintez Cephus, and when Taylor was murdered in April, the Wisconsin Badgers’ wide receiver needed to be a Bigg Dogg more than ever. “That’s just what he used,” Cephus said.

Michigan's loss to Michigan State has opened up the Big Ten East division race.

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Wolverines' loss alters Big Ten East division race

Oct. 13, 2017

Week six of Big Ten football season was filled with action as the Wisconsin Badgers broke away from the Nebraska Cornhuskers on the road to win, 38-17.

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Jones' return gives Purdue offense much-needed jolt

By Christopher Wozniak | Oct. 13, 2017

When Purdue walks through the tunnel on to the field at Camp Randall Stadium, a lot of eyes will gravitate towards one player: Junior running back Markell Jones.

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Wisconsin pass defense must step up against upset-minded Purdue

By Simon Fischer | Oct. 13, 2017

Wisconsin’s conference schedule grind continues this week as they take on the Purdue Boilermakers (1-1 Big Ten, 3-2 overall) at home.

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Improved Boilermakers seek major road upset

By Cameron Lane-Flehinger | Oct. 13, 2017

Once a moderately successful program known for upsetting top-ranked opponents and producing NFL quarterbacks, Purdue football seems to have lost its way in the last few years. The Boilermakers have never been a conference powerhouse, but their consistent competitiveness — 12 bowl game appearances in 16 years from 1997 to 2012 — stands in stark contrast to their abysmal results under head coach Darrell Hazell: 9-33 overall, with just three conference wins in four years.

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Oklahoma's loss to Iowa State drastically alters college football playoff picture

By Morgan Spohn | Oct. 13, 2017

Week six of college football was like a buffet as it had a little bit of everything, blowouts, a seven overtime game, upsets and heart pounding last minute drives to decide games.

Alex Hornbook is looking to put his prior struggles against Nebraska behind him and improve his performance against Purdue this weekend.

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Hornibrook learning to respond to failures, looks to improve play against Purdue

By Jake Nisse | Oct. 12, 2017

Alex Hornibrook is not the same quarterback he was a year ago. While he still has improvements to make, as evidenced by the costly interception he threw last Saturday versus Nebraska, there’s certainly a difference between the nervous redshirt freshman that played last season and the sophomore currently starting for the No. 7 Wisconsin Badgers (2-0 Big Ten, 5-0 overall). “He’s a little quicker with his reads,” said senior tight end Troy Fumagalli.

COLUMNS

Wisconsin doing enough, need to play better to beat elite competition

By Sebastian van Bastelaer | Oct. 9, 2017

Another week, another second-half surge by the Badgers. A dominant run game and a characteristically strong defense in the second half erased the memories of a generally dismal first 30 minutes and sent UW to its first 5-0 start since 2011.

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Big-play Badgers overcome own sloppiness in 38-17 win over Nebraska

By Lorin Cox | Oct. 7, 2017

The No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers (2-0 Big Ten, 5-0 overall) are known as a slow-and-steady to win the race kind of team, but they needed a little bit more hare than tortoise in their 38-17 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-1, 3-3). It was more from necessity than by choice, though, as the Badgers started off slow and sloppy on both sides of the ball, an all too common trend this season from the leaders of the Big Ten West. Defensively, UW allowed Nebraska to march down the field on its opening drive until Wisconsin had its back against the wall in its own red zone.

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Revisiting last week's Wisconsin victory: Dooley stars for Badgers against Wildcats

By Peyton Kadlecek | Oct. 6, 2017

No doubt things would have been different last Saturday had Wisconsin’s defensive line not picked up the slack during its sluggish first half against Northwestern.

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Nebraska hoping to play more consistent game against Badgers

By Nathan Denzin | Oct. 6, 2017

The Nebraska Cornhuskers come into this game sitting at 3-2 overall, and 2-0 in Big Ten play, giving them a share for first place in the West division.

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Alabama, Clemson pace-setting college football, on pace for National Championship rematch

By Alex Rados | Oct. 6, 2017

A week after close calls among playoff contenders, college football revealed its truly elite teams.

Alex Hornibrook is looking to lead Wisconsin to the top of not only the Big Ten West, but also the Big Ten.

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Wisconsin looking to keep pace with other Big Ten contenders

By Andrew Guckes | Oct. 6, 2017

Aside from an upset in Minneapolis at the hands of the Maryland Terrapins last Saturday afternoon, the Big Ten had a pretty ho-hum slate of games in week five.

Jazz Peavy has gotten off to a slow start for the Badgers this season.

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Grading Wisconsin's positional groups through four games

By Christopher Wozniak | Oct. 6, 2017

The Wisconsin Badgers are off to a hot start with a 4-0 record (1-0 Big Ten). They have been one of the most talented and well rounded teams in the country, reflected by their ranking of ninth in the Associated Press rankings.

No Badger has more than three receiving touchdowns this season.

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Numbers to know: Wisconsin versus Nebraska

By Kassie Dunnihoo | Oct. 6, 2017

As Wisconsin gets sets to play Nebraska this weekend, here are some important numbers to know: Nebraska allows on average 105.8 yards rushing per game.

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Cornhuskers look to control tempo against Badgers this weekend

By Simon Fischer | Oct. 6, 2017

Wisconsin continues its run through the Big Ten conference schedule this week as it hits the road to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0 Big Ten, 3-2 overall). Nebraska, thus far, has defeated Arkansas State, Rutgers and Illinois, while losing to Oregon and Northern Illinois.

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Heisman watch: Barkley now Heisman front runner

By Morgan Spohn | Oct. 6, 2017

As the college football season starts to heat up, here is Morgan Spohn's Heisman rankings: 1.