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Spartans Stadium has been a bit of a nightmare for the Wisconsin Badgers, but the 2016 team more than exorcized those demons in a 30-6 victory over Michigan State on Saturday afternoon.
The Badgers simply dominated the Spartans from start to finish in UW’s most dominant Big Ten road win in some time. In fact, Wisconsin hasn’t given up fewer points to an alleged Top 10 team in the history of the program.
Turnovers played a key role in this one, as UW turned four Spartans turnovers in to 21 points en route to, well, the route. That includes a turnover on downs due to a botched punt that was recovered by the hosts on their own 5-yard line.
Many believed Hornibrook would be in trouble against the Spartans defense, especially after that first drive saw him make a pretty rookie mistake resulting in his fumble. Instead, Hornibrook completed 16 of 26 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown and interception on the day.
Most impressive? Hornibrook’s poise in key situations:
Alex Hornibrook is now 7-for-9 for 127 yards on third down, including six first downs. My goodness
— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) September 24, 2016
He would finish the game 8 of 10 for 136 yards on third down opportunities alone.
But, it wasn’t just Hornibrook that came up big in big situations. In fact, it was Wisconsin’s defense that was really the story of the game. That defense responded well following Hornibrook’s first turnover.
The defense allowed just one first down on the ensuing Spartans drive, forcing a barely-made 48-yard field goal from MSU kicker Mike Geiger.
Then it was Hornibrook showing more of his ability to make big plays, responding right back to Michigan State’s score with an impressive drive of his own.
He led a 16-play, 65-yard drive that took up 7:38 of the clock and ended with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Eric Steffes in the back of the end zone. The drive built a lot of confidence, as Hornibrook extended the drive three times with his arm, including a 25-yard gain on 3rd and 10 to wide receiver Jazz Peavy.
Wisconsin also converted on a pair of 4th-and-1 attempts to extend the drive, which led to Wisconsin taking a 7-3 lead as the first quarter came to an end. For his part, Hornibrook was 5 of 9 for 44 yards on the touchdown drive alone, finishing the first quarter 8-11 for 81 yards and the TD.
It shouldn’t be surprising that UW won the time of possession battle in the first quarter, something it has dominated all season long.
Through four weeks, the #Badgers own a cumulative time of possession advantage of 50:27 to 9:33 in the first quarter of games
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) September 24, 2016
Defensively, Wisconsin kept putting the young quarterback in situations to be successful. That started with its play against the run game, as the Badgers allowed just 75 yards on the ground for the game.
It took the ball out of the biggest weapons for the Spartans offense, and made first-year starting quarterback Tyler O’Connor look more like the freshman making his first start than Hornibrook did.
O’Connor finished the game just 18 of 38 passing for 224 yards, but threw three interceptions.
The first of those three interceptions would blow this game wide open for the Badgers, as senior cornerback Sojourn Shelton sat on a route on the sideline and picked off with an 8-yard return to the Spartans own 28-yard line.
Six plays later and Wisconsin was in the end zone courtesy of a 1-yard touchdown run from Corey Clement. Little did everyone know the route was on from that point.
Following a second MSU field goal to make it 13-6 at the half, it was all Badgers.
That started with the Spartans first drive of the half, on what should’ve been a nice gain on 2nd and 3. Instead, junior safety D’Cota Dixon smacked LJ Scott as he fought for more yardage and caused a turnover that was scooped by fellow safety Leo Musso and returned for a 63-yard defensive touchdown.
Up 14-3 it was all but over thanks to Michigan State’s inability to not shoot itself in the foot and Wisconsin’s ability to take advantage of all but one turnover it got on the day.
Things got so bad for O’Connor that Mark Dantonio pulled him follow a would-be fourth interception on the final drive of the game. It was only negated by a pass interference call on the Badgers and in came back up Brian Lewerke.
While the Badgers kept extending drives on third and fourth down situations (a combined 9 of 18), the UW defense held Michigan State to just 4 of 13 on third downs and stuffed them on two 4th down conversion attempts.
The win was historic in nature, not only because it snapped a four-game losing streak in East Lansing, but because the Badgers hadn’t beaten two AP Poll top 10 ranked opponents in the same season since 1962.
After the game, starting outside linebacker Vince Biegel had a message for all who thought this game was about what Michigan State didn’t do and less about the things Wisconsin forced them to do.
Following that statement victory, Wisconsin will return to the state of Michigan to take on the Wolverines at Michigan Stadium next weekend in the hopes of a third such top 10 victory.
Kick will be 2:30p.m. CT with the network still to be announced.
The post Badgers Exorcize Spartans Demons in 30-6 Victory appeared first on Madtown Badgers.
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