The Indiana Hoosiers Football team beat the Wisconsin Badgers 20-14 Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium for their first Big Ten Conference win of the season. The Hoosiers are 3-6 on the season and 1-5 in the Big Ten and have a favorable schedule facing Illinois, Michigan State and Purdue who all have losing records and keeping the Hoosiers hopes for a bowl game alive by winning out the rest of the season. The Hoosiers have won two in a row against the Badgers, and this was the first meeting between the two teams since December 5, 2020, when Indiana beat Wisconsin 14-6 in Madison. Indiana beats Wisconsin in Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2002. Wisconsin falls to 5-4 and 3-3 in the Big Ten and makes the Big Ten West Division up for grabs.
The Hoosiers took the ball first and they drove down the field in 9 plays and 66 yards capped off with an 8-yard touchdown run by Brendan Sorsby with 9:59 left in the first quarter to make it 7-0.
Hoosier Chris Freeman added a 27-yard field goal with 8:08 left to make it 10-0.
The Badgers turned the ball over on downs on their first drive of the game and then punted the next three possessions. Wisconsin scored with 4:11 left in the second quarter when Braedyn Locke found Bryson Green on 54-yard strike to put the Badgers within three points.
Indiana responded when Sorsby found Donaven McCulley with a one-handed grab from seven yards out to make 17-7 with 17 seconds left in the first half.
(In the Second Half) Wisconsin got the ball first and they went 10 plays and 76 yards down the field in four minutes and forty-six seconds when Locke found his top Wide Receiver Will Pauling on 18-yard touchdown pass to make 17-14 with 10:14 left in the third quarter. The Hoosiers punted the next four possessions and the Badgers punted twice and had fumble along with a turnover on downs as both defenses made stops and the game was going to come down to who could come up with the big stop and make the big play. Indiana made the big play when Chris Freeman kicked a 50-yard field goal with 1:10 left to make it 20-14. Then it was a question of backing Wisconsin up to their own end zone and hopes of getting a stop. The Hoosiers got the stop that they needed on the final play the Badgers completed a pass and then fumbled the ball and the Hoosiers recovered and won the game and snapped a four-game losing streak.
Also, a huge play in the fourth quarter was outstanding pass defensive play by redshirt senior Jacob Mangum-Farrar. Farrar timed a Locke pass perfectly and knocked it down as a wide-open, streaking Paulding could attempt the reception.
Brendan Sorsby was 19-31 passing for 186 yards and touchdown pass and no interceptions. Sorsby carried the ball 14 times for 8 yards and a touchdown.
Josh Henderson had 15 carries for 40 yards as the Hoosiers had 41 carries for 75 yards.
Donaven McCulley had 5 catches for 67 yards and a touchdown. EJ Williams had 4 catches for 48 yards.
The Hoosiers defense had 2 sacks by Aaron Casey and 7 tackles for loss along with 9 pass breakups and 2 forced fumbles.
Wisconsin was without leading rusher Braelyn Allen due to injury and that change the dynamic of the Badger running game. Cade Yacamelli and Jackson Acker had 48 yards rushing a piece on a combined 21 carries. Vinny Anthony had 1 carry for 18 yards and Braedyn Locke had 6 carries for minus 13 yards as the Badgers were held to 101 yards rushing on 28 carries.
Locke was 21-41 passing for 243 yards and 2 touchdowns. Bryson Green had 4 catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. Will Pauling had 5 catches for 51 yards and a touchdown. The Wisconsin defense had 2 sacks, 4 pass breakups and no forced fumbles or interceptions.
Indiana came off a tough loss at Penn State last week where they hung around until the last two minutes of the game giving up nine points. The Hoosiers finished the game start to finish and never trailed and the win gives them momentum needed to keep their bowl hopes alive with the final three games of the regular season in reach.
Wisconsin and Nebraska were both beaten (Indiana and Michigan State) as they tried to become bowl eligible while the Fighting Illini topped Minnesota which left Iowa in first place in the B1G West Division and the West in a quagmire.
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