COLUMBUS, Ohio - Bret Bielema, you have your work cut out for you.
Sitting pretty in the national polls and in the BCS standings, Wisconsin has gone from a shoe in for the Big Ten title game and a national championship contender to a national title pretender and fighting for its lives after dropping back-to-back, last-second primetime road games, the latter a 33-29 crusher to unranked Ohio State in front of 105,111 at Ohio Stadium.
Wisconsin (6-2, 2-2 Big Ten) was being outscored 23-7 in the second half, a half which included another blocked punt that blew up in the Badgers’ faces, but roared back to score 15 unanswered points. In another cruel twist of fate, a 40-yard touchdown pass from Braxton Miller to Devin Smith with 20 seconds left sent the Badgers to a shocking collapse.
For the second week in a row, Wisconsin’s offense got off to a fast start, going on a 69-yard touchdown drive on its second possession, but had little answer after that. The low protection was a direct result of the Buckeyes (5-3, 2-2 Big Ten) halting the Wisconsin run game, which finished with only 89 yards on 29 carries (a 3.1-yard average).
On the flip side, Ohio State and senior tailback Dan Herron wore down the Badgers’ defense on the ground. Herron, playing in just his second game after missing the first six due to suspension, ran for 160 yards on 33 carries while true freshman quarterback Braxton Miller accounted for 188 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair of 40-yard killers in the fourth quarter.
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Post Game Wisconsin Audio
Another last-second defeat crushes Wisconsin
Free Sidebar: Wisconsin facing a new level of adversity
Notes: Special teams let down Wisconsin again
Ohio State 33, No.12 Wisconsin 29
First Half
First Quarter
7-0 Wisconsin
8 plays, 69 yards, 3:10 TOP, 6:58 left
Montee Ball 23-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Philip Welch kick)
Key Play: After Ball grinded for a two-yard carry on third-and-1, Nick Toon pulled in another highlight catch. Despite getting pushed in the chest, Toon used his vertical to bring in the high pass without using his body, giving UW a 19-yard gain and first down inside OSU territory. It was the third catch this season Toon has made with the defense being called for interference.
Second Quarter
7-3 Wisconsin
10 plays, 31 yards, 5:46 TOP, 2:55 left
FG Drew Basil 39
Key Play: Louis Nzegwu, met Braxton Miller. The senior defensive end got a close-up look at the true freshman's speed when the QB juked the UW defensive end on third-and-10, giving him a 14-yard gain and first down on the UW 28.
Second Half
Third Quarter
10-7 Ohio State
7 plays, 75 yards, 3:00 TOP, 12:00 left
Braxton Miller 1-yard run (Basil kick)
Key Play: It appeared Wisconsin's left its run defense in the locker room. After allowing just 2.7 yards per carry in the first half, the Badgers were gashed for a 57-yard Boom Herron run on the first play, giving OSU its first trip into the red zone.
17-7 Ohio State
3 plays, 1 yards, 1:10 TOP, 9:26 left
Jordan Hall 1-yard run (Basil kick)
Key Play: For the second straight week, the Badgers' special teams help give the opponent momentum. Again coming from Robert Burge's side, where the the junior lineman failed to block the outside rusher, resulting in another blocked punt against Wisconsin.
17-14 Ohio State
6 plays, 27 yards, 3:21 TOP, 4:23 left
Montee Ball 1-yard run (Welch kick)
Key Play: A special teams break finally goes Wisconsin's way, as Jordan Hall mishandles a high punt and senior Andrew Lukasko pounced on the ball at the OSU 27-yard line.
Fourth Quarter
20-14 Ohio State
8 plays, 28 yards, 3:54 TOP, 10:39 left
FG Drew Basil 22
Key Play: Dan Herron has gotten a ton of carries, so the law of averages means he's going to break one once in awhile. After Wisconsin's defensive line got blasted off the ball, Herron had a huge seam up the middle for a 16-yard gain down to the UW 7.
20-14 Ohio State
8 plays, 28 yards, 3:54 TOP, 10:39 left
FG Drew Basil 22
Key Play: Dan Herron has gotten a ton of carries, so the law of averages means he's going to break one once in awhile. After Wisconsin's defensive line got blasted off the ball, Herron had a huge seam up the middle for a 16-yard gain down to the UW 7.
26-14 Ohio State
6 plays, 63 yards, 3:25 TOP, 4:39 left
Braxton Miller 44-yard run (pass failed)
Key Play: Splitting Marcus Cromartie and Mike Taylor, Braxton Miller showed off his jets, running untouched down the sideline.
26-21 Ohio State
4 plays, 66 yards, :44 TOP, 3:38 left
Jared Abbrederis 17-yard pass from Wilson (Welch kick)
Key Play: What is it about this offense that is waits until the last minutes on the road to try and come back? Wisconsin had just 42 rushing yards until Montee Ball finally got a big gap in the offensive line to rumble for a 40-yard gain down to the OSU 17.
29-26 Wisconsin
4 plays, 68 yards, 1:18 TOP, 1:18 left
Jared Abbrederis 47-yard pass from Wilson (Wilson to Ball)
Key Play: Somehow, some way, Abbrederis crept behind the OSU secondary and was wide open for the score.
33-29 Ohio State
4 plays, 52 yards, :50 TOP, :20 left
Devin Smith 40-yard pass from Miller (Wilson to Ball)
Key Play: Marcus Cromarite and Aaron Henry lost Devin Smith in coverage, resulting in a wide-open receiver in the end zone.
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