Football postgame notes

Noteworthy items from Wisconsin’s 56-42 win over Bowling Green Saturday at Camp Randall

• Trailing 20-7 early, Wisconsin benefited from fantastic field position as its offense kicked into gear. UW took possession in Bowling Green territory on four straight drives, scoring touchdowns on three of them to take a 28-20 lead. For the game, UW’s average starting field position was its 44, while BG opened its average drive at its 22.

• Brandon Williams gave UW its two best starting positions, with an 85-yard kick return setting up the offense at the BG 8, and a 19-yard punt return pushing UW to the BG 24. Williams’ one kick return was enough for him to set a new school career record for kick return yardage with 1,818.

• The teams combined to score 98 points in the game, the most total points in a Badger home game since Wisconsin beat UW-Whitewater 106-0 in 1890.

• Wisconsin’s 56 points were the most for the Badgers since scoring 56 against Michigan State Nov. 15, 2003. The 56 points are tied for the seventh-most in school history and tied for third-most for UW in a season opener.

• The two teams combined for the most first-half points (70) of any game in the Alvarez era. Wisconsin scored 35 points in the second quarter, its most points in a quarter in the Alvarez era. The previous high was 28, in the second quarter at San Jose State on Sept. 13, 1997.

• Brian Calhoun tied a UW record with five touchdown runs and set a UW record for a debut performance with his 258 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Those were also career highs, as were his 43 carries.

• Calhoun’s previous career highs were 24 carries, 137 yards and two touchdown runs. Saturday, he had 19 carries for 148 yards and three touchdowns in the first half.

• Calhoun is the 12th player in Wisconsin history to rush for at least 200 yards in a game.

• The Badgers’ seven rushing touchdowns as a team tied the school record, accomplished five times previously. The last time UW ran for seven scores was Oct. 16, 1999 against Indiana.

• In his first game for UW, redshirt freshman defensive tackle Mike Newkirk registered a sack. True freshman defensive end Matt Shaughnessy was in the starting lineup, in a 3-3-5 scheme.

• Taylor Mehlhaff did not have an opportunity to attempt a field goal in his first game as the Badgers’ full-time place kicker. But he did make all eight of his extra points attempts. Mehlhaff, who was a kickoff specialist last year, had five of his nine kickoffs result in touchbacks.