+5
For the second week in a row, Wisconsin lost on a Hail Mary. You could make this stuff up if you really wanted to, but it would be a sign that you hate Wisconsin fans.
Last Saturday, Wisconsin was a national championship contender. Now, after a second straight loss, the Badgers are behind Ohio State in the Legends Division of the Big Ten race, and all but eliminated from Rose Bowl contention. That's the aftermath of Wisconsin's 33-29 loss to the Buckeyes in Columbus.
At least the Badgers have lost with panache.
Wisconsin allowed a 26-7 Ohio State run before coming back and scoring two touchdowns in the game's final five minutes to take a 29-26 lead. Ohio State then stormed back with a one-minute drive of its own, and Braxton Miller found Devin Smith for the game-winning 40-yard touchdown strike.
Wisconsin wasn't done — the Badgers got a drive of their own late, thanks to a kickoff that went out of bounds and a pass interference penalty. But the Badgers couldn't make a Hail Mary of their own happen, giving Ohio State the biggest scalp of the Luke Fickell era.
Miller's final touchdown throw got him over 50 yards on the day; he finished with 89 yards passing. It was Ohio State's running game that carried the day, with Dan Herron gaining 160 of the Buckeyes' whopping 268 yards on the ground.
Russell Wilson threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns, but his brilliant play came in too short and too late a spurt to win the day. And Wisconsin's defense melting down for the second time in seven days ultimately may have ended the Badgers' Rose Bowl hopes.
For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit our Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and our Ohio State blog Along the Olentangy. Stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub for more.
The Ohio State Buckeyes trailed Wisconsin 7-3 at halftime. Now, midway through the third quarter, the Buckeyes hold a 17-14 lead on the Badgers. (For live scoring updates, head to our Wisconsin-Ohio State events page.)
The Buckeyes scored their first touchdown of the night on a Braxton Miller run on fourth and one that capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive; their second came after a blocked punt, when Jordan Hall dashed to the outside on a third down toss play. Both, combined, have given the Bucks a surprising lead on the Badgers.
Ohio State's running game has paced the Buckeyes tonight. Miller and Hall have the TDs, but Dan Herron's already crested 100 yards on the night.
Fortunately for Wisconsin, the special teams unit giveth and taketh away from Ohio State, and a muffed punt gave the Badgers field position that Russell Wilson's offense turned into a Montee Ball touchdown in short order.
For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit our Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and our Ohio State blog Along the Olentangy. Here's this week's college football TV schedule, and stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub for more.
Russell Wilson has been Russell Wilson for the Wisconsin Badgers, completing 11 of 15 for 117 yards and a touchdown, but the Ohio St. Buckeyes have bottled up Montee Ball for only 11 yards on the ground -- as a team, Bucky has 10. Ball caught that touchdown though, so maybe he's more of a wide receiver these days.
It's 7-3, Wisconsin.
Head here for Wisconsin-Ohio State's live score.
Not a great deal of offense in Columbus, which is something we can probably just copy and paste for every game in Columbus for quite a while. Eight punts so far, half of them in tribute to Jim Tressel. Speaking of beautiful football, this sort of thing happened (click to animate):
For more on this game, visit Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Ohio State blog Along The Olentangy, plus Big Ten blog Off Tackle Empire. Also, stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub.
Here's the Ohio State Halloween costume: they're the Georgia Bulldogs, circa September!
That's way better than any of these:
Eager to bounce back from their first loss of the season, the 12th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers are set to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Big Ten Conference action.
8 pm ET, ESPN. Transfer here for Wisconsin-Ohio State score updates and here for college football game stories from around the country.
Wisconsin was 6-0 for the first time under head coach Bret Bielema, and had won nine straight Big Ten games heading into last week's showdown with Michigan State. After falling behind the Spartans, the Badgers managed to fight back and tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but an improbable Hail Mary pass was tipped into the arms of a Michigan State receiver, perhaps dashing the national title hopes of Bielema's group.
Luke Fickell's first season as head coach at Ohio State has been disappointing when considering the program's lofty standards. The Buckeyes are a modest 4-3 overall, and two of their three Big Ten games to date have ended in defeat. On a positive note, they did halt a two-game slide with a 17-7 triumph over Illinois last time out, and they have had two weeks to prepare for this weekend's battle.
Game date, time: 8:00 pm ET, Saturday, October 29th
Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
TV channel: ESPN
Spread: Wisconsin favored by 7
Series history: Ohio State leads series 53-18-5.
For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter and Ohio State blog Along The Olentangy. Here’s this week’s college football TV schedule, and stay tuned to SB Nation’s college football news hub for more.
VIDEO: Ohio State Hail Mary, Exactly How They Drew It Up
by Jason Kirk
Not only did the Wisconsin Badgers lose their second-straight game on a Hail Mary, they lost their second-straight game on an unconventionally executed Hail Mary. Here's the video of the Ohio St. Buckeyes winning play, via @cjzero:
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Oct 29 11:38p