Wisconsin
Wisconsin football insider: Why a third-quarter interception proved costly in Badgers’ pursuit of Axe
MINNEAPOLIS – A look back at Wisconsin’s 17-7 loss to Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 29, in the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe.
Big picture
This one hurt for Wisconsin on a few fronts. First, they missed a chance to build on a run of two wins over ranked opponents in a three-game span by getting a road win over a beatable opponent. Second, they went home without the Axe for the second straight season. Third, they wasted an effort by the defense that resulted in just 218 total yards for the Gophers. The loss leaves Wisconsin with a 4-8 mark for the season and a 2-7 record in the Big Ten that ties it for 14th. Last year they tied for 12th in the 18-team conference.
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Turning point: Minnesota turns interception into points
The first two times Wisconsin turned over the ball, the defense and/or special teams bailed out the offense. The Badgers weren’t so fortunate the third time. Safety John Nestor undercut a route toward the sideline for Trech Kekahuna with about 6½ minutes to go in the third quarter and returned the interception 68 yards to the Badgers 16.
Three plays later redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey hit tight end Jameson Geers for a 13-yard touchdown with 5 minutes 4 seconds to go in the third quarter. It was the only score of the second half and it gave the Gophers a 17-7 edge against a team that reached that point total just three times this season. In other words, the sequence left the Gophers in really good shape.
Thumbs up: Jackson Acker’s concentration pays off; Ben Barten blocks another field goal
- Tight end/fullback Jackson Acker’s tight-rope act along the sideline in the end zone resulted in a 1-yard touchdown pass from Carter Smith.
- Ben Barten blocked his second field goal of the season, a 38-yard attempt in the first quarter that kept the game scoreless. His block against Washington on Nov. 8 prevented the Huskies from tying the game in the fourth quarter.
- Linebacker Cooper Catalano led the Badgers with 10 tackles, which moved him into second place on the team with 61 stops.
- Right guard Kerry Kodanko, who came on for Colin Cubberly last week, started his final game and played throughout.
Thumbs down: Badgers’ struggle with punt game, creating turnovers
- Punter Sean West, who entered play averaging 51.2 yards per punt, averaged 29.2 yards in four punts. His punts of 35 and 11 yards in the second quarter helped flip the field in Minnesota’s favor.
- The Badgers failed to create a turnover, meaning they did not create a turnover on the road this season.
- Mason Posa took the blame for Darius Taylor’s 49-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Up next for Wisconsin: Signing day, transfer portal
The Badgers won’t have to wait for long to dive into the offseason. Wednesday marks the beginning of the early signing period for high school recruits. Wisconsin has 13 commits it will try to keep in the fold over the coming days.
Badger players won’t be able to officially enter the portal until Jan. 2-16, but some will likely announce their intention to do so well before them. Expect Wisconsin to be active in the portal again.