On the turf, every inch, bounce, or miscue can bridge the gap between victory and defeat.
That notion applied to Wisconsin’s Week 1 triumph over Western Michigan on Friday night at Camp Randall Stadium.
After Western Michigan running back Jalen Buckley reached the end zone to push his group ahead 14-13 in the fourth quarter, Wisconsin failed to generate any offense on its ensuing possession.
With Badger faithful’s hopes dwindling, Wisconsin punter Atticus Bertrams booted a punt deep into Broncos territory. The ball bounced back towards Wisconsin’s side of the turf and grazed cornerback DaShon Bussell before UW safety Austin Brown dove on the pigskin to flip possession back to the home squad.
The play instantly reignited Camp Randall’s student section and provided the Badgers with a much-needed break. If the special teams snafu did not transpire, the Broncos’ would have continued to inch toward a program-defining upset.
https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1829725227812561157
Western Michigan never realized this hypothetical, however, because UW running back Tawee Walker scored his first career touchdown with the Badgers just four plays later.
While the special teams highlight is impressive, the manner in which Wisconsin dispatched of the MAC representative was not. Western Michigan held a one-tally edge in the fourth quarter despite entering as a heavy underdog.
UW can bounce back with a dominant, all-around performance on Sept. 7 against the University of South Dakota at home.
