Madison, Wis. – In his first home game as interim head coach, Jim Leonhard and the Wisconsin Badgers (4-4, 2-3 Big Ten), who were one-and-a-half point favorites, took care of business, winning 35-24 at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Wisconsin lost the time of possession battle, had less total yardage, and had more penalties than Purdue.
If I had told you that tidbit of information before the game began, I’m not sure anyone would have believed UW would convincingly win that game, but that’s exactly what happened – extending Wisconsin’s streak to 16 straight victories over Purdue.
After riding the struggle bus against Michigan State, Wisconsin’s offense bounced back, registering 381 total yards (203 passing, 178 rushing) on an impressive 7.6 yards per play.
Wisconsin’s defense allowed 431 yards but made several timely stops and showed flashes of a unit beginning to make some strides.
This game was a line drawn in the sand by the Wisconsin Badgers. A loss would have meant a bowl game was in serious doubt, but a win leaves the door open to a strong finish.
Here’s a recap of Wisconsin’s home victory over the Purdue Boilermakers: