Wisconsin was unable to overcome a sluggish start in Pullman as Washington State held on late for a 31-22 victory to hand the Badgers their first loss of the year.
Washington State jumped out to a 24-6 lead spurred by Badger turnovers and Cam Ward’s quick start, but the second half belonged to Wisconsin early. The Badgers nearly came all the way back, cutting the lead to 24-22 late in the third quarter after a Skyler Bell touchdown pass from Tanner Mordecai on an incredible play from the SMU transfer.
There were a few questionable calls late that stayed with Badger fans long after the final whistle. A questionable Chez Mellusi fumble call stood after a lengthy review just after Wisconsin thought they had a safety that would have tied the game. Safe to say Badger fans were not thrilled with the Pac-12 ref show, and it brought back some old nightmares.
In addition to mentioning the officiating drama it has to be said just how well-coached and disciplined Washington State played. The Cougars were largely mistake-free, while the Badgers turned it over a costly three times. That turnover battle proved to be the difference. Here is how Wisconsin Twitter reacted to the loss: