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Wisconsin edges Auburn in OT at Outback Bowl

Jan 2, 2015 - 4:17 AM Tampa, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Rafael Gaglianone made a 29-yard field goal to tie the game with seven seconds left in the fourth quarter, then won the Outback Bowl for Wisconsin with a 25-yarder in overtime.

Heisman Trophy runner-up Melvin Gordon led the way once again for the 17th- ranked Badgers, rushing for an Outback Bowl-record 251 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries in a 34-31 victory over No. 19 Auburn.

Gordon ended 41 yards shy of the single-season FBS rushing record held by Barry Sanders. He finished with 2,587 yards, while Sanders' record holds at 2,628 in 1988.

Corey Clement carried the ball 15 times for 105 yards and also caught a touchdown pass for the Badgers (11-3), who set an Outback Bowl record with 400 yards on the ground and snapped a four-game bowl losing streak.

"We've been through so much as a team," said Gordon. "It feels good to leave as winners."

Joel Stave completed 14-of-27 passes for 121 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions for Wisconsin, which played the game under the direction of athletic director Barry Alvarez.

Gary Andersen's abrupt decision to leave Wisconsin to coach Oregon State put Alvarez back on the sideline on an interim basis to coach in a bowl game for the second time in three seasons.

Nick Marshall connected on 15-of-22 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers (8-5). Cameron Artis-Payne carried the ball 26 times for 126 yards and two scores.

"We have a better team than what we just played," said Artis-Payne. "We've got a better team than what our record says. I really wish we could have made some of the key plays that we needed to make to win some of these games."

Auburn took a 31-28 lead on Artis-Payne's 2-yard TD run with 2:55 left in the fourth quarter.

But the Badgers marched down the field and tied the game. Gordon's 20-yard run coupled with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved the ball to the Auburn 38. Wisconsin converted a 4th-and-5 and 3rd-and-5 before settling for Gaglianone's game-tying field goal.

The Badgers got the ball to start overtime and Troy Fumagalli's 14-yard catch on 3rd-and-8 set up Gaglianone's 25-yard field goal.

Auburn was unable to move the ball and lost when Daniel Carlson's 45-yard field goal hit the right upright.

The Badgers needed just five plays to find the end zone on their first possession of the game. Clement followed up a 43-yard run with a 7-yard TD catch.

Auburn responded with a touchdown of its own late in the first quarter. Artis- Payne converted a 3rd-and-1 and then scored from two yards out with 2:16 left.

Stave was intercepted by Trovon Reed with less than nine minutes remaining in the first half. Two plays later, Marshall hooked up with Ricardo Louis on a 66-yard bomb to give the Tigers a 14-7 lead.

Wisconsin was driving on its ensuing touch when Stave was picked off by Jermaine Whitehead. However, Auburn failed to capitalize and was forced to punt.

The Badgers opened the second half with a six-play, 75-yard drive that featured all runs. Gordon capped the series with a 25-yard score to make it 14-14.

Carlson responded with a 51-yard field goal to give the Tigers a three-point edge. After Stave was intercepted by Whitehead, Carlson missed a 44-yard try.

Gordon ripped off a 53-yard TD run on 4th-and-1 to give Wisconsin the lead back with 20 seconds remaining in the third stanza. He stiff-armed his way into the end zone.

The Tigers came right back with a touchdown of their own, running the ball eight times during a nine-play drive. C.J. Uzomah's 20-yard TD catch made it 24-21 with 11:21 left in the fourth.

Wisconsin went back in front on the next series, going 70 yards on seven plays with Gordon scoring from six yards out.

The wild back-and-forth affair continued as Auburn took the lead back with a 10-play, 71-yard drive. The Tigers went for it on 4th-and-11 from the Wisconsin 15 and the Badgers were called for pass interference in the end zone. Artis-Payne scored from two yards out on the next play to make it 31-28 with 2:55 remaining.

Game Notes

Wisconsin leads the all-time series, 2-1-1 ... The Badgers improved to 12-14 all-time in bowl games, while Auburn fell to 22-15-2 in the postseason ... The Badgers, champions of the Big Ten West Division, made their fifth-consecutive appearance in a January bowl game ... Alvarez became the program's winningest head coach by compiling 118 wins from 1990 to 2005.