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Hill helps Badgers hold off Hawkeyes, extend winning streak

Sep 23, 2007 - 7:00 AM MADISON, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- Wisconsin turned to P.J. Hill when the going got tough.

Hill scored the go-ahead touchdown midway through the fourth quarter Saturday as the ninth-ranked Badgers held off the Iowa Hawkeyes, 17-13, in a rugged Big Ten Conference opener for both teams.

Hill carried 29 times for 113 yards as Wisconsin extended the nation's longest winning streak to 13 games and improved to 21-1 in the last 22 home night games since 1995.

"I knew it wasn't going to be an easy game," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. "We talked about playing a four-quarter game in our preparation. I think the guys gave us a better practice this week than anything this year up to this point."

Trailing 10-7 mid-fourth quarter, Wisconsin (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) turned to its bread-and-butter. An all-conference preseason selection, Hill imposed his will on a tough Hawkeyes defense.

The 5-11, 227-pound Hill carried 10 times for 43 yards, and capped the drive with a two-yard score to put the Badgers up, 14-10, with 9:42 left.

"P.J. has prided himself on re-defining his body and being able to play longer fourth-quarter games," Bielema said.

It was the first rushing touchdown allowed by the stingy Iowa (2-2, 0-1) defense, which entered the game ranked fifth nationally and third in scoring defense (6.0).

Iowa's Darrell Johnson-Koulianos nearly returned the ensuing kickoff for a score but was tripped up by the kicker at midfield.

Two plays later, Jake Christensen hit James Cleveland on a crossing route for 25 yards down to the Wisconsin 14. However, the drive stalled and Iowa had to settle for a 37-yard field goal from Daniel Murray to cut the lead to 14-13 with 3:13 remaining.

On their next drive, the Badgers continued to pound the Hawkeyes with Hill until reserve running back Lance Smith broke off a 30-yard run down the left sideline to the Wisconson 42.

Wisconsin stretched the lead to 17-13 on a 40-yard field goal by Taylor Mehlhaff with 2:02 left.

"The huge part of (that drive) was when Lance Smith got in there and changed the game with his feet and bounced around in the end and made the huge play," Bielema said.

Iowa turned the ball over on downs on the ensuing possession, sealing Wisconsin's win.

"Wisconsin's a good football team," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "They deserved to win, certainly. I thought it was an outstanding football game. I thought both teams played extremely hard. Both teams were aggressive.

"I just feel very badly for our guys. We didn't come up here to play close. That wasn't our goal. I thought our guys played with phenomenal effort. That's a good football team. With what our guys did and how we played, I'm disappointed we didn't get out of here with a win."

The Hawkeyes entered the game as the only team in the nation not to allow an offensive touchdown. That ended in this one, but it not without a fight.

Trailing, 3-0, after Murray's field goal with 2:28 left in the second quarter, Wisconsin finally found a groove on offense.

Tyler Donovan completed four straight passes for 52 yards, driving the Badgers to the Hawkeyes 27. One play later, Hill ripped off a 17-yard run and appeared to be headed to the end zone, but the ball was stripped at the 1. It rolled into the end zone, and a scrum ensued with Wisconsin recovering it for an apparent touchdown.

But after a review, the officials ruled there was an inadvertant whistle during the end-zone scrum and placed the ball at the 3-yard line.

It made no difference, as Donovan hit Travis Beckum on a slant for a three-yard score and a 7-3 lead with 43 seconds left in the second quarter.

Johnson-Koulianos helped Iowa answer by making a spectacular one-handed grab down the right sideline for a 21-yard score and a 10-7 lead with four seconds left in the half.

Christensen completed 17-of-37 passes for 169 yards and one touchdown, while Donovan completed 12-of-23 passes for 138 and with one touchdown and one interception.