Final
No. 21 Wisconsin beats Michigan 45-24
Nov 14, 2009 - 10:12 PM By CHRIS JENKINS AP Sports WriterMADISON, Wis.(AP) -- For long-suffering conference rivals looking to throw some grief back at the once-dominant Michigan Wolverines, now's the time.
Have at it, Badgers.
No. 21 Wisconsin became the latest Big Ten team to get the best of the reeling Wolverines and coach Rich Rodriguez, winning 45-24 Saturday behind four touchdown passes and a TD sneak from quarterback Scott Tolzien.
"Scotty had a big grin on his face walking off the field," Badgers coach Bret Bielema said. "To beat Michigan is a big deal."
It was sweet redemption on Senior Day for the Badgers (8-2, 5-2), who watched last year's promising season unravel after blowing a big lead in the Big House last year. Wisconsin has regained momentum in what is shaping up to be a better-than-expected 2009 campaign, winning three straight after consecutive losses to Ohio State and Iowa.
It was the sixth straight conference setback for the Wolverines (5-6, 1-6), whose miserable Big Ten season just keeps getting worse - and with a potential bowl bid slipping away, Ohio State awaits next Saturday.
"There's no question we've got one more chance," Rodriguez said. "I've asked the team to be extra focused. We've been focused all year, but this is the biggest game of the year. Our guys know that."
Wisconsin's 45 points were the most the Badgers have ever scored against Michigan.
After the Badgers blew a 19-point lead in a loss to Michigan last year, Badgers defensive end O'Brien Schofield said he wasn't comfortable celebrating the win until the clock hit zero.
"I didn't want to think about that," Schofield said. "Because last year, I was like, 'We are killing these guys, these guys are terrible.' ... That was bad. I had to eat my words."
Tolzien was 16 of 24 for 240 yards with an interception despite spending much of the game under pressure from defensive end Brandon Graham, who had a pair of sacks and forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown to give the Wolverines a 17-14 lead just before halftime.
But this time, the second-half letdown that has become this Michigan team's dubious trademark actually began just before halftime, when it allowed the Badgers to drive for a 1-yard touchdown by John Clay.
"We've got to stay focused on what we need to do," Graham said. "Most of the games we were out of our gaps and let big plays happen. It's been killing us."
Nick Toon caught two of Tolzien's touchdown throws for the Badgers, who went to the air early on after putting together monster rushing performances in their previous two games.
Leading 21-17, Wisconsin received the second-half kickoff and marched to the Michigan 15-yard line, where Tolzien threw toward Toon in the end zone. Toon, son of former Badgers and NFL receiver Al Toon, jumped and came down with his second TD of the day despite being interfered with on the play.
Tate Forcier was a solid 20 of 26 for 188 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, but it wasn't enough. After a 4-0 start to the season, the Wolverines are reeling heading into their biggest rivalry.
"If I have to spend 10 hours this week watching film, I'm going to do that," Forcier said. "We're going to get the seniors to a bowl game. We're going to come out and do what we need to do to beat Ohio State."
Forcier kept Michigan in the game after Toon's acrobatic touchdown catch, converting a fourth-and-9 play to set up a 10-yard touchdown pass to Roy Roundtree that cut Wisconsin's lead to 28-24 midway through the third.
But the Wolverines defense just couldn't get the stop it needed.
With Wisconsin facing third-and-7 at the Michigan 19, linebacker Stevie Brown burst through the line and Tolzien got rid of the ball just before taking a crunching hit, delivering a 12-yard pass to tight end Garrett Graham to set up first-and-goal at the 7. Tolzien threw a touchdown to tight end Lance Kendricks two plays later, putting Wisconsin up 35-24.
The Badgers were coming off impressive rushing performances in victories over Purdue and Indiana but had a hard time finding yards on the ground against Michigan's defense early on. Michigan held Wisconsin to 53 yards rushing in the first half but couldn't keep it up, as John Clay got 109 of his 151 yards on the ground after halftime.
"Defensively, we are reaching to find an answer to stop people," Rodriguez said.
- NCAAF FINAL
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
MICHIGAN 7 10 7 0 24
WISCONSIN 7 14 14 10 45 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: WISCONSIN - TD, GARRETT GRAHAM 22 YD PASS
FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP
WELCH KICK), 3:46. WISCONSIN
7-0
MICHIGAN - TD, VINCENT SMITH 21 YD PASS FROM
TATE FORCIER (JASON
OLESNAVAGE KICK), 8
Nov 14 3:01 PM - NCAAF
MICHIGAN 24
WISCONSIN 45 0:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Nov 14 3:01 PM - NCAAF
MICHIGAN 24
WISCONSIN 45 1:43 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 45 4th - 1:43Nov 14 2:56 PM
TD WISCONSIN SCOTT TOLZIEN 1 YD RUN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 42 4th - 11:00Nov 14 2:33 PM
TD WISCONSIN SCOTT TOLZIEN 1 YD RUN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 42 4th - 11:00Nov 14 2:33 PM- NCAAF
MICHIGAN 24
WISCONSIN 42 11:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 42 4th - 11:00Nov 14 2:33 PM - NCAAF
MICHIGAN 24
WISCONSIN 35 0:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Nov 14 2:24 PM
TD WISCONSIN LANCE KENDRICKS 7 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 35 3rd - 2:08Nov 14 2:17 PM
TD WISCONSIN LANCE KENDRICKS 7 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 35 3rd - 2:08Nov 14 2:17 PM
TD WISCONSIN LANCE KENDRICKS 7 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 35 3rd - 2:08Nov 14 2:17 PM- NCAAF
MICHIGAN 24
WISCONSIN 35 2:08 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 35 3rd - 2:08Nov 14 2:17 PM
TD MICHIGAN ROY ROUNDTREE 10 YD PASS FROM TATE FORCIER (JASON OLESNAVAGE KICK)
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 28 3rd - 6:59Nov 14 2:08 PM
TD MICHIGAN ROY ROUNDTREE 10 YD PASS FROM TATE FORCIER (JASON OLESNAVAGE KICK)
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 28 3rd - 6:59Nov 14 2:08 PM
TD MICHIGAN ROY ROUNDTREE 10 YD PASS FROM TATE FORCIER (JASON OLESNAVAGE KICK)
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 28 3rd - 6:59Nov 14 2:08 PM- NCAAF
MICHIGAN 24
WISCONSIN 28 6:59 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Michigan 24, Wisconsin(21) 28 3rd - 6:59Nov 14 2:08 PM
TD WISCONSIN NICK TOON 15 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 17, Wisconsin(21) 28 3rd - 10:03Nov 14 1:59 PM
TD WISCONSIN NICK TOON 15 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 17, Wisconsin(21) 28 3rd - 10:03Nov 14 1:59 PM
TD WISCONSIN NICK TOON 15 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 17, Wisconsin(21) 28 3rd - 10:03Nov 14 1:59 PM- NCAAF
MICHIGAN 17
WISCONSIN 28 10:03 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Michigan 17, Wisconsin(21) 28 3rd - 10:03Nov 14 1:59 PM - NCAAF
MICHIGAN 17
WISCONSIN 21 0:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 14 1:26 PM
TD WISCONSIN JOHN CLAY 1 YD RUN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 17, Wisconsin(21) 21 2nd - 1:09Nov 14 1:18 PM
TD WISCONSIN JOHN CLAY 1 YD RUN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 17, Wisconsin(21) 21 2nd - 1:09Nov 14 1:18 PM- NCAAF
MICHIGAN 17
WISCONSIN 21 1:09 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Michigan 17, Wisconsin(21) 21 2nd - 1:09Nov 14 1:18 PM
TD MICHIGAN RYAN VAN BERGEN 14 YD FUMBLE RETURN (JASON OLESNAVAGE KICK)
Michigan 17, Wisconsin(21) 14 2nd - 3:46Nov 14 1:12 PM
TD MICHIGAN RYAN VAN BERGEN 14 YD FUMBLE RETURN (JASON OLESNAVAGE KICK)
Michigan 17, Wisconsin(21) 14 2nd - 3:46Nov 14 1:12 PM- NCAAF
MICHIGAN 17
WISCONSIN 14 3:46 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Michigan 17, Wisconsin(21) 14 2nd - 3:46Nov 14 1:12 PM
TD WISCONSIN NICK TOON 8 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 10, Wisconsin(21) 14 2nd - 8:29Nov 14 12:54 PM
TD WISCONSIN NICK TOON 8 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 10, Wisconsin(21) 14 2nd - 8:29Nov 14 12:54 PM
TD WISCONSIN NICK TOON 8 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 10, Wisconsin(21) 14 2nd - 8:29Nov 14 12:54 PM- NCAAF
MICHIGAN 10
WISCONSIN 14 8:29 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Michigan 10, Wisconsin(21) 14 2nd - 8:29Nov 14 12:54 PM - NCAAF
MICHIGAN 10
WISCONSIN 7 14:16 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Michigan 10, Wisconsin(21) 7 2nd - 14:16Nov 14 12:41 PM - NCAAF
MICHIGAN 7
WISCONSIN 7 0:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Nov 14 12:38 PM
TD MICHIGAN VINCENT SMITH 21 YD PASS FROM TATE FORCIER (JASON OLESNAVAGE KICK)
Michigan 7, Wisconsin(21) 7 1st - 6:17Nov 14 12:18 PM
TD MICHIGAN VINCENT SMITH 21 YD PASS FROM TATE FORCIER (JASON OLESNAVAGE KICK)
Michigan 7, Wisconsin(21) 7 1st - 6:17Nov 14 12:18 PM
TD MICHIGAN VINCENT SMITH 21 YD PASS FROM TATE FORCIER (JASON OLESNAVAGE KICK)
Michigan 7, Wisconsin(21) 7 1st - 6:17Nov 14 12:18 PM
TD WISCONSIN GARRETT GRAHAM 22 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 0, Wisconsin(21) 7 1st - 11:14Nov 14 12:10 PM
TD WISCONSIN GARRETT GRAHAM 22 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 0, Wisconsin(21) 7 1st - 11:14Nov 14 12:10 PM
TD WISCONSIN GARRETT GRAHAM 22 YD PASS FROM SCOTT TOLZIEN (PHILIP WELCH KICK)
Michigan 0, Wisconsin(21) 7 1st - 11:14Nov 14 12:10 PM- NCAAF
MICHIGAN 0
WISCONSIN 7 11:14 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Michigan 0, Wisconsin(21) 7 1st - 11:14Nov 14 12:10 PM
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