Football
Badgers dominating win is largest in history against Wolverines
Ann Arbor, Mich. — Nakia Watson and Mason Stokke each scored two touchdowns in the first half, helping No. 13 Wisconsin build a big lead in a 49-11 rout of Michigan on Saturday night.
The Badgers (2-0) returned to competition after canceling two games of their all-Big Ten schedule due to a COVID-19 breakout within the program and didn't look rusty at all against a hapless team.
The Wolverines (1-3) fell behind 28-0 at halftime, their largest deficit at home since the Big House opened in 1927, and are off to their worst start since 1967.
The Badgers won for the fifth time in their last seven meetings with Michigan. UW's 38-point win was its largest-ever margin of victory over UM, surpassing the previous mark of 22 in a 34-12 win in Ann Arbor on Nov. 3, 1962. Additionally, the Badgers 49 points is also the most UW has ever scored against the Wolverines, surpassing the previous high of 48 in a 48-28 win on Nov. 20, 2010.
Early on, it appeared Michigan might put up a fight before getting knocked out in front of friends and family in its mostly empty stadium.
Tonight's top plays 👀 #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/sYcZcDD1XG
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) November 15, 2020
The Wolverines forced the Graham Mertz-led offense to punt after the game's opening possession, only to give the ball back on the next snap when a dropped pass was picked off by Wisconsin linebacker Leo Chenal.
Wisconsin's first two touchdowns — Watson's 2-yard run and Mertz's 1-yard pass to Stokke — were four plays after Joe Milton's passes were intercepted. The running back and fullback scored their second touchdowns on runs in the second quarter, giving the Badgers a 28-0 lead that was large enough against an offensively challenged team.
The Badgers finished with 341 yards rushing and five scores on the ground.
Mertz, a redshirt freshman, was 12 of 22 for 127 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Through two games this season, Mertz is now 32-for-43 for 375 yards with seven TDs and zero INTs.
Watson doubled his career touchdown output by scoring a career-best two rushing TDs. He opened the scoring for the Badgers with a 2-yard run in the first quarter and added a 10-yard TD in the second quarter. He finished with 65 rushing yards, the second-highest total of his career.
Freshman runningback Jalen Berger made his Badgers debut and led the Badgers with 87 yards rushing on 15 carries including a 23-yard rushing TD in the fourth quarter. He also caught 2 passes for 13 yards. Stokke, a senior fullback, matched his career high with a pair of TDs. He scored a 1-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, the second TD catch of his career — and second in as many games. He added a 1-yard touchdown run — the third rushing TD of his career — on the first play of the second quarter to give UW a 21-0 lead.
Milton was 9 of 19 for 98 yards with two interceptions and was replaced when the Wolverines were down 35-3 late in the third quarter. In relief, Cade McNamara completed 4 of 7 passes for 74 yards and a touchdown.
Wide receiver Kendric Pryor had two catches for 27 yards prior to leaving the game due to injury.
Wisconsin limited Michigan to one total yard in the first quarter, holding the Wolverines without a first down on just seven total plays. Of Michigan's three possessions in the first quarter, two ended in interceptions and the other was a three-and-out.
Sophomore inside linebacker Leo Chenal recorded the first interception of his career on the Wolverines' second series of the game, returning it 31 yards. He also posted his second-career sack. Freshman outside linebacker Nick Herbig recorded a career-high five tackles, including 3.0 tackles for loss, while sophomore linebacker C.J. Goetz set a new career high with four tackles.
Junior S Scott Nelson recorded the second interception of his career on the Wolverines' first play from scrimmage. The pick came on Nelson's first play since leaving the Badgers' 2019 season opener with a knee injury. He also tied for the team lead with five tackles, including 1.0 TFL.
Next up, Wisconsin travels to No. 23 Northwestern (4-0) for an anticipated division game. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.
Badgers win B1G in the Big House by Wisconsin Badgers on Exposure
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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Big Win in the Big House: Wisconsin blasts past Michigan, 49-11 - University of Wisconsin Badgers
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