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Nelson disappeared into blackness, just as No. 18 UW’s hopes and dreams had done minutes earlier when the reality of a 23-13 loss to Minnesota had hit home for a group that entered the day with so much on the line.
UW’s seven-game winning streak went up in smoke and with it a chance to play for a Big Ten Conference championship next week in Indianapolis. That the ride ended at the hands of the Gophers, who had lost 16 of the previous 17 meetings with the Badgers, made it an even more difficult pill to swallow.
“It’s honestly the worst feeling in the world,” UW senior cornerback Caesar Williams said. “It just feels like a disgrace to the program for us to lose the Axe.”..
What makes it even more difficult is this wasn’t a fluke. The Gophers were the better team Saturday, especially in the second half.
Minnesota had lost its chance at a Big Ten West Division title a day earlier when Iowa rallied to win at Nebraska, yet the Gophers still looked like they were the team that wanted this more — needed it more — than the Badgers.
It showed in the trenches, where Minnesota’s defensive line was relentless and consistently in UW tailback Braelon Allen’s face before he even had a chance to make a cut.
It also showed on the biggest play of the game, an interception on the third play from scrimmage in the second half. UW hadn’t played great to that point but led 10-6 at the half thanks to an interception return by Nelson that turned out to be the Badgers’ only touchdown of the game.
Graham Mertz dropped back and sent a ball toward the sidelines on third-and-7. It was a poorly placed throw, one of several on the day from a UW sophomore quarterback who regressed to first-half-of-the-season Graham Mertz after playing so well down the stretch. Still, it was a ball that could have resulted in a reception had a freshman cornerback (Justin Walley) not won a 50/50 battle with a sixth-year senior wide receiver (Kendric Pryor).,
www.stonecountyenterprise.com
UW’s seven-game winning streak went up in smoke and with it a chance to play for a Big Ten Conference championship next week in Indianapolis. That the ride ended at the hands of the Gophers, who had lost 16 of the previous 17 meetings with the Badgers, made it an even more difficult pill to swallow.
“It’s honestly the worst feeling in the world,” UW senior cornerback Caesar Williams said. “It just feels like a disgrace to the program for us to lose the Axe.”..
What makes it even more difficult is this wasn’t a fluke. The Gophers were the better team Saturday, especially in the second half.
Minnesota had lost its chance at a Big Ten West Division title a day earlier when Iowa rallied to win at Nebraska, yet the Gophers still looked like they were the team that wanted this more — needed it more — than the Badgers.
It showed in the trenches, where Minnesota’s defensive line was relentless and consistently in UW tailback Braelon Allen’s face before he even had a chance to make a cut.
It also showed on the biggest play of the game, an interception on the third play from scrimmage in the second half. UW hadn’t played great to that point but led 10-6 at the half thanks to an interception return by Nelson that turned out to be the Badgers’ only touchdown of the game.
Graham Mertz dropped back and sent a ball toward the sidelines on third-and-7. It was a poorly placed throw, one of several on the day from a UW sophomore quarterback who regressed to first-half-of-the-season Graham Mertz after playing so well down the stretch. Still, it was a ball that could have resulted in a reception had a freshman cornerback (Justin Walley) not won a 50/50 battle with a sixth-year senior wide receiver (Kendric Pryor).,
Jim Polzin: Wisconsin football's failure against rival Minnesota 'a disgrace to the program'
The Badgers started the season talking about making history and completing unfinished business. They ended it by getting pushed around by a rival they've dominated.
