MADISON -- The Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 24-7 at Camp Randall on Saturday.
A Drake lyric to describe this Wisconsin game: "They say it's on when they see me, that day don't ever come / I'm never scared, they never real, I never run."*
And now, more on the main storylines from the game.
*Explanation: Paul Chryst has Joel Stave, so he, like Drake, never runs.
Through six games, the Badgers' defense was aided by outstanding individual performances from Joe Schobert, Leo Musso, Vince Biegel and Chris Orr. Now through seven, you can add T.J. Edwards's name to that list.
More on the Game
More on the Game
The redshirt freshman linebacker stuffed the stat sheet with a career-high 16 tackles, 1.5 of which went for a loss. It was the second time in his career he posted double-digit tackles (12 against Alabama).
"He was flying around," Badgers head coach Paul Chryst said. "He was flying to the ball."
Edwards also forced a fumble that safety Tanner McEvoy recovered in the fourth quarter.
"I thought it was a heck of an effort play on the pass to the flat on the kind of busted coverage and just kept coming, and a heck of a strip."
Secondary options
A large reason for the Badgers' aerial success against the Boilermakers was the multiplicity of balance.
As surely as the sun will rise, Alex Erickson led the team in both catches (nine) and yards (86). Fellow wide receivers Robert Wheelwright (six catches, 61 yards) and Jazz Peavy (two for 48 yards) continued to establish themselves as secondary threats.
Tight end Troy Fumagalli had four receptions for 45 yards and running back Dare Ogunbowale finished with six catches for 51 yards.
"Every week we have plays and opportunities for running backs to catch the ball out of the backfield," Ogunbowale said. "And today we took more advantage of it that we have and got good things going, got some things opened up for the wide receivers with guys looking at me and stuff like that. It definitely helped the offense."
Peavy's 48 yards were good for a career high.
"I feel like my comfort level is going to keep on rising," Peavy said. "It's getting better and better each week, just keeping the ball rolling each week. More things are being done with me, so I just got to keep on making strides with that."
Haha well said. https://t.co/UrkP9rHywx
— Jazz™ (@JazzPeavy) October 17, 2015
A twist in the plan
Grass is green. Water is wet. There was a high-scoring Big 12 game this week. Wisconsin beat Purdue.
With the victory, the Badgers extended their winning streak over the Boilermakers to 10 games. Quite frankly, it hasn't even been a fair contest in every game since the Scott Starks fumble game in 2004.
The best way to summarize how the series has gone: In the seven meetings entering Saturday, Wisconsin out-rushed Purdue 2,163 yards to 640. That comes out to an average of 309-91 per game.
Three-oh-nine.
The Badgers used a different formula this time around, however. They leaned on the passing attack to move the sticks, rushing for 96 yards on 37 attempts (2.6 yards per carry) while passing for 322 yards.
Purdue, meanwhile, picked up only 55 yards on 29 attempts. Some things just never change.
Thank the Germans
Just over two weeks ago, Badgers running back Corey Clement was in Germany for sports hernia surgery.
Clement was back and active for Wisconsin on Saturday, leading the team onto the field and roaming the sidelines with his helmet on.
"He was not ruled out," Chryst said. "We could have played him today, but as it went on and doing what's best for Corey, and after warm-ups and sitting, decided not to go with him."
The new Quarterback U?
Stave threw a(n ugly) interception in the second quarter, but posted the Badgers' first back-to-back 300-yard performance since Russell Wilson in 2011.
He completed 30 of 39 passes to seven different receivers for 322 yards a week after going 24-of-50 also for 322 yards.
"It's fun," Stave said of the increased workload. "Whatever we got to do to move the ball, whatever we got to do to win, that's the way coach Chryst calls the game. Whatever he calls, we run."
Notes:
- Wisconsin recorded its second opening-drive touchdown of the year. The first came against Hawai'I, when the Badgers went 97 yards in 16 plays. Running back Alec Ingold capped this drive with a 4-yard touchdown run.
- Wisconsin's 191 yards allowed were its fewest since holding Nebraska to 180 last season.
- Stave became the first quarterback in school history to post a 4-0 record against an opponent. He has a chance to go 4-0 against Minnesota, as well, later this season.
- Ingold's two touchdowns were the second and third of his career after switching from linebacker earlier this season.
- Believe it or not, Orr's half-sack was the first of his already-sparkling career.
- Running back Taiwan Deal and center Dan Voltz were inactive. Redshirt freshman Michael Deiter filled in for Voltz.
- Kicker Andrew Endicott and cornerback Derrick Tindal left the game with injuries, neither returning. Chryst had no update on Endicott and said Tindal suffered a bruise but expects him to be "all right".