FULL RECAP: No. 13 Wisconsin drops second game of season, in lopsided loss to No. 3 Ohio State

No. 3 Ohio State (8-0, 5-0 B1G) handed No. 13 Wisconsin (6-2, 3-2 B1G) its second loss in as many weeks, 38-7 on Saturday afternoon.

Early on in Saturday’s matchup, defense seemed to rule the game, with Wisconsin and Ohio State both going scoreless in the first quarter and for most of the second quarter.

This was something that was too be expected, as Wisconsin ranked first in the nation, allowing 7.6 points per game and Ohio State ranked second in the nation, allowing 8.0 points per game.

Both teams were getting to the quarterback regularly and forced punt after punt.

Wisconsin recorded five sacks in the game, most coming early on. Keeanu Benton, Chris Orr and Zack Baun all recorded one sack, while Noah Burks recorded 1.5 and Isaiahh Loudermilk recorded a half sack.

@B5QPhotos; Matt Fleming

Orr, who recorded his ninth sack of the season, finished with six tackles and Baun, who now has 7.5 sacks on the season and only trails Orr for the team lead in sacks, recorded 10 tackles in the game.

Eric Burrell recorded a game-high 11 tackles.

Ohio State recorded five sacks as well, led by Chase Young who had himself a game for the Buckeyes. Young recorded a career high four sacks, which also tied the school record. The defensive end also added six tackles, five for loss and two forced fumbles, both of which came on sacks.

Young also became the only the second player in Ohio State history, to record double-digit sacks in back-to-back seasons. The first to do so was Mike Vrabel.

Offensively, the Buckeyes scored its first points of the game on a 49-yard field goal by Blake Haubeil with 6:52 remaining in the second half.

Just before the half, with 43 seconds left, Justin Fields connected with Chris Olave on a 27-yard touchdown pass.

Fields finished the game 12-22, for 167 yards and two passing touchdowns, both of which went to Olave, who recorded 93 receiving yards and a career-high seven receptions.

Fields also rushed 13 times for 28 yards and a touchdown.

As the second half opened, Wisconsin was able to pin Ohio State close to its goal line on its first drive of the third quarter and forced the Buckeyes to punt, which Wisconsin was able to block, when Alex Smith got a hand on the ball.

@B5QPhotos; Matt Fleming

Following the blocked punt, Wisconsin scored its only points of the game, with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Jack Coan to A.J. Taylor.

Wisconsin’s only scoring drive went for three plays and 30 yards, thanks to the prime field position gained from the blocked punt.

Coan finished 10-17, for 108 yards and one touchdown. Wisconsin’s leading receiver in the game was Quintez Cephus, who recorded three receptions for 57 yards. A.J. Taylor, who scored Wisconsin’s only touchdown of the game, had two receptions for 29 yards.

With Wisconsin back in the game, trailing 10-7, Ohio State went on an 8-play, 75-yard drive, and covering 2:34 of game clock, which was capped off by a Fields 10-yard touchdown rush.

Wisconsin’s top-ranked defense certainly had its hands full in the second half, as Field’s touchdown run started a 28-0 run to finish the game for the Buckeyes.

Of Ohio State’s six scoring drives, four of them lasted less than three minutes, clocking in at 1:54 (8-plays, 85 yards), 2:34 (8-plays, 75 yards), 1:47 (4-plays, 53 yards) and 2:20 (5-plays, 55 yards). While Ohio State’s other two scoring drives lasted longer than four minutes; 4:35 (12-plays, 41 yards) and 4:10 (8-plays, 45 yards).

Apart from Fields, the main catalyst for Ohio State’s offense, was running back J.K. Dobbins, who racked up 163 rush yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns. Dobbins also recorded 58 receiving yards.

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

While Wisconsin’s top-back, Jonathan Taylor finished with 52 yards on 20 carries, keeping Ohio State as the only B1G School, that Taylor has yet to rush for 100+ yards against. Overall, Wisconsin was held under 100 yards rushing as a team for the first time this season.

The longest rush by a Badger, was 27 yards, carried by Aron Cruickshank, who did-so in the wildcat formation for Wisconsin. Cruickshank finished with 28 yards on two carries.

Wisconsin, who was the last NCAA team to trail this season, has not led in a game since the closing seconds of its loss to Illinois.

Wisconsin will have a bye week next weekend and then will host the Iowa Hawkeyes (5-2, 2-2 B1G), Nov. 9.