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The No. 14 Wisconsin Badgers (8-2, 5-2 B1G) defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-6, 2-5 B1G), 37-21 behind a historic day from Jonathan Taylor, who became the all-time leader in NCAA football for rushing through a junior season.
Early on the Badgers and Cornhuskers played a back-and-forth game with the Cornhuskers striking first, following a Wisconsin misstep.
A Taylor fumble, which came off of a one-handed catch, led to a 6-play, 63-yard scoring drive for Nebraska, which was capped off by a direct snap to Dedrick Mills who took it in from 12 yards out.
However, Nebraska did not have the lead for long, as Aron Cruickshank returned the ensuing kickoff 89-yards to even up the score.
Aron Cruickshank flipped on the afterburners on this kickoff return!
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) November 16, 2019
We're all tied up in Nebraska#OnWisconsin || #Badgers pic.twitter.com/YT4ySiHz1m
Adrian Martinez regained the lead for Nebraska, following a Collin Larsh 31-yard field goal. Martinez took a quarterback keeper in from two yards out, to cap off a 5 play, 73 yards drive.
Wisconsin then went on a 24-0 run.
Jack Coan hit A.J. Taylor in stride and Taylor did the rest, going 55 yards for the score, his second of the season.
Wisconsin’s defense then gave the offense a short field, as Chris Orr broke up the Martinez pass and the ball found its way into Jack Sanborn’s hands. Sanborn then returned the interception to the Nebraska 21.
Three plays later, Jonathan Taylor scored his sixteenth rushing touchdown of the season.
Right before halftime, Larsh kicked his second field goal of the day, this time from 24 yards.
Nebraska was driving down the field on its opening drive of the second half, when Zach Baun sacked Martinez for a 20-yard loss.
Z̶a̶c̶k̶ SACK Baun‼️#OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/N696rsv7LK
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) November 16, 2019
The sack was too much to overcome and Nebraska was unable to connect on a Ben Pickering 41-yard field goal.
On the ensuing drive, Taylor scored his second touchdown of the game and 21st overall, on an 11-yard rush.
Martinez and company ended Wisconsin’s 24-point swing late in the third quarter when Martinez found JD Spielman wide open in the end zone for a 23-yard score.
In the fourth quarter, Taylor passed Herschel Walker to become the NCAA all-time leading rusher through a junior season. Walker’s record of 5,596 was broken on a four-yard rush.
Taylor now has 5,634 career rushing yards.
Later in the drive, Larsh added his third field goal of the game, this one coming from 30 yards out.
Wisconsin stopped Nebraska on fourth-and-goal with a 2:11 remaining, ending a 12-play, 74 yard drive and the Cornhuskers hopes of winning.
Wisconsin improved to an 8-1 record against Nebraska since the Cornhuskers joined the B1G and 6-0 in games where the Freedom Trophy is up for grabs.