Game Notebook: Wisconsin at USF

The No. 19 Wisconsin Badgers (1-0) opened their season with a 49-0 win over the USF Bulls (0-1). Here are the reactions from those involved.

Head coach Paul Chryst on the team’s performance, given the circumstances following the weather delay:

“We’re certainly proud of the way the guys played and handled the uniqueness of the night,” Chryst said. “It was good to get a lot of guys contributed a good start.”

”Certainly things to build off that were positives and enough to clean up ... I was proud of the way they handled everything tonight.”

Chryst, who does not normally give away praise, on Jonathan Taylor.

“You get him space and — here’s one for you — he’s pretty good,” Chryst said.

Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Junior running back Jonathan Taylor on his performance in the passing game against USF.

“You work all offseason like I did, and to have that receiving touchdown come to life, I’m really excited about that,” Taylor said. “It motivates you to see that hard work pay off.”

Coming into the 2019 season, Taylor had scored 29 touchdowns, none of which came off of a reception.

Senior Zack Baun, on the defense.

“We wanted to make a statement, not only to other teams around the country, but to our team as well that we can do this, we’re a good defense, we’ve got the right players,” Baun said. “We just needed to execute.”

Wisconsin executed very well on the night, limiting USF to 157 total yards (49 of which were gained on their final drive). Wisconsin also forced either punts, three turnovers (1 fumble, 2 interceptions) and sacked the Bull’s quarterback, four times (twice on the final drive).

Jack Coan on the final offensive play of the first half, where Coan found Taylor who stretched into the end zone for the score, putting Wisconsin up 28-0.

“The plan was to take a shot at the end zone and then hopefully get another kick at the can,” said Coan, who admitted that Chryst wasn’t pleased with his decision on the play. “But when you have the best player in America, just give him the ball and he’s going to make a play.”

USF head coach Charlie Strong on his team’s performance:

“A very disappointing, very embarrassing loss,” USF coach Charlie Strong said. “As a head coach, I thought I had them ready to play and I guess I didn’t. And we showed it.”

This was the first time since 2014, when USF lost 16-0 to UCF, that USF was held scoreless. Following a 2017 season (Strong’s first at USF), where USF finished 9-2 in the regular season and won the Birmingham Bowl 38-34 over Texas Tech, USF won their first seven games of 2018.

However, dating back to last season, USF has now lost six regular season games in a row, including their 49-0 loss to Wisconsin. USF also lost the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl, to end the 2018 season, 38-20 to Marshall.

Wisconsin hosts their home opener next Saturday, Sept. 7 when the Badgers welcome the Central Michigan Chippewas to Camp Randall Stadium.