Wisconsin football: Badgers roll past Central Michigan in home opener

MADISON - The No. 17 Wisconsin Badgers (2-0) rolled to a 61-0 victory over the Central Michigan Chippewas (1-1), by following the same recipe as a week ago, when they cooked up a 49-0 victory.

Jonathan Taylor opened the scoring on the day, with a four yard rush, his third rushing touchdown on the season.

Wisconsin later recorded its first safety of the season, when John Chenel broke through on a CMU punt, forcing a fumble, which went out of the back of the end zone. Wisconsin tried to keep the ball in the end zone for a touchdown, but couldn’t.

Taylor then continued having himself a day, scoring from two yards out on the ground and then again from 17 yards out, on his third receiving touchdown of the season.

Taylor’s third score on Wisconsin’s fourth drive was setup following a Jack Sanborn interception, which he returned 39 yards deep into Chippewas territory. Wisconsin needed just four plays and 27 yards in 1:58 to go up 23-0.

Taylor later added another two-yard score in the third quarter, his third rushing touchdown on the day and fourth time in the end zone overall.

Taylor finished with 19 carries for 102 yards. This was Taylor’s 24th career 100-yard game in just his 29th career game.

However, Taylor’s day was outdone by quarterback Jack Coan, who in his first career start at Camp Randall Stadium finished the game 26-of-33 for 336 yards and three scores.

Wisconsin added scores from backup tailback Nakia Watson and wideout Quintez Cephus to end the first half, en route to a 44-0 lead.

Watson, who was ruled down on the 1-yard-line, but after a review, it was determined that he had in fact broken the goal line.

Coan then connected with Cephus on a 36-yard touchdown and then a 46-yard touchdown on the following drive. Cephus recorded his second career game of 100+ receiving yards and his second career game with two or more touchdowns. Cephus finished with six receptions for 130 yards.

Redshirt sophomore Collin Larsh who missed a 51-yard kick as time expired in the first half, later connected on his first career field goal, from 28 yards out in the third quarter.

Late in the third quarter, Wisconsin debuted its four-star recruit, Graham Mertz.

Mertz led Wisconsin on an eight play, 76 yard scoring drive, covering 8:10 of game time. The drive was capped off by a 2-yard Garrett Groshek touchdown dive. Mertz went 4-5 for 35 yards on his first career drive, which was his only of the game.

Wisconsin’s defense completed it’s second shut out in as many games and pushed it’s shut out streak to 11 quarters, dating back to last season’s New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

Wisconsin held the Chippewas to 56 total yards.

Full game report coming later.