Wisconsin Badgers 24, Iowa Hawkeyes 22: There Goes the West

Just a friendly reminder, I write all of this in real time and I don’t edit before posting because editing is for Monday’s and there’s beers to drink. Basically, I want you to read this as a running diary of the game. All (over) reactions must be accepted and forgiven as I am just an optimistic fan boy that gets to write for a blog. Thank you.

PREGAME

WHY DOES PENN STATE LOVE SCREWING US OVER SO, SO MUCH? WHY? WHYYYYYY?!

This is your time Nate. This is your state. You have to make it happen today baby.

First Half

Wisconsin opens the game with the ball and Iowa is in a 4-4-3 defense early. After an early false starter by the Badgers and a first down a few plays later, Wisconsin gets hit with a late flag for an illegal formation that sets them behind the chains and eventually punt. I’m here for Wisconsin to crush their own drives all game long.

On the first play from scrimmage Brian rolls Stanley out right on play action and he finds my favorite tight end in the history of Iowa tight ends (only half kidding), Sam LaPorta for an early first down. A few plays later, facing 3rd-and-3, Stanley in the shotgun gets sacked after Mark Kallenberger whiffs on a little stunt action from the Badgers. That’s the rub. Every time Iowa gets stuck on third down, Wisconsin is going to send the house at the interior of the offensive line and we all know how well that’s going to work out. Stanley can’t do anything when guys go untouched in front of him.

With Wisconsin facing third down and long, AJE turns on the bullrush and gets to Jack Coan’s arm and swipes the ball loose. Iowa ball! Iowa ball! Iowa ball!!!!!

HAVE TO GET 7 HERE.

And they don’t. Settling for 3. That’s going to hurt us in the end. I just know it.

3-0, FIGURE IT OUT!

Wisconsin has Jonathan Taylor off and running now. Three first downs all by himself and counting. In almost a blink of an eye (even though it’s taking a ton of time off the clock) the Badgers get down to Iowa’s 16-yard line before facing a 3rd-and-8. Iowa holds them a few yards short, but of course, Wisconsin feels confident running the ball for 2-yards and brings in their Dumbo Drop set before calling a timeout. Can this possibly be the play of the game already?

Wisconsin goes... WILDCAT and false starts! HOW? WHY? OVER THINK MUCH? AND THEN THEY MISS THE FIELD GOAL! I LOVE FOOTBALLLLLL!

Iowa rips a page right out of Wisconsin’s playbook and gets Toren Young rolling and rolling and rolling some more. The offensive line is creating amazing holes, Brady Ross is annihilating dudes, and Young is hitting the hole and gobbling up yards.

And then Nate Stanley fumbles on the snap. Wisconsin recovers. I hate football.

Jack Coan throws one pass down field and Michael Ojemudia gets called for pass interference. Wisconsin hits the redzone. Two plays later Wisconsin runs a sweep for a touchdown after setting it up with a sweep counter, sweep counter QB keeper and thenf inally the sweep. UNREAL. YOU CAN’T SETTLE FOR FIELD GOALS!

7-3, FIGURE IT OUT AGAIN!

After a late hit on ISM to move the chains, BF checks Tyler Goodson in who goes for 21-yards on a delayed hand off. Iowa, once again, in Wisconsin territory, can they do anything with it (outside of a field goal that is)?

NOPE.

7-6, at least we have Dunc.

Iowa is leaking TOP and rushing yards as Wisconsin marches down into the redzone yet again (and Taylor has over 100-yards already in the first half). Wisconsin shows their cards over and over and over again and Iowa can’t do anything about it. Walking away with only a field goal here is crucial if the Hawkeyes hope to stay in this game.

And Jack Coan throws a touchdown pass on play action. 13-plays, 76 yards and somewhere between 5 and 37 minutes off the clock. How anyone can watch this Badgers team and not get frustrated that Iowa cannot do the same things as well as they do is beyond me. They are so creative in doing the simplest things. UGH!

14-6, everybody hurts. I’m going to go finish last nights Smack Down.

Second Half

Iowa gets bailed out with a pass interference call that eliminates the potential at a three-and-out to start a half. On the next series, facing a 3rd-and-5, Brian Ferentz dials up a Nate Stanley keeper that goes nowhere. How is that the best play you can draw up? I know it’s a read play and Nate should’ve given it to Tyler Goodson who probably goes for 30-yards, but the fact that you called something that puts Nate in that position is just so, so silly to me.

IDK.

Punt.

I’ll just update this as Wisconsin scores. I’m so broken.

Wisconsin punt.

Iowa punt.

Iowa hasn’t converted a third down in Madison since 2015... so there’s that.

Wisconsin punt.

Iowa punt.

Wisconsin deep ball for 52-yards. Ball game. No seriously. That’s it. I’ll update the score for you all but this shits over now.

Precisely. 21-6. What’s worse than a pedestrian offense? Homeless?

Stanley is trying to breath some life back into me. He’s currently 5-for-5 on the ensuing drive and Iowa has the ball on the three yard line. I might vomit soon. First down, incomplete on an endzone pass to Beyer. Second down stuffed. Third down, Stanley rifles a bullet to Sam LaPorta for the TUDDY!

The ol’ reverse jinx worked like a charm. LET’S GOOOOOOO!

21-13, heaven is a place on earth!

After a Jonathan Taylor 18-yard gainer, Jack Coan throws a pick to Matt Hankins on one of his wimpy ass out routes... Not going to say that I was the reason it happened but...

Iowa ball on the Wisconsin 49-yard line. On 3rd-and-long Nate Stanley finds Nico Ragaini for what looks like a first down, but the officials give us a shit spot making it 4th and inches. Brady sneak with a big time push from Mekhi Sargent moves the chains. PHEWWWWW! A few plays later, Iowa faces a 3rd-and-7 (our kryptonite) and its incomplete and nearly picked off.

Dunc is good.

21-16, Vegas is so good at this.

Wisconsin goes down the field and Iowa holds like they always hold and only give up the field goal.

24-16.

On the first play of the drive for Iowa with the chips stacked against them Brian Ferentz puts his you know what on the table:

OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!

Iowa going for two... and they dial up another Nate keeper????????? He got absolutely smoked but what the hell was that?! Can we have anything nice? EVER? I mean I get why they did it, Nate’s huge and nobody is expecting it, but why not Toren? He’s been busting big runs all day.

24-22, three minutes left and two timeouts for the Hawkeyes.

Taylor runs off 7-yards on first down. Kirk calls a timeout. That’s not many yards to protect. Not great. Not great at all.

First down.

And on the next play Taylor breaks off 42-yards. Ball Game.

I... I just don’t know. Good fight. Bad execution again all over the field. Settling for early crushed Iowa. Wisconsin is still the class of this division.