Coming off back-to-back blowout Big Ten victories, Wisconsin became the fifth and final opponent to take the field at Martin Stadium during its inaugural season as Northwestern’s home turf.
As coach David Braun and his team sought their first time winning consecutive games this season, they fell short to the scorching Badgers (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten), who breezed by the Wildcats (3-4, 1-3 Big Ten) with a 23-3 win.
On the game’s opening snap, redshirt sophomore quarterback Jack Lausch rolled out to his right to find graduate student tight end Thomas Gordon for a 26-yard gain, but the drive subsequently stalled out.
A few drives later, Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke threw an interception to graduate student defensive back Coco Azema, marking his first interception in nearly a calendar year. NU failed to capitalize on the ensuing drive.
Redshirt junior punter Luke Akers, once again kicking for the ’Cats, had an opportunity to strike first but missed a long-range kick.
This gave the Badgers the opportunity to put points on the board first, and their 66-yard drive did just that with Locke scoring it himself on a scramble.
The ’Cats offense found some rhythm both on the ground and through the air, putting Akers in position for a 28-yard kick. The Badgers broke through the line to block the kick, leaving NU scoreless through the first 22 minutes of action.
Soon after, the ’Cats responded with a blocked kick of their own on a Wisconsin 41-yard attempt.
With 50 seconds remaining in the first half, Lausch dropped back on his own 8-yard line and was strip-sacked. The Badgers pounced on the jarred ball, and a play later, Wisconsin running back Cade Yacamelli found the endzone to put NU down 14-0 at halftime.
The ’Cats put points up on the board for the first time on the team’s opening drive of the second half, as Akers’ 26-yard field goal capped off a 13-play, 59-yard drive.
Later in the third quarter, Wisconsin marched down the field and scored its third touchdown of the day, making it a three-possession game. Lausch was then sacked in his own endzone for a Badger safety. From there, the visitors cruised to a 20-point victory.
Here are five takeaways from Saturday’s clash.
1. The ’Cats’ defense picks up where it left off
Against Maryland, the NU defense allowed just 10 points while forcing four takeaways. Defensive coordinator Tim McGarigle’s unit marked season-highs in pass deflections with 10 and nine tackles for loss.
The momentum from College Park carried over to Evanston, as Wisconsin’s first drive mustered just 21 yards, with Locke completing just 1-of-3 passes for nine yards.
On the next drive, the Badgers went just 14 yards before Azema dropped back in coverage and picked Locke off on third down.
The momentum continued to shift toward the ’Cats as Wisconsin — pinned on its own 7-yard line — went 3-and-out after redshirt junior linebacker Mac Uihlein’s first-down tackle for loss placed the visitors within their own 5-yard line and forced a punt.
2. NU’s offense sputters out of the gates
The ’Cats, like the Badgers, failed to find traction on the offensive side of the ball during the team’s opening drives.
Azema’s interception placed NU on the opposing 44-yard line, but with redshirt sophomore Joseph Himon II only earning two yards on the drive, the ’Cats failed to find their way into field goal range.
Setting up shop again in Wisconsin territory on the following drive, NU garnered just eight yards. Akers’ 52-yard kick fell short of the goalposts.
Through the opening four drives, Lausch completed just 2-of-8 passes for 28 yards, while the offense totaled just 56 yards and two touchdowns. The signal-caller ultimately ended the game 9-of-24 for 82 yards and a lost fumble.
3. Special teams make special plays
After last Friday’s defeat of Maryland, Braun applauded the ’Cats special teams unit for their integral role in the 37-10 win.
Eight days later, special teams dictated play for both teams. As Akers took the field for the first time, he pinned Wisconsin within their own 15-yard line. His next appearance didn’t go quite as swimmingly, as the punt was deflected and only went for 30 yards.
As NU punted for the third straight drive, Akers had his second punt inside the 20-yard line, placing the ball on the Badgers’ 7-yard line.
His first appearance as a kicker marked his first missed collegiate kick field goal, as his 52-yard attempt fell short of the uprights. Wisconsin blocked his next kick about 10 minutes later.
As the Badgers settled in ready for their first kick of the day in the second quarter, redshirt junior defensive lineman Jaiden Cameron broke through the offensive line to block the kick, preventing the Badgers from taking a two-score lead.
Wisconsin punter Atticus Bertrams totaled four punts for 192 yards, including pinning NU on its own 1-yard line, which led to his defense securing a crucial strip sack on Lausch in the first half’s final minute.
4. Henning, Mueller exit with injuries
In the first quarter, Lausch targeted graduate student wide receiver A.J. Henning along the left sideline. After finding his way back to the bench area under his own weight, he was carted to the locker room and ruled out of the remainder of the game with an upper-body injury.
Entering Saturday’s tilt, Henning totaled 34 receptions for 357 yards on the season. Both figures ranked top 15 in the Big Ten.
Late in the first quarter, graduate student linebacker Xander Mueller fell awkwardly while trying to pressure Locke. He limped off the field and did not return to the game.
One of the team’s four captains, Mueller leads the ’Cats in tackles with 41, which ranks tenth in the Big Ten. Without its star linebacker, NU allowed two touchdowns in the second quarter as the Badgers offense found its rhythm for the remainder of the game.
5. Walker gives the ’Cats’ run defense fits
NU’s defense has conceded the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game in Big Ten this season, having allowed just one opponent to rush for more than four yards per carry this season.
Until Wisconsin running back Tawee Walker ran rampant on the lakeside field in Evanston, the ’Cats had not allowed any player to rush for over 100 yards in a single game. Walker finished the game with 23 carries for 126 yards, averaging 5.5 yards per carry in NU’s first time allowing over 150 total rushing yards to an opponent this year.
He set up the Badgers’ first scoring drive with a 24-yard explosive carry down the middle — his longest run of the day.
NU now focuses its attention on Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, whose 937 rushing yards lead the Big Ten and rank second in the nation. The ’Cats take on the Hawkeyes next week in Iowa City.
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