Tuesday, November 25, 2003
No. 17 Iowa stopped the Badgers on fourth-and-goal from the 4.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MADISON, Wis. -- Free safety Sean Considine broke up John Stocco's pass in the end zone on the final play to preserve No. 17 Iowa's 27-21 victory over Wisconsin on Saturday.
Considine, whose interception of Matt Schabert's pass in the third quarter led to the Hawkeyes' go-ahead score, batted down Stocco's throw intended for Jonathan Orr on fourth-and-goal from the 4 with no time remaining.
The Hawkeyes (9-3, 5-3 Big Ten) scored the game's final 20 points.
The Badgers' (7-5, 4-4) starting quarterback Jim Sorgi was knocked out of the game with a head injury in the second quarter and Schabert threw three interceptions before being benched.
Jovon Johnson got the first interception off Schabert and the Hawkeyes converted it into a touchdown that made it 21-14 when Nathan Chandler, who was just 8-of-26 for 66 yards, found Ramon Ochoa from 6 yards out.
Nate Kaeding's 50-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining in the second quarter cut Wisconsin's lead to 21-17 at halftime.
Pulling ahead
In the third quarter, Considine intercepted Schabert's pass at the Wisconsin 25 and returned it to the 1. Fred Russell ran it in from there to put Iowa on top 24-21 with 2:11 to go in the third quarter.
Three plays later, Schabert again threw an ill-advised jumpball and this time safety Bob Sanders intercepted it.
That led to Kaeding's 28-yard field goal that followed Wisconsin's second timeout, a decision the Badgers would regret in the waning seconds when they ran out of timeouts.
Wisconsin got the ball at the Iowa 48 with 3:38 remaining and drove to the 10. Dwayne Smith rushed for 4 yards and Stocco gained another on a quarterback draw, bringing up third-and-goal from the 5.
After using the last timeout with 21 seconds to go, Johnson wrapped up Smith after a 1-yard reception.
The Badgers hustled back to the line and snapped the ball just as time expired, but Considine batted down Stocco's pass over the middle as his teammates stormed the field.
No. 16 Purdue 24, Indiana 16
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Kyle Orton threw two touchdown passes to John Standeford, then found him again late for a 56-yard pass play to seal Purdue's victory.
By winning the Old Oaken Bucket for the sixth time in seven years, the Boilermakers (9-3, 6-2) clinched a share of second in the Big Ten and solidified their hopes for a New Year's Day bowl game.
Indiana (2-10, 1-7) closed its season by losing eight of its last nine.
Standeford had six catches for 151 yards and moved within four of passing Illinois' David Williams for the Big Ten career record.
Indiana was buoyed by a huge day from BenJarvus Green-Ellis. He carried 35 times for 155 yards and one touchdown, caught four passes for 39 yards and ended Purdue's 15-game streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher.
Northwestern 37, Illinois 20
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Jason Wright ran for 251 yards and four touchdowns to lead Northwestern.
Noah Herron also carried for 163 yards as the Wildcats turned entirely to their running game in the second half. Quarterback Brett Basanez's only pass attempt after halftime was nullified by an Illinois penalty.
The win made Northwestern (6-6, 4-4 Big Ten) eligible for their first bowl game since 2000.
Illinois (1-11, 0-8) lost its 10th game in a row to end its worst season since going 0-11 in 1997, coach Ron Turner's first season.