BIG TEN Backups led Badgers to victory over OSU

Quarterback Matt Schabert and tailback Booker Stanley did most of the damage.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
MADISON, Wis. -- The Ohio State Buckeyes finally found a bullet they couldn't dodge. More specifically, two bullets.
Saturday night, the No. 23 Wisconsin Badgers (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) handed the Buckeyes (6-1, 1-1) their first loss in 21 months. Two backup players were instrumental in the 17-10 win, the Badgers' first against a Top 5 team since 1985 as they snapped Ohio State's 19-game winning streak.
In the second quarter, the Badgers started giving the ball to freshman tailback Booker Stanley. By game's end, Stanley had racked up 125 yards on 31 carries, including a 2-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter to put Wisconsin ahead 7-0.
In the third quarter, Badgers quarterback Jim Sorgi was knocked out of the game with a neck injury. In came Matt Schabert, who completed 2-of-3 passes, including a 79-yard bomb to wide receiver Lee Evans with 5:20 to play for Wisconsin's winning touchdown.
Tressel wasn't surprised
Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel, who endured just his sixth loss in three seasons at Ohio State, said he wasn't surprised the backups excelled.
"Those two positions in their system are well-schooled," said Tressel, whose team had rallied to tie the score at 10 about 50 seconds before Evans scored.
"Wisconsin does a great job running the football," said Tressel after the Badgers amassed 141 yards on 48 carries against the nation's top-ranked run defense (43.4 yards).
"We had turned the momentum of the game in the direction we wanted to go," said Tressel of the Buckeyes' fourth-quarter touchdown drive (75 yards on seven plays in 2:09). "But to Wisconsin's credit, Schabert made the big throw to Evans and then we didn't answer the next time we had the ball."
Failed on final chance
On the Buckeyes' final possession, quarterback Craig Krenzel's pass to Santonio Holmes gained 15 yards. Krenzel's 18-yard scramble put the Buckeyes at midfield.
But after a 7-yard throw to tight end Ben Hartsock, the Buckeyes were called for holding. Two incomplete passes forced a punt and the offense didn't regain possession.
The loss dropped Ohio State to No. 8 in the Associated Press poll. Wisconsin, which is tied with Michigan State for first place in the Big Ten, moved up to No. 14.
The Buckeyes' offense struggled for three quarters. Playing for the first time since injuring his elbow Sept. 13 in the triple overtime win over North Carolina State, Krenzel's first four completions were all to Hartsock.
In the fourth quarter, Krenzel knocked most of the rust off his game, finding his wide receivers to climb back into the game.
Trailing 10-3, Krenzel hooked up with Drew Carter for a 31-yard gain at midfield. But two plays later following a holding penalty, Krenzel's underthrown deep ball was picked off by Badgers' cornerback Jim Leonhard at the Wisconsin 23.
On the Buckeyes' touchdown drive, Krenzel completed two passes each to Michael Jenkins (including the 6-yard touchdown) and Carter (including a 46-yarder to the Wisconsin 6).
Running game struggles
As they have most of the season, the Buckeyes struggled to move the ball on the ground. The Badgers limited Ohio State to 69 yards on 26 carries, effectively containing tailbacks Lydell Ross (28 yards on seven carries) and Maurice Hall (17 yards on six carries), while Krenzel rushed for 19 yards on 11 runs.
Senior cornerback Chris Gamble fumbled a third-quarter punt by R.J. Morse at midfield and was burned on the Evans touchdown.
"We didn't do the things you need to do to win a big game on the road," Tressel said. "We always talk about the fact that [if] you're going to win on the road, you better be superior in the special teams, and we had a couple of errors there that were costly.
"And you have to do a good job running the football on the offensive side, and we did not get that done," Tressel said.
williams@vindy.com