Sunday, December 2, 2012

Wisconsin wallop Nebraska in 2012 Big "Ten" Championship Game

Not many people picked the Wisconsin Badgers to win their second consecutive Big "Ten" Championship Game thanks to their 7-5 record including a 4-4 conference record but the Badgers avenged their loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers from earlier this season in a big way to win their second consecutive Big "Ten" Championship Game 70-31 in front of 41,260 fans.  Surprisingly, Wisconsin only tied the record for the most points scored in a championship game because Texas also scored 70 points in the 2005 Big 12 Championship Game.

Here is a quick look at the first half scoring plays in the 2012 Big "Ten" Championship Game:

- Melvin Gordon's 56-yard touchdown run gave the Badgers a 7-0 lead

- Marcus Cromartie's 29-yard pick-six gave the Badgers a 14-0 lead

- Taylor Martinez's 76-yard touchdown that Gus Johnson called "legendary" cut the Badgers' lead to 14-7

- Brett Maher's 32-yard field goal cut the Badgers' lead to 14-10

- James White's 9-yard touchdown run gave the Badgers a 21-10 lead

- White's 1-yard touchdown run out the "Barge" formation gave the Badgers a 28-10 lead

- Montee Ball's 16-yard "Superman" touchdown run out of the "Barge" formation gave the Badgers a 35-10 lead

- Sam Arrneson caught a 3-yard pass from James White out of the "Barge" formation to give the Badgers a 42-10 lead

Wisconsin dominated every facet of the first half.  Wisconsin out rushed (290 yards to 128 yards), out gained (391 yards to 223 yards), were more efficient on 3rd down (3 of 5 to 1 of 5), and took care of the ball (0 turnovers to 2 turnovers) better than Nebraska.

Despite leading 42-10 at halftime, Wisconsin did not take their foot off the gas, here is a quick look at the second half scoring plays in the 2012 Big "Ten" Championship Game:

- Following a horrible interception by Martinez, Ball's 9-yard touchdown run gave the Badgers a 49-10 lead

- Martinez's 11-yard touchdown run cut the Badgers' lead to 49-17

- Ball prolonged a 57-yard touchdown run with a spin move and punctuated the touchdown run with a stiff arm 10 yards short of the end zone to give the Badgers a 56-17 lead

- White did his best Ball impression ripping off a 68-yard touchdown run to give the Badgers a 63-17 lead

- Braylon Heard's 9-yard touchdown run cut the Badgers' lead to 63-24

- White's 10-yard touchdown run gave the Badgers a 70-24 lead

- Imani Cross's 26-yard touchdown run cut the Badgers' lead to 70-31

After losing 70-31, Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini claimed that they practiced "99 percent" of what Wisconsin used on offense.  That is a borderline fire-able quote if I was the Nebraska athletic director.

The Badgers had two 200-yard rushers: Melvin Gordon (9 rushes for 216 yards and one touchdown) and Montee Ball (21 rushes for 202 yards and three touchdowns) for the first time in school history.  James White ran for four touchdowns but only had 108 yards rushing on 15 attempts so he was only the third best running back on the field in the 2012 Big "Ten" Championship Game.  All told Wisconsin ran for 539 yards in the 2012 Big "Ten" Championship Game, which is the fourth-highest rushing total in school history.

The Badgers are starting to feel comfortable playing in Indianapolis after winning their second ever and consecutive Big "Ten" Championship Game so they are the only Big "Ten" team to win a football game at Lucas Oil Stadium.  Wisconsin continues to dominate the state of Indiana winning their third game in the state in 2012 while outscoring their opponents (Indiana, Nebraska, and Purdue) 170-59 and their 10th straight win in a game played in Indiana.

Wisconsin will plain in their third consecutive Rose Bowl on January 1, 2013.  Hopefully third times a charm because Wisconsin lost their last two appearances in the "Granddaddy of Them All".

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