No. 7 Huskers fall in OT to No. 11 Badgers, 23-17

MADISON, Wis. - Unlike its past two trips to Wisconsin, Nebraska played four quarters of football and was in position to win the game in the final minutes.

Just like the last two visits, however, the Huskers left Camp Randall Stadium in defeat, this time falling in overtime 23-17.

An impressive defensive performance helped give quarterback Tommy Armstrong and the offense enough time to get going in the fourth quarter, but it ended up being all Badgers in the extra period.

Backup running back Dare Ogunbowale, who rushed for a game-high 120 yards on the night, ran in for an 11-yard touchdown on the first possession of overtime, and then Nebraska was stopped on fourth down to seal the game.

The loss drops NU to 7-1 on the season and 4-1 in Big Ten Conference play, and it also gave the Badgers (6-3, 2-2) the all important head-to-head tiebreaker in the West Division standings.

Wisconsin got things started after a 24-yard punt return by Corey Clement started its second possession at its own 49 early in the first quarter.

Alex Hornibook connected with tight end Troy Fumagalli for a 30-yard pass on the first play, and then running back Bradrick Shaw scampered 21 yards up the middle for the game’s first touchdown with 9:38 left in the first.

Nebraska finally moved the ball into Badger territory three drives later, but ended up with nothing to show for it when Armstrong was picked off on a deep pass by Sojourn Shelton at the UW 9-yard line.

The Blackshirts were able to get the ball back after a quick three-and-out, and Armstrong made up for his mistake with a 36-yard connection with wide out Jordan Westerkamp down to the Badger 4. The catch was Westerkamp’s first since suffering a back injury against Illinois on Oct. 1, which forced him to miss the past two games.

Three plays later, running back Devine Ozigbo barreled his way into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown to tie the game up at 7-7 with 13:41 left in the second quarter.

Nebraska was on the move again on its next series after driving near midfield, but an Armstrong pass was tipped at the line and fell into the arms of D’Cota Dixon for the second interception of the night.

The defense would hold firm once again, but Wisconsin was able to reclaim the lead off the turnover with a 44-yard field by Andrew Endicott to make it 10-7 with 6:53 to go in the half.

That score would hold on into halftime, as Nebraska’s defense was able to overcome two turnovers holding Wisconsin to 132 total yards and just 2-of-8 on third downs. While the offense only managed one score in the first half, it was able to rack up 93 rushing yards.

As well as the Blackshirts held up in the first two quarters, Wisconsin got rolling to open the second half. The Badgers put together a 13-play, 73-yard drive that ate up 6:36 and was capped off by a nine-yard touchdown pass from Hornibrook to receiver Robert Wheelwright, pushing their lead to 17-7.

Trailing by 10 going into the fourth and final quarter, Nebraska desperately needed to come up with an answer. The Huskers got just that with a 14-play, 75-yard, six-minute drive that featured three third-down conversions of seven yards or longer.

Armstrong punctuated the drive with a two-yard keeper for a touchdown that got the Huskers back to within 17-14 with 13:45 left in the game.

The Huskers then came up with what seemed to be a game-changing play when senior safety Nate Gerry picked off Hornibrook and returned it to the UW 46. But the offense squandered the opportunity by not gaining a yard on three plays and being forced to punt.

Wisconsin wasted no time moving into NU territory, as Dare Ogunbowale ripped off a 39-yard run down to the Husker 47. But two plays later, Gerry came up huge once more by snagging his second interception of the night - this time off backup QB Bart Houston - at the Badger 30.

A 25-yard pass to Stanley Morgan got Nebraska down the to UW 21, and while the Huskers failed to reach the end zone, Drew Brown was able to tie it up at 17-17 on a 35-yard field goal with 3:43 remaining.

On Wisconsin’s very first play of the ensuing possession, though, Clement - who had been held to 14 carries for 27 yards up to that point - broke off a 41-yard run down the left sideline down to the Nebraska 34.

The defense was able to regroup and force a 45-yard field goal try by Endicott, and the senior ended up hooking it wide left to give the Huskers one more chance in regulation. Nebraska got the ball near midfield but the drive stalled, sending the game into overtime.

Ogunbowale’s touchdown would end up being the final word, as Armstrong’s fourth-down pass to Morgan in the end zone fell incomplete.

The Huskers will hit the road again next week to take on Ohio State in Columbus. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and will be televised on ABC.