Huskers Fall to Badgers

Indianapolis - Taylor Martinez produced his fifth 100-yard rushing effort of the year, including an electrifying 76-yard scramble for a touchdown in the first quarter, but Wisconsin controlled the action from start to finish in a 70-31 win over the No. 12 Huskers in the Big Ten Championship Game Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Nebraska slipped to 10-3 on the year after a 7-1 Big Ten regular-season effort that included a Big Ten Legends Division title. The loss also snapped NU's six-game winning streak. The Huskers will return to Lincoln to await the announcement of their bowl destination on Sunday. The Badgers improved to 8-5 on the year while punching their ticket to their third consecutive Rose Bowl appearance where they will face Pac-12 champion Stanford.

Wisconsin took control of the game on the opening drive, as Melvin Gordon exploded for a 56-yard touchdown run to jump to a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the action.

On Nebraska's first offensive play, the Badgers got the game's first break as Martinez's pass to the sideline went through wide receiver Kenny Bell's hands. The ball fell right into the hands of Wisconsin's Marc Cromartie, who sprinted 29 yards for a touchdown to put the Badgers up 14-0 with 12:53 left.

On NU's next drive Martinez made up for NU's miscue, racing 76 yards on 3rd-and-11 after retreating all the way to the NU 6 while eluding four Badgers in the backfield. Martinez made everybody miss and ended up in the end zone with 10:58 left in the first quarter, cutting Wisconsin's lead to 14-7.

The Blackshirts forced a three-and-out on the Badgers' next drive, and Martinez marched the Huskers 76 yards in 10 plays. The drive stalled in the Wisconsin red zone, but Brett Maher booted a 32-yard field goal to cut the Badger lead to 14-10 with 4:46 left in the first.

While it appeared the Huskers had quickly battled their way back into the game, Wisconsin outscored NU 28-0 in the next 16 minutes to take a 42-10 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Nebraska produced numerous second-half comebacks throughout the season, including a 17-point rally for a 30-27 win over Wisconsin in this year's Big Ten opener for both teams. But NU's hopes for the largest comeback in school history ended quickly in the second half, after the Huskers turned the ball over on their opening drive of the second half and Wisconsin capitalized immediately with a nine-yard touchdown run from Montee Ball to go up 49-10 less than a minute into the third quarter.

Ball finished the game with 202 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries, including a 57-yard touchdown run. Gordon's day was even more explosive for the Badgers, as he covered 216 yards with one score on just nine carries. Gordon covered 198 yards on his first five rushes of the game.

James White gave the Badgers a third 100-yard rusher with 109 yards and four touchdowns on just nine carries. White also threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Sam Arneson to end a spectacular first half for the Badgers that included trick play after trick play.

Wisconsin rushed for 539 yards among its 640 yards of total offense against a Nebraska defense that had been playing its best football of the season during November. The 539 rushing yards by the Badgers were the most ever allowed by a Husker defense, bettering the 506 yards by Oklahoma on Nov. 24, 1956. The 70 points allowed by the Huskers tied for the second most allowed by Nebraska in school history.

Badger quarterback Curt Phillips completed 6-of-8 passes for 71 yards. Jared Abbrederis added a 27-yard completion to Phillips in the first half, while White's touchdown pass to Arneson put Wisconsin's passing total for the game at 101 yards.

Nebraska amassed 477 yards of total offense against a stout Wisconsin defense, including 282 rushing yards and 195 passing yards. But big plays by the Badgers all night were too much for the Huskers to overcome.

Martinez finished with 140 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, while completing 18-of-33 passes for 184 yards. But he did throw two interceptions and lost one fumble on the night. It was Martinez's 13th 100-yard rushing game of his career.

Rex Burkhead added 61 yards on the ground on 11 carries, while also completing an 11-yard pass for the Huskers.

Scoring Summary
Final: Wisconsin 70, No. 12 Nebraska 31
Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, Ind.)

First Quarter (Wisconsin, 21-10)
WIS - 13:01 -  Melvin Gordon 56 run (Kyle French kick) - 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:59; WIS, 7-0
WIS - 12:53 - Marc Cromartie 29 INT (French kick); WIS, 14-0
NEB - 10:58 - Taylor Marintez 76 run (Brett Maher kick) - 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:55; WIS, 14-7
NEB - 4:46 - Maher 32 FG - 10 plays, 76 yards, 4:30; WIS, 14-10
WIS - 1:01 - James White 9 run (French kick) - 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:45 yards; WIS, 21-10 

Second Quarter (Wisconsin, 42-10)
WIS - 11:11 - White 1 run (French kick) - 6 plays, 67 yards, 3:07; WIS, 28-10
WIS - 7:15 - Montee Ball 16 run (French kick) - 6 plays,69 yards, 2:32; WIS, 35-10
WIS - 0:02 - Sam Arneson 3 pass from White (French kick) - 4 plays, 79 yards, 0:59; WIS, 42-10

Third Quarter (Wisconsin, 63-17)
WIS - 14:13 - Ball 9 run (French kick) - 1 play, 9 yards, 0:05; WIS, 49-10
NEB - 10:47 - Martinez 11 run (Maher kick) - 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:26; WIS, 49-17
WIS - 9:27 - Ball 57 run (Jack Russell kick) - 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:20; WIS, 56-17
WIS - 6:42 - White 68 run (Russell kick) - 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:55, WIS, 63-17

Fourth Quarter (Wisconsin, 70-31)
NEB - 12:14 - Braylon Heard 9 run (Maher kick) - 11 plays, 74 yards, 4:12; WIS, 63-24
WIS - 8:57 - White 10 run (Russell kick) - 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:17; WIS, 70-24
NEB - 0:51 - Imani Cross 26 run (Maher kick) - 9 plays, 72 yards, 3:58; WIS, 70-31

Final: Wisconsin 70, No. 12 Nebraska 31
Attendance: 41,260
Time of Game: 3:28
Game Start: 7:17 p.m. (central)