Iowa routs Wisconsin; Locke, Williams connect for Badgers' only TD
Iowa defensive lineman Yahya Black sacks Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke on Saturday, Nov. 2. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Kaleb Johnson rushed for 135 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Brendan Sullivan rushed for a touchdown and threw for one as Iowa defeated Wisconsin 42-10 on Saturday night.
The Hawkeyes (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) rushed for 329 yards, with Johnson leading the way. Johnson, ranked second nationally in rushing yards and rushing yards per game, had his seventh game of 100 or more rushing yards.
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Johnson has 20 touchdowns this season, tying Shonn Greene for the program’s single-season scoring record.
Sullivan, making his first start for Iowa after taking over for injured starter Cade McNamara in last week’s 40-14 win over Northwestern, gave the Hawkeyes a 7-3 lead in the second quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run. Johnson added a 16-yard touchdown run four minutes later, and the Hawkeyes led 14-3 at halftime.
Iowa, which rushed for 152 yards in the first half, kept that momentum going in the second half. The Hawkeyes’ first possession was a 10-play, 86-yard drive that was all running plays, capped by Johnson’s 9-yard touchdown run.
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Nick Jackson’s interception on Wisconsin’s next possession set up Sullivan’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Gill for a 28-3 lead. Johnson then added a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Jaziun Patterson closed the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run.
Wisconsin (5-4, 3-3) opened the game with Nathanial Vakos’ 38-yard field goal. The Badgers wouldn’t score again until Braedyn Locke’s 14-yard touchdown pass to CJ Williams early in the fourth quarter.
Sullivan completed 7 of 10 passes for 93 yards, and rushed for 58 yards.
Locke was 15-of-29 passing for 137 yards.
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The takeaway
Wisconsin: The Badgers had no answer for the Hawkeyes on either side of the ball. Wisconsin opened the game with a 12-play, 59-yard drive that led to Vakos’ field goal, then had just 67 yards on its next six possessions..
Iowa: The Hawkeyes, who became bowl eligible, have shown some life after a 32-20 road loss to Michigan State on October 19. Iowa has won four of its last five games against the Badgers after an eight-game stretch in which Wisconsin won seven.
Up next
Wisconsin: Hosts Oregon on November 16.