Wisconsin Badgers beat Western Michigan 28-14 in season opener

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Chez Mellusi runs the ball against the Western Michigan Broncos on Aug. 30. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin's only punt of the night resulted in arguably the biggest play of the game.

The Badgers were trailing early in the fourth quarter when a punt from Atticus Bertrams bounced sideways and hit Western Michigan’s DaShon Bussell, who was trying to get away from it. Wisconsin's Austin Brown pounced on the loose ball at Western Michigan's 20-yard line.

That turnover resulted in a Tawee Walker 6-yard touchdown run that put Wisconsin ahead for good with 10:35 remaining in the Badgers' 28-14 season-opening victory Friday night.

"That completely flipped the field, took all the momentum out of their sails and put it into ours," Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler said. "We were able to capitalize and finish the game out."

Walker, an Oklahoma transfer, rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Chez Mellusi led Wisconsin's rushing attack with 74 yards and a touchdown on 19 attempts.

Western Michigan's Jalen Buckley rushed for 64 yards and had two 1-yard touchdown runs.

Wisconsin, which entered as a 24 1/2-point favorite, had a tougher time than expected before winning for the 28th time in its last 29 home openers. The exception was a 16-10 loss to Penn State in 2021.

"It was a challenge," Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said. "I think more than anything you’ve got to find ways to win. That’s what we did tonight."

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On his go-ahead touchdown, Walker bounced off cornerback Aaron Wofford inside the 5 and bulled his way into the end zone. Tyler Van Dyke’s two-point conversion pass to Trech Kekahuna made it 21-14 with 10:35 left.

Wisconsin's Aaron Witt and Nyzier Fourqurean stopped Buckley on fourth-and-1 from midfield to end Western Michigan's next possession. Van Dyke then scored from 6 yards out to make it 28-14 with 3:17 left.

Xavier Lucas picked off a Hayden Wolff pas with less than two minutes remaining to seal the victory.

"It was a challenge," Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said. "I think more than anything you’ve got to find ways to win, that’s what we did tonight."

Van Dyke, a Miami transfer, completed 21 of 36 passes for 192 yards and had eight carries for 21 yards in his Wisconsin debut. He also lost a fumble.

Western Michigan had capitalized on that fumble — and a gutsy fake field-goal attempt -- to take a 14-13 lead with 14:15 left in the game.

The Broncos were facing fourth-and-6 from Wisconsin’s 30 when they lined up for a 47-yard field-goal attempt. Western Michigan kicker Palmer Domschke already had missed a 48-yarder earlier in the third quarter.

Domschke never attempted a kick this time.

Holder Ryan Millmore flipped the ball back over his right shoulder to Domschke, who raced 26 yards down the right sideline before Wisconsin’s Preston Zachman pushed him out of bounds.

"It was something that we had prepared for in practice," Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor said. "I told our guys we were going to call it in a big moment and they were prepared to go execute it."

The fake gave Western Michigan first-and-goal at the 4 to start the fourth quarter and led to Buckley’s 1-yard touchdown run around the left end.

Western Michigan followed up that touchdown by forcing Wisconsin to punt for the first time all night. That’s when the Broncos committed the turnover that turned the game around.

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The takeaway

Western Michigan: The Broncos showed they've come a long way since going 4-8 last year in Taylor's debut season. They went toe-to-toe with a Big Ten team despite playing without injured top receiver Kenny Womack and linebacker Jacob Wahlberg, who was ejected for targeting in the first half.

Wisconsin: The Badgers had two 16-play drives and a pair of 14-play drives, which shows how they were able to move the ball methodically all night. But they need to create more explosive plays. Their longest gain from scrimmage was only 17 yards.

Up next

Western Michigan: At No. 2 Ohio State on Sept. 7.

Wisconsin: Hosts South Dakota on Sept. 7.