UMass Minutemen vs Wisconsin Badgers Match Player Stats On Aug 31, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 31, 2013

No. 23 Wisconsin 45, Massachusetts 0: Melvin Gordon and James White were a dynamic duo on the ground in carrying the Badgers to their 16th straight season-opening victory in a non-conference game against the visiting Minutemen.

Gordon, a redshirt sophomore, broke off a 70-yard touchdown run in the first half, and the senior White had a 51-yard score in the second half for Wisconsin (1-0). Gordon finished with 144 yards on 13 carries and White 143 yards on 11 attempts. Both players had 100-plus yards in last year's Big Ten Championship against Nebraska, with Gordon rushing for 216.

The Wisconsin passing game, held to just 36 yards on 11 attempts in the first half, came alive after halftime. Quarterback Joel Stave hit redshirt senior and All-Big Ten wide receiver Jared Abbrederis for a 65-yard touchdown on the Badgers' first play of the half and for a 57-yard score later in the third quarter to make it 38-0.

Stave, a redshirt sophomore, finished 9-for-17 for 197 yards and one interception for Wisconsin, which is the lone team in the nation to win its conference title each of the last three seasons. Stave and freshman Corey Clement had touchdown runs of their own as the Badgers totaled 393 yards on the ground.

Massachusetts (0-1) was shut out in its season opener for the second straight season. Quarterback Mike Wegzyn was 9-for-23 for 73 yards, and running back Stacey Bedell rushed for 70 yards. The Minutemen gained 212 total yards, turned the ball over twice and committed seven penalties.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Massachusetts' Colter Johnson, the leading punter in the MAC last season, averaged just 31.3 yards on six kicks, including a 5-yard boot. ... Wisconsin's last loss to open a season came in a 34-0 defeat to Syracuse in 1997. ... Gordon's 70-yard run is the fourth longest rushing TD by a Wisconsin player in the last 10 seasons.