Illinois Fighting Illini vs Wisconsin Badgers Match Player Stats On Oct 11, 2014

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 11, 2014

Wisconsin 38, Illinois 28: Melvin Gordon rushed for 175 yards and four touchdowns as the Badgers fought off a late rally to defeat the visiting Fighting Illini.

Gordon became just the eighth player in Wisconsin history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons and led a Badgers rushing attack that rolled up 401 yards. Backup Corey Clement ran for 164 yards on just 13 carries and stunned the Illinois defense with 72-yard touchdown run that gave the Badgers (4-2, 1-1 Big Ten) a 38-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter.

Illinois (3-4, 0-3), playing without injured quarterback Wes Lunt, received a solid outing from backup Reilly O’Toole, who finished 12-of-19 for 96 yards and two touchdowns. But in the fourth quarter, O’Toole was replaced by Aaron Bailey, who engineered a pair of scoring drives that trimmed Wisconsin’s lead to 38-28.

Wisconsin easily marched 80 yards in just six plays and capped the drive with a 15-yard touchdown run by Gordon for an early 7-0 lead. After an 8-yard O’Toole touchdown pass to tight end Matt LaCosse, O’Toole hit wide receiver Geronimo Allison for a 5-yard touchdown and a 14-7 advantage.

The Badgers outscored the Illini 17-0 in the second quarter, capped by Rafael Gaglianone's 44-yard field goal with three seconds left, to take a 24-14 edge into intermission. With 2:03 remaining in the contest, Bailey was intercepted at the Wisconsin 2-yard line by cornerback Peniel Jean, halting Illinois’ comeback.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Gordon had five carries for 42 yards and a touchdown on the Badgers’ opening drive. … Illinois’ Justin DuVernois uncorked a 72-yard punt in the first quarter that pinned Wisconsin at its 1-yard line. … Despite playing just one quarter, Bailey ended up being Illinois’ leading rusher with 75 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.