Wisconsin Badgers vs San Jose Stat Spartans Football Recap

Wisconsin 27, San Jose State 14

Are the Wisconsin Badgers just saving things for the bigger and more difficult games on their 2010 schedule, or are they rusty and sluggish in ways that should concern Badger fans everywhere? Saturday in Madison, the Big Ten team that’s flying under the radar left few conclusive hints as to the trajectory of its season.

While Ohio State and Iowa get top billing in the Big Ten, Wisconsin is quietly going about its business. The Badgers are the dark horse in the league this season, and while they’re off to a 2-0 start, they’re not laying the wood to opponents in ways that will capture a lot of national buzz. Wisconsin’s powerful offense was not dominant, but the Badgers were able to roll to a comfortable win over San Jose State at Camp Randall Stadium this past weekend.

John Clay ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns.  Scott Tolzien completed 15 of 22 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown.

Wisconsin’s offense was often sloppy, turning the ball over twice in addition to a fumbled snap on a fourth-down attempt inside the San Jose State five-yard line in the second quarter. Offensive coordinator Paul Chryst was not wanting to open up the playbook, but he and the rest of UW’s offensive braintrust, plus head coach Bret Bielema, couldn’t have been overly pleased with what they saw against a thin and overmatched Western Athletic Conference opponent.

There was a moment of great alarm which hushed the massive Camp Randall crowd after halftime. Wisconsin senior wide receiver David Gilreath was taken from the field in an ambulance after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit on a third-quarter punt return.  He was later diagnosed with a concussion. That event might have had something to do with Wisconsin’s inability to roll up massive numbers in the second half of play. The Badgers probably just wanted to get this game over with, and frankly, who could blame them for treating this game in such a manner?

Clay’s first touchdown was a one-yard run that gave the Badgers a 7-0 lead on their first possession.  Tolzien’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Lance Kendricks put Wisconsin ahead 14-0 early in the second quarter.

Philip Welch hit a 45-yard field goal at the end of the first half to give the Badgers a 17-0 halftime lead.

Welch’s field goal with 8:11 left in the third quarter put the Badgers ahead 20-0 before San Jose State’s first score, a 37-yard pass from Spartans quarterback Jordan La Secla to Chandler Jones late in the third. La Secla completed 20 of 26 passes, including two touchdowns.

La Secla later led the Spartans to another touchdown with 5:45 left in regulation time with a 12-yard TD pass to Noel Grigsby that made the score 27-14.