Wisconsin Badgers @ UNLV Rebels Football Recap

Wisconsin 41, UNLV 21

For just over 30 minutes, the Wisconsin Badgers had to sweat in the Southwest. With a lot of corn-fed Midwestern linemen playing in late-summer desert heat, there was a chance that coach Bret Bielema’s club was going to get sucked into a 60-minute high-wire act, full-length drama no one in the Wisconsin camp was hoping for.

Fortunately, the UNLV Rebels accommodated them.

The Badgers – incredibly careless in the first 30 minutes – benefited from Vegas-style generosity, using two fumble recoveries early in the second half to pull away for a somewhat comfortable victory.

First, the buildup to the third quarter turning point: Wisconsin dominated the first half, outgaining the Rebels 279-12. Running backs John Clay and Montee Ball carried Wisconsin to victory.  Clay, the reigning Big Ten offensive MVP, rushed 17 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns.  Ball, a true sophomore, rushed 16 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns. UW quarterback Scott Tolzien completed 15 of 20 passes for 197 yards.

Clay’s first touchdown capped Wisconsin’s 14-play opening drive.  The Badgers marched 80 yards, consuming 7:37, and the stage was set for a steamrolling.

However, two key Wisconsin turnovers led to UNLV touchdowns to make the game close and keep it that way into the third quarter.  A 19-yard interception return by Vegas’ Will Chandler cut Wisconsin’s lead to 14-7 late in the first quarter, and an 82-yard fumble return by the home team set up a 16-yard touchdown pass from Mike Clausen to Phillip Payne to pull the Rebels to within three at the half, 17-14.

This game – despite its pronounced statistical disparity – seemed as though it was getting dicey for the visitors from the Big Ten. Playing multiple time zones from their home base in a late-night game, the Badgers could have let down their guard in much the same way that Cincinnati got smoked at Fresno State in the second half of play after owning a 14-0 lead early on. Would the same trajectory of competition affect the Cheeseheads in Sin City U.S.A.? It was possible.

For a brief while, that is. Then the two UNLV turnovers destroyed any hopes of an upset in this intersectional clash.

The Badgers struck first in the second half when UW’s Aaron Henry returned a Vegas fumble 20 yards for a touchdown.  After a Phillip Welch field goal, Clay and Ball scored touchdowns to give Wisconsin a 41-14 lead after three.

By winning, the Badgers spoiled the debut of new UNLV coach Bobby Hauck, the former Montana boss who – in his baptism by FBS fire – used both Mike Clausen and Omar Clayton at quarterback.  Neither was able to generate any scoring until Clayton’s fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Irshad Stolden.