Upon Further Review: Unsung heroes spark Badgers to much-needed win over Gophers

In 2020, in a matchup that was originally canceled, perhaps it was wholly appropriate that a backup former walk-on running back and a third-string quarterback helped Wisconsin break a three-game losing streak and beat rival Minnesota.

Retaining Paul Bunyan’s Axe was no easy task, however. The Badgers needed overtime to beat the Gophers 20-17, in a game that featured several twists and turns.

Wisconsin had several players out due to injury or COVID-19, including running backs Jalen Berger and Nakia Watson, wide receivers Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor and left tackle Cole Van Lanen. Later in the game starting quarterback Graham Mertz was lost after being hit in the head.

Add to this the Badgers’ offense hadn’t exactly been steamrolling opponents, having scored in single digits in three straight games. So when Wisconsin fell behind 10-7 early in the third quarter, thinking it would be hard for the Badgers to emerge victorious wasn’t necessarily out of the realm.

But Chase Wolf, who normally is the third-string QB when Jack Coan is healthy (Coan was dressed for the second straight week but did not play) and who had attempted all of one pass in his career, replaced Mertz on a third-and-goal from the Minnesota 4-yard line and put the Badgers up 14-10 with a scoring toss to Jack Dunn.

Wolf completed a few more passes but really the story of this game was the running of Garrett Groshek. The senior, normally a third-down change of pace back and receiving option out of the backfield, became a workhorse and he was more than up to the task.

He rushed for 154 yards and, after Minnesota’s kicker missed a 36-yard field-goal attempt in overtime, hammered the ball to the 12 to set up another unlikely hero, kicker Collin Larsh, who drilled a 30-yarder to give Wisconsin the win and the Axe. Larsh had missed a field-goal try from 46 earlier in the game and his longest field goal in 2020 coming into the game was from 29 yards.

The defense did its part, too. Coming up with a big turnover when it was needed and holding Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim – who had 15 rushing touchdowns in six games – out of the end zone.

With it ended a three-game losing streak and one of the worst stretches of football in the Barry Alvarez era.

While it’s been a crazy 2020 season for so many reasons, beating Minnesota was, as safety Eric Burrell put it, “the cherry on top.”

Game story

Here’s a recap of Saturday’s game:

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Groshek entered the game with 30 carries this season for 105 yards, a 3.5 average. Minnesota had struggled against the run all season and Wisconsin needed someone to step up, especially with Berger and Watson out. Groshek not only accepted the role but also he thrived in it. He rushed it 24 times for 154 yards (both easily career highs) – the first 100-yard rusher for Wisconsin this season and the most for any Badgers back since Jonathan Taylor on Nov. 23, 2019 – and busted through the line in the second quarter for a 39-yard score, the longest run of his career. He had three other runs of 10+ yards. In the overtime, no other Wisconsin player touched the ball as he got five straight carries. That’s how much he meant to this team in this game.

DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME

Inside linebacker Leo Chenal was, simply put, a game wrecker. He had 13 tackles – 10 solo – a pair of sacks, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and five tackles for loss. The latter was the most for the Badgers since Garret Dooley had five against Northwestern on Sept. 30, 2017, and he had just one TFL entering this contest. He saved the best for last.

THAT MOMENT

As always, there were several key plays. Wolf coming in cold off the bench and on third-and-goal finding Dunn for a go-ahead touchdown. Minnesota kicker Anders Gelecinskyj missing a 36-yard field-goal attempt in overtime (and Noah Burks’ pass breakup on the previous play). But in the second quarter, right after a holding call nullified a Gophers’ touchdown run, Burrell made a great interception in the end zone. Not deked by a play-fake, which happened often to Wisconsin in this game, and reading quarterback Tanner Morgan’s eyes, Burrell stayed with his coverage and made the end-zone pick. The Badgers didn’t get any points out of it but the Gophers getting none out of a red-zone trip was huge. Obviously, if Minnesota scored – even a field goal – the tenor of this game obviously would have changed.

THIS NUMBER

That this game went into overtime is not surprising when you look at the final statistics. It’s hard to imagine there’s been a game so evenly played in recent memory. Minnesota ran 62 plays for 362 yards. Wisconsin had 61 for 322. Each team had 18 first downs. The Gophers were 4-of-11 on third-down conversions, the Badgers 4-of-12. Each team averaged 5.3 yards per play and had a turnover. Time of possession was nearly split down the middle, with Wisconsin holding a slight 30:28-29:32 edge. Yes, OT was wholly appropriate.

THEY SAID IT

“This game means something. You certainly saw that and felt that at the end.” — head coach Paul Chryst

“I thought it was a tremendous performance. I thought the way he finished runs and … they got off to a good start, had the big touchdown run. But I was just impressed with the way he just kept driving the pile and I thought he was a guy that played with a decided heart and put it all out there. It shows you that he cares about this team and was going to do anything he could to help this team.” — Chryst on Groshek

“Loved the opportunity to close the game out. And not just me. … Everybody was looking forward to getting back to Wisconsin football and running the ball. Just wanted the opportunity to close the game out.” — Groshek

“Honestly, I kind of enjoy that ice. Just because it gives you more time out there, you get a better sense for the wind. On the sideline you can’t get a real sense for how it is out on the field. Camp Randall is a field where it swirls so much, you can’t tell until you’re on the field. So, honestly, the more time I had out there the better.” — Larsh on Minnesota calling a timeout in overtime to try and ice him

“Beating Minnesota is always fun.” – Chenal

“Absolutely. We missed three games. We have to make that up.” — Burrell on if he’d want to play in a bowl game if the opportunity arises

WHAT’S NEXT

Wisconsin evened its record to 3-3 and put itself in position to make a bowl game – which it certainly seems like the team wouldn’t turn down. The Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Duke’s Mayo Bowl and Music City Bowl all seem like possibilities.