Quarterback Graham Mertz ran for two touchdowns and host Wisconsin capitalized on a late turnover to hold off Army 20-14 in a nonconference game Saturday night.
Army, which trailed 13-0 at the half, pulled within 13-7 on a 5-yard run by quarterback Tyhier Taylor with 11:22 remaining.
The Black Knights got the ball back with 4:38 left and picked up one first down. Jabari Laws fumbled when sacked by linebacker Leo Chanel and Keeanu Benton recovered for Wisconsin on the Army 1-yard line. Mertz plunged over on the next play to put the Badgers up 20-7.
Army responded with a 77-yard drive, keyed by Laws’ 36-yard pass to A.J. Howard, who scored on a 6-yard run on the next play to make it 20-14 with 38 seconds left. Wisconsin then recovered the onside kick.
Freshman Braelon Allen rushed 16 times for 108 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown burst for Wisconsin. Mertz completed 8 of 15 passes for 112 yards.
Wisconsin (3-3), whose losses were to ranked teams Penn State, Notre Dame and Michigan, won consecutive games for the first time this season. Army (4-2), which won its first four games, lost its second straight without injured quarterback Christian Anderson. It was the first meeting between the two programs.
Army, which entered second in the nation in rushing at 318.2 yards per game, ran for 131 of its 179 yards in the second half against Wisconsin’s top-ranked run defense, which had allowed 41.4 yards per game.
Army pulled within 13-7 early in the fourth quarter with a 54-yard drive, keyed by Tyler’s 36-yard run for a first-and-goal at the nine. Three plays later, he scored from 5 yards out.
Allen put Wisconsin up 7-0 just over two minutes into the second quarter, bouncing outside and skirting the left end for a 33-yard touchdown.
Wisconsin marched 81 yards in 10 plays its next possession, keeping the drive alive with a fake punt. Mertz scored on a 5-yard bootleg around left end, but the extra point was blocked.
The Black Knights missed a scoring opportunity in the third quarter when Cole Talley’s 43-yard field goal attempt was wide right.
Wisconsin finished with 310 yards total offense, but just 80 in the second half.
–Field Level Media