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BLOOMINGTON – The thought crossed Ben Chappell’s mind shortly after a fourth-down touchdown by Trea Burgess.
“I think we’ve got a chance,” the Indiana quarterback said.
The Burgess touchdown, from 2 yards out, pulled IU within three points of No. 24 Wisconsin with 4:17 to go. But the Badgers converted on a crucial third-and-8 play on the next series and ran out the clock for a 31-28 victory in front of 36,611 fans Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
“It’s like a few of the other games we’ve had,” Indiana coach Bill Lynch said. “It’s a stop here or a conversion there, and (Wisconsin) made them.”
For the third straight week, the Hoosiers couldn’t pull out a win. The previous two, at Northwestern and Iowa, featured second-half meltdowns. Saturday, the Hoosiers’ comeback fell short.
It’s the third time this year IU (4-6, 1-5 Big Ten) has lost a conference game by three points or fewer. The Hoosiers must win their final two games – at No. 11 Penn State and home against rival Purdue – to become bowl eligible.
The Hoosiers have lost six of seven.
“It was just frustrating overall not being able to pull it out,” said wide receiver Terrance Turner, who had six catches for 68 yards and one touchdown. “We are good on all three phases of the game, but it’s frustrating not being able to pull it out. We just have to make the plays when they come regardless of what side of the ball.”
IU couldn’t stop Wisconsin’s running game. John Clay rushed for 134 yards and one touchdown but did not play in the second half after suffering a “slight concussion,” Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. Montee Ball took over, rushing for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
“They do a great job recruiting (the running backs). When it’s their turn, they all step up and play well,” Lynch said. “You really have to tackle them. You can get a first hit on them, but three yards later it’s a first down.”
Wisconsin (7-2, 4-2) had 294 rushing yards to IU’s 63, led by Bryan Payton’s 48. The Hoosiers’ running game took a hit when running back Darius Willis left after getting tackled on the second play of the second half with a “lower leg” injury. He did not return.
Although IU struggled to establish the run, it found success with the passing game. Chappell completed 25 of 35 passes for 323 yards and three touchdowns. He was also intercepted twice, including once at Wisconsin’s 16 at the start of the third quarter. Chappell is the third quarterback in school history with three 300-yard games in one season.
Tandon Doss caught six passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Turner’s 6-yard touchdown reception, the first of his career, cut Wisconsin’s lead to 24-21 with 12 minutes left in the game.
Wisconsin answered with a 3-yard rushing touchdown by Ball to extend its lead to 31-21 with 8:18 left.
Payton helped IU get in position for its next score, picking up two first downs. IU reached Wisconsin’s 2 but faced fourth down. Lynch didn’t hesitate, resulting in the Burgess touchdown.
“We came to win the game,” Lynch said of his decision to go for it. “There are a lot of things we did throughout the course of a game, some of them work. Some of them don’t.”
IU forced Wisconsin into a third-and-8 on the ensuring drive. With 2:35 left, quarterback Scott Tolzien completed a 19-yard pass to Nick Toon. Tolzien finished 11 of 20 for 194 yards.
“We could have sat in some soft zone, but we went and put pressure on them. They picked up the pressure and beat us on a one-on-one route,” Lynch said. “You have two choices, sit back, wish and hope or you can get after them. They made the play.”
The first down essentially wrapped up the game.
“We just need to do a little bit more,” IU safety Austin Thomas said. “We’re so close, we just need something to get us over that hump, whether it’s extra film, extra time in the weight room. We have to do something.”
