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Wisconsin Badgers' interim coach Jim Leonhard shakes the hand of defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (99) during an NCAA football game vs Northwestern on Saturday, October 8, 2022 in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: Tom Lynn
Wisconsin Badgers' interim coach Jim Leonhard gives a fist bump to running back Jackson Acker (34) during an NCAA football game vs Northwestern on Saturday, October 8, 2022 in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: Tom Lynn
Wisconsin Badgers' interim coach Jim Leonhard talks with quarterback Graham Mertz (5) during an NCAA football game vs Northwestern on Saturday, October 8, 2022 in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: Tom Lynn
Wisconsin Badgers defensive end Rodas Johnson (Getachew) (56) and teammates James Thompson Jr. tackle quarterback Ryan Hilinski during an NCAA Big Ten Conference college football game against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: David Stluka
Wisconsin Badgers kicker Nate Van Zelst and punter Gavin Meyers (holding ball for kick) during an NCAA Big Ten Conference college football game against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: David Stluka
Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz (5) and center Joe Tippman (75) during an NCAA Big Ten Conference college football game against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: David Stluka
Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Chimere Dike (13) runs in one of his three touchdowns during an NCAA Big Ten Conference college football game against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: David Stluka
Wisconsin Badgers teammates lift wide receiver Skyler Bell (11) after he scored a touchdown during an NCAA Big Ten Conference college football game against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: David Stluka
Wisconsin Badgers running back Chez Mellusi (1) scores a touchdown after receiving the pass from fellow running back Braelon Allen (0) during an NCAA Big Ten Conference college football game against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: David Stluka
Wisconsin Badgers inside linebacker Jake Chaney (36) chases down the quarterback during an NCAA Big Ten Conference college football game against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: David Stluka
Wisconsin Badgers running back Isaac Guerendo (20) runs the ball during an NCAA Big Ten Conference college football game against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: David Stluka
Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Markus Allen (4) celebrates a touchdown with his teammates during an NCAA Big Ten Conference college football game against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: David Stluka
Wisconsin Badgers interim head coach Jim Leonhard receives a pat on the back from defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (95) after an NCAA Big Ten Conference college football game against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. The Badgers defeated the Wildcats, 42-7.
Photo Credit: David Stluka
Gallery Images
- Box Score
42
WinnerWisconsinWIS3-3 , 1-2
7
NorthwesternNU1-5 , 1-2
Winner
WisconsinWIS
3-3 , 1-2
42
Final
7
NorthwesternNU
1-5 , 1-2
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIS Wisconsin | 7 | 21 | 0 | 14 | 42 |
| NU Northwestern | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Game Recap: Football |
Badgers earn first victory under interim head coach Jim Leonhard
EVANSTON, Ill. — Graham Mertz threw for a career-high 299 yards and matched one with five touchdowns, Chimere Dike set personal bests with 185 yards receiving and three TD catches, and Wisconsin dominated in interim coach Jim Leonhard's first game, pounding struggling Northwestern 42-7 on Saturday.
Braelon Allen added 135 yards rushing. He also threw a 23-yard touchdown late in the second quarter, and the Badgers (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) raced out to a 28-0 halftime lead on the way to an easy win.
Mertz completed 20 of 29 passes.
Dike had touchdown catches of 52 and 21 yards in the first half as well as a 6-yarder in the fourth quarter. He caught 10 passes and easily surpassed his previous high of 106 yards with today's 185-yard tally and three TDs setting new career highs in all three categories.
Wisconsin racked up 515 yards in all and finished with 193 on the ground after being held to 2 yards rushing on 24 carries for its lowest total since 2015.
Northwestern (1-5, 1-2) lost its fifth straight since opening with a win over Nebraska in Ireland.
Ryan Hilinski threw for 147 yards and was intercepted twice.
The Badgers missed a field goal on the game's opening drive, but took control with touchdowns on their next two possessions.
Mertz capped a nine-play, 98-yard march when he hit a wide open Skyler Bell for a 15-yarder, and Wisconsin wasted little time adding to it.
Junior safety Kamo'i Latu intercepted Hilinski near midfield. Three plays later, Dike caught a pass from Mertz over the middle to start the second quarter and outran several defenders for a 52-yard score. Latu finished with two interceptions against the Wildcats.
Dike set up another touchdown with a 43-yard catch, this time hauling in a 21-yarder from Mertz midway through the quarter to bump the lead to 21-0. Allen threw a 23-yard TD to Chez Mellusi with just over two minutes left in the half to make it a 28-point game. Mertz went 20-for-29, finishing with a career-high 299 yards passing and matching his career high and the UW school record with five touchdown passes.
Braelon Allen posted his 11th 100-yard performance in his last 15 games and his TD pass to Mellusi was the first of his career. The touchdown pass was the first for a Badger non-QB since 2012 when James White threw for a score in the 2012 Big Ten Championship. The score also marked Mellusi's first receiving TD as a Badger.
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Markus Allen recorded his first-career touchdown on a 19-yard pass in the fourth quarter for the Badgers to cap the victory for the Badgers.
Northwestern had a chance to score just before the break, only to come away empty-handed when Jack Olsen missed a 21-yarder on his first attempt this season as time expired.
Wisconsi linebacker Nick Herbig recorded seven tackles and forced a third-quarter fumble and teammate defensive end James Thompson Jr. recovered the Wildcat fumble, recording his first recovery of his career. Thompson Jr. also recorded two tackles in the win.
The Wildcats converted a fourth-and-1 at the 4 in the final minute and threw two incompletions before coach Pat Fitzgerald opted to go for the field goal with two seconds remaining and the ball on the 3. Fans booed and they weren't happy, either, when the kick went wide left.
Looking ahead, Wisconsin remains on the road and will travel to Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 15. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT on FOX.
The AP contributed to this article.
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- Recap
- Live Stats
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- Full Schedule
- Roster
- Matchup History
Team Statistics
| Game Stats | WIS | NU |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 515 | 342 |
| Pass Yards | 322 | 263 |
| Rushing Yards | 193 | 79 |
| Penalty Yards | 6-55 | 2-20 |
| 1st Downs | 26 | 18 |
| 3rd Downs | 10-14 | 3-13 |
| 4th Downs | 0-0 | 2-4 |
| TOP | 34:16 | 25:44 |
| Scoring Play | Visiting Team Score | Home Team Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | |||
|
02:25 - WIS - Bell,Skyler 15 yd pass from Mertz,Graham (Van Zelst,Nate kick) 9 plays, 98 yards, TOP 05:00 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2nd Quarter | |||
|
14:50 - WIS - Dike,Chimere 52 yd pass from Mertz,Graham (Van Zelst,Nate kick) 3 plays, 57 yards, TOP 00:41 | 14 | 0 | |
|
06:58 - WIS - Dike,Chimere 21 yd pass from Mertz,Graham (Van Zelst,Nate kick) 6 plays, 66 yards, TOP 02:45 | 21 | 0 | |
|
02:11 - WIS - Mellusi,Chez 23 yd pass from Allen,Braelon (Van Zelst,Nate kick) 7 plays, 61 yards, TOP 03:11 | 28 | 0 | |
| 4th Quarter | |||
|
14:53 - WIS - Dike,Chimere 6 yd pass from Mertz,Graham (Van Zelst,Nate kick) 4 plays, 37 yards, TOP 01:51 | 35 | 0 | |
|
11:08 - NU - Tyus III,Anthony 1 yd pass from Sullivan,Brendan (Olsen,Jack kick) 8 plays, 78 yards, TOP 03:43 | 35 | 7 | |
|
02:28 - WIS - Allen,Markus 19 yd pass from Mertz,Graham (Van Zelst,Nate kick) 14 plays, 84 yards, TOP 08:37 | 42 | 7 | |
Total Yards
WIS
515
NU
342
Turnovers
WIS
NU
3
First Downs
WIS
26
NU
18
Total Possession
WIS
34:16
NU
25:44
Game Leaders
#5 Mertz,Graham
-
- CMP
- 20
-
- TD
- 5
-
- YDS
- 299
-
- INT
- 0
#0 Allen,Braelon
-
- CMP
- 1
-
- TD
- 1
-
- YDS
- 23
-
- INT
- 0
#0 Allen,Braelon
-
- Avg
- 5.9
-
- TD
- 0
-
- YDS
- 135
-
- GAIN
- 136
#1 Mellusi,Chez
-
- Avg
- 3.1
-
- TD
- 0
-
- YDS
- 31
-
- GAIN
- 33
#11 Bell,Skyler
-
- Avg
- 6.5
-
- TD
- 0
-
- YDS
- 13
-
- GAIN
- 13
#13 Dike,Chimere
-
- No
- 10
-
- TD
- 3
-
- YDS
- 185
-
- Long
- 52
#11 Bell,Skyler
-
- No
- 2
-
- TD
- 1
-
- YDS
- 36
-
- Long
- 21
#6 Engram,Dean
-
- No
- 4
-
- TD
- 0
-
- YDS
- 32
-
- Long
- 14
#19 Herbig,Nick
-
- Tackles
- 7
-
- TFL
- 1.0
-
- Sacks
- 1.0
-
- YDS
- 6
#39 Grass,Tatum
-
- Tackles
- 5
-
- TFL
- 0.5
-
- Sacks
- 0.0
-
- YDS
- 0
#36 Chaney,Jake
-
- Tackles
- 4
-
- TFL
- 0.0
-
- Sacks
- 0.0
-
- YDS
- 0
Receiving Yards
#13
Dike,Chimere
Dike,Chimere
185
Bell,Skyler
36
Engram,Dean
32
Mellusi,Chez
23
Passing Yards
#5
Mertz,Graham
Mertz,Graham
299
Allen,Braelon
23
Rushing Yards
#0
Allen,Braelon
Allen,Braelon
135
Mellusi,Chez
31
Bell,Skyler
13
Anthony,Vinny
11
Tackles
#19
Herbig,Nick
Herbig,Nick
7
Grass,Tatum
5
Chaney,Jake
4
Shaw,Jay
3
Players Mentioned
-
#0 Braelon Allen
- RB
- 6' 2"
- Sophom*ore
-
#11 Skyler Bell
- WR
- 6' 0"
- Redshirt Freshman
-
#13 Chimere Dike
- WR
- 6' 1"
- Junior
-
#19 Nick Herbig
- OLB
- 6' 2"
- Junior
-
#1 Chez Mellusi
- RB
- 5' 11"
- Senior
-
#5 Graham Mertz
- QB
- 6' 3"
- Junior
-
#90 James Thompson Jr.
- DE
- 6' 5"
- Sophom*ore
-
#13 Kamo'i Latu
- S
- 6' 0"
- Junior
Players Mentioned
-
#0 Braelon Allen
- 6' 2"
- Sophom*ore
- RB
-
#11 Skyler Bell
- 6' 0"
- Redshirt Freshman
- WR
-
#13 Chimere Dike
- 6' 1"
- Junior
- WR
-
#19 Nick Herbig
- 6' 2"
- Junior
- OLB
-
#1 Chez Mellusi
- 5' 11"
- Senior
- RB
-
#5 Graham Mertz
- 6' 3"
- Junior
- QB
-
#90 James Thompson Jr.
- 6' 5"
- Sophom*ore
- DE
-
#13 Kamo'i Latu
- 6' 0"
- Junior
- S
