FOOTBALL POSTGAME NOTES: WISCONSIN 23, MARYLAND 10

[Jon McNamara]

TEAM NOTES

• Today’s captains: senior NT Keeanu Benton, junior ILB Nick Herbig, junior QB Graham Mertz
• Today’s attendance at Camp Randall Stadium was 74,057.
• With the win, Wisconsin has won all 4 matchups against the Terrapins.
• The Badgers secured another key November victory. Wisconsin has now posted a 39-8 (.830) record in the month since 2010. Among Power-5 schools heading into Saturday, only Ohio State (.886), Georgia (.857), Oklahoma (.857) and Alabama (.844) have totaled better records in the month since 2010.
• The Badgers held Maryland to just 10 points, its lowest scoring output of the season and fewest points since a 43-3 loss to Northwestern in 2020.
• Wisconsin’s defense snapped Maryland’s 10-game streak of 27+ point performances. The streak was a Terrapin program record.
• UW’s defense:

o Gave up just 189 total yards, the lowest total by a Badger opponent since holding Iowa to 156 on Oct. 30, 2021.

o Allowed 77 yards passing, the fewest since limiting Illinois to 67 yards on Oct. 9, 2021.

o Held Maryland to 9 first downs, fewest surrendered since Iowa had 9 on Oct. 30, 2021.

o Had a season-high 5.0 sacks, the team’s most since recording 6.0 in the Las Vegas Bowl vs. Arizona State on Dec. 30, 2021.

o Allowed Maryland to convert only 5-of-17 third downs (29.4%). The marks back-to-back games holding the opponent below 35.0% (Purdue was, the lowest percentage since 5-for-16 (31%).

• Wisconsin won the turnover battle, forcing one INT without a turnover of its own. The Badgers, who entered the game third in the Big Ten in turnover margin, are now +6 in turnover margin on the season.
• The Badgers outscored the Terrapins 17-0 in the first half. Wisconsin has now scored first in 7 of 9 games this season. The Badgers have outscored opponents 80-10 in the first half over the last 4 games.
• The Badgers ran for a season-high 293 yards, the team’s highest mark since rushing for 305 at Rutgers on Nov. 6, 2021.
• With RBs Isaac Guerendo and Braelon Allen both surpassing the 100-yard rushing mark, it marked the first time that the Badgers have had multiple 100+ yard rushers since Chez Mellusi (149) and Braelon Allen (140) did so vs. Purdue on Oct. 23, 2021.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Sophomore RB Braelon Allen posted 119 yards and a score on 23 carries.

o Allen recorded his 14th 100-yard game over his last 18 games.

o Allen recorded his 10th rushing TD of the season. A total of 29 Badgers have now assembled double-digit rushing TD seasons since 1996, the most in the Big Ten.

• Senior RB Isaac Guerendo ran for a career-high 114 yards and 1 score on 12 carries. Guerendo broke an 89-yard TD to give the Badgers a 14-0 lead in the 2nd quarter.

o The 89-yard carry was the 2nd-longest rush of the season and the 5th-longest in program history.

o Guerendo and Braelon Allen are the first Badger RB combo to both record runs of 80+ yards in the same season since Melvin Gordon (80) and James White (93) did so in 2013.

o Wisconsin now has 2 separate players with 85+ yard runs in the same season for the first time in program history.

• Junior WR Chimere Dike caught 3 passes for 32 yards in the Wisconsin win. Dike surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in his career, moving his total to 1,016.

o All 3 of Dike’s catches converted successful 3rd downs. Dike entered the game ranked T-2nd in the Big Ten with 10 catches for first down in 3rd-down situations this season.

o Dike has now recorded 3+ catches in 5-straight games, the longest streak of his career.

• Sophomore S Hunter Wohler picked off a Maryland pass to begin the 4th quarter, notching his first career INT in his return to action.

o Wohler is the 10th Badger to pick off a pass this season. Wisconsin entered the game ranked 2nd in the nation with 14 INTs.

o With 10 different players recording INTs, the Badgers matched the 2018 defensive unit.

• Junior OLB Nick Herbig recorded a pair of sacks, pushing his season total to 8.0. Herbig totaled 4 tackles, including 3.0 for loss in the win.

o Herbig entered the game alone atop the Big Ten sack leaderboard.

o Herbig’s 3.0 TFLs matched a career high and gave him 5.5 over his last 2 games.

o Herbig now ranks T-9th in program history with 18.0 career QB takedowns. Herbig tied Erasmus James (2001-02, 04) with Saturday’s 2-sack performance.

• Senior NT Keeanu Benton recorded a sack on 4th down in the 1st quarter. Benton totaled 4 tackles.
• Senior OLB C.J. Goetz totaled 4 tackles and notched a 2nd-quarter sack, his 2nd of the season and first since recording 1.0 in Wisconsin’s OT loss at Michigan State.
• Sophomore ILB Jordan Turner totaled 6 tackles, giving him 6+ tackles in 3 straight games.
• Senior P Andy Vujnovich punted 6 times for an average of 39.7 yards and a long of 50 yards. Vujnovich pinned the Boilermakers inside the 20 3 times.

o Vujnovich has recorded 7 punts inside the 20 over the last 2 games.

o Vujnovich has pinned opponents inside the 20 in each of the last 5 games and in all but one game this season.

• Redshirt freshman K Nate Van Zelst knocked in 3 FGs on 4 attempts, converting his first FGs since drilling a 39-yarder against Illinois. The 3 FGs were a career high.