Defense carries Wisconsin past Rutgers 24-13

Ricardo Hallman scored on a 95-yard interception return and Braelon Allen ran for 101 yards and a touchdown to pace Wisconsin to a 24-13 victory over visiting Rutgers in a Big Ten matchup Saturday.

Hallman's score put Wisconsin up 17-0 at the half. The Badgers (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) led 17-6 after three quarters and extended the advantage to 24-6, as they improved to 5-0 vs. Rutgers in the series.

The Badgers capitalized on a short field for a 39-yard scoring drive, going in front 10-0 on Allen's 18-yard touchdown run with 4:28 left in the first half.

Rutgers (4-2, 1-2), which went three-and-out on four of its first five possessions, answered with a drive deep into Wisconsin territory. Hallman then stepped in front of Gavin Wimsatt's pass intended for Christian Dremel in the right flat and returned it nearly the length of the field for the 17-0 advantage.

Wimsatt left briefly with an undisclosed injury, while backup Evan Simon came on to finish a 10-play, 57-yard scoring drive late in the third quarter. Simon hit Aaron Young with a 10-yard touchdown toss, but the Scarlet Knights missed the extra point.

Wisconsin responded with a 72-yard drive, capped by Tanner Mordecai's 3-yard scoring pass to freshman tight end Tucker Ashcraft to make it 24-6 with 10:51 remaining.

Rutgers recovered a fumble at the Badgers' 21 with 4:42 remaining. Three plays later, Wimsatt hit Ian Strong with an 11-yard touchdown to make it 24-13.

Mordecai completed 17 of 31 passes for 145 yards with one touchdown, while Will Pauling had eight catches for 68 yards.

Rutgers managed just 64 yards on the ground, 43 by Wimsatt.

Wisconsin was playing its first game without running back Chez Mellusi, who sustained a season-ending leg injury two weeks ago at Purdue. Jackson Acker, who had 31 yards on eight carries in the first four games, added 65 yards Saturday on 13 carries.

Wisconsin opened with an 11-play, 54-yard drive culminating in Nathanial Vakos' 39-yard field goal.

—Field Level Media