Wisconsin leaves it late before topping Western Michigan

Tawee Walker scored the go-ahead touchdown following a muffed punt as Wisconsin rallied in the fourth quarter for a 28-14 victory over Western Michigan on Friday in the season opener for both teams in Madison, Wis.

With the Broncos ahead 14-13 early in the fourth quarter, Wisconsin recovered the muffed punt at the Western Michigan 20-yard line. Four plays later, Walker ran 6 yards up the middle to put the Badgers on top. Tyler Van Dyke hit Trech Kekahuna with the two-point conversion to put the Badgers up 21-14 with 10:35 left.

The Badgers' defense then stopped Jalen Buckley on fourth-and-1 on the next series. Wisconsin subsequently went 50 yards, capped by Van Dyke's 6-yard keeper to make it 28-14 with 3:17 remaining.

Western Michigan took a 14-13 lead with the aid of a fake field goal. The Broncos failed to get a first down after recovering a fumble at the Wisconsin 34. On the final play of the third quarter, kicker Palmer Domschke took a pitch and skirted around right end for 26 yards to the 4-yard line. Buckley scored on 1-yard run with 14:15 remaining.

Van Dyke, a redshirt senior transfer from Miami (Fla.), completed 21 of 36 passes for 192 yards without a touchdown or interception. Wisconsin's Chez Mellusi ran for 74 yards and a touchdown. Walker, a senior transfer from Oklahoma, added 66 yards on the ground for the Badgers, had a 388-261 advantage in total yards.

Wisconsin had drives of 16, 16, 14 and 14 plays on its first four possessions but managed just one touchdown.

The Badgers opened the second half with a 59-yard drive that stalled at the 6-yard line, settling for Nathanial Vakos' 23-yard field goal that extended their lead to 13-7.

Vakos' 33-yarder on the final play of the first half put Wisconsin up 10-7.

Mellusi gave the Badgers a 7-0 lead in the second quarter, capping a 16-play, 93-yard drive with a 9-yard touchdown run. Broncos linebacker Jacob Wahlberg was ejected for targeting on Van Dyke, giving Wisconsin a first-and-goal at the 9.

Western Michigan responded with a drive from their 22 to a first down at the Wisconsin 1. The Broncos were stopped three times before Buckley plunged over to tie it with 3:02 remaining in the half.

--Field Level Media