Published: Dec. 3, 2013
By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News Sports Editor
MADISON — Penn State still can’t go to a bowl game for
another two years because of NCAA sanctions.
The Nittany Lions made sure the No. 14 Wisconsin Badgers
weren’t going to get a cozy winter break with a BCS bowl.
Penn State dominated Wisconsin on Saturday, 31-24, sending
the Badgers’ seniors out on a sour note and destroying any hope UW had at going
to a BCS bowl this season.
“Penn State was very well-prepared,” Wisconsin coach Gary
Andersen said. “Their coaches did a nice job. Their players did a nice job. My
hat’s off to them.”
Outside of a strong second- quarter push by the Badgers
(9-3), this game was surprisingly in Penn State’s favor.
The Nittany Lions gashed the Badgers’ defense, which was
ranked in the top 10 in four in rushing (seventh), passing (ninth), scoring
(fifth) and total defense (sixth) going into the game, for 465 yards, including
339 passing, the second-worst output of the season in both categories. Arizona
State had 468 yards of total offense, 352 passing, back on Sept. 14.
On offense, the Badgers had two punts, two turnovers and a
turnoveron- downs to start the second half. On defense, the Badgers struggled
with their personnel packages, having, at one time, nine players on the field
for a play.
“They got us on our toes a couple times on defense and we
didn’t react well to that,” Andersen said.
Penn State freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg was
21-for-30 passing for 339 yards and four touchdowns. His counterpart, Joel
Stave, was 29-of-53 for 339 yards, with three touchdowns and three
interceptions.
The Badgers allowed their four longest plays of the season
to Penn State: 52, 59, 61 and 68 yards, two resulting in a touchdown.
“They just made more plays than us,” UW senior Pat Muldoon
said. “We needed to step up in some situations, especially on third down. We
just didn’t make the plays we needed to.
“It goes from the front all the way to the back. There was
some deep passes, but we didn’t get much pressure up front to make them force
some errant passes.”
Penn State finished the season 7-5, but won’t play in a bowl
game because of the four-year bowl ban put on the program by the NCAA before
the 2012 season stemming from the child molestation case involving former
assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.
“Football becomes really hard to play when you can’t rush
the passer consistently and you can’t protect the passer consistently,”
Andersen said. “It’s a bad spot to be in.”
So what’s next for the Badgers? There is another game.
However, the sting of losing the regular season finale at
home to a 24-point underdog will have to linger for a bit longer than the
Badgers may desire.
It’ll likely be a couple weeks before the Badgers return to
the practice field in preparation for a bowl game.
The Badgers went into the game holding out hope they could
make a case to be awarded a trip to a BCS bowl game for the fourth year in row.
There was hope as Orange Bowl officials were at the stadium.
Not anymore. This is the last year of the BCS, as a
four-team playoff system will go into effect next season, and it for sure won’t
include the Badgers.
“It’s a tough loss,” Andersen said. “Losing is unacceptable.
If you accept losing, then you’re not a competitor and you don’t belong at the
University of Wisconsin and the football program.”
As for their next destination, it is anyone’s guess. The
loss also likely cost the Badgers about $10 million as the BCS bowls — the
Rose, the Orange, the Fiesta and the Sugar — have massive payouts to the
participating schools.
“It’s tough,” Andersen said. “I think it meant a lot to
those kids to be in that spot and have an opportunity to play in the BCS. That
puts you in the elite of the elite if you get in that scenario. That’s not
going to happen. So we’ve got to move forward.”
“With the way we played today, the way I coached them
obviously, we didn’t deserve to have that opportunity,” he added. “It’s gone
now.”
No comments:
Post a Comment