Wisconsin 23, Maryland 10: 2-minute drill

MADISON — Playing through nasty weather at Camp Randall Stadium, Wisconsin won back-to-back games for the first time this season with a 23-10 win over Maryland on Saturday.

Game Balls

Offense:

RB Isaac Guerendo

Few have fought through as much as Guerendo has to get on the field, as injuries have ended his season the last two years. But he delivered on his immense potential Saturday by rushing 12 times for 114 yards, the first 100-yard effort of his career. Most of it came on an 89-yard scamper where he was able to just stay in bounds behind an extra-effort block from wide receiver Chimere Dike down the sideline.

There aren’t many backs in Wisconsin history, including a very speedy Jonathan Taylor, that Guerendo would take a back seat to when it comes to athletic ability. Fans are now getting a chance to see why there was excitement about him when he first showed up on campus.

RB Braelon Allen

It was a more workman-like outing for Wisconsin’s top back. He ran it 23 times for 119 yards, topping 100 yards for a fourth straight game and a sixth time this season. The sophomore is clearly dealing with a couple different ailments that are limiting him but continues to carry the ball as much as the Badgers need him to. Allen did get into the endzone and he now has 10 touchdowns on the season.

Wisconsin offensive line

With the weather conditions as they were, Maryland knew the Badgers run game was coming at them and it still didn’t matter. Starting a seventh different lineup this season, the group of left tackle Jack Nelson, left guard Tanor Bortolini, center Joe Tippmann, right guard Trey Wedig and right tackle Riley Mahlman opened up holes that led to 278 yards on the ground and an average of 6.0 yards per carry. Wedig was making his first start at right guard, while Mahlman returned to the starting lineup for the first time since the opener.

Defense:

OLB Nick Herbig

The leading sack man in the Big Ten was back on the field after sitting out the Purdue game and his presence was felt. He racked up two more sacks to give him eight on the season and had a total of three tackles for loss. Herbig was part of a front seven that limited Maryland to just 2.7 yards per carry on the ground and 189 yards overall.

DL Keeanu Benton

The senior nose tackle had been playing through a knee injury prior to the bye but looked rejuvenated in the middle of Wisconsin’s defense. He had a sack and played on the other side of the line of scrimmage much of the game. Benton can be a game wrecker and offense must have a plan for him on every play. When he’s not in the game for the Badgers, it is noticeable.

S Kamo’i Latu

All Latu does is play with passion on every snap, throwing his body into anything and everything that moves. He tied for the team lead in tackles with six, many of which were around the line of scrimmage. He also forced a fumble and continues to be a menace on special teams. Transfers have played a big role this year for Wisconsin and Latu is the strongest evidence of that.

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What They Said

Herbig was asked about interim coach Jim Leonhard showing he deserves the full-time job.

“It blows my mind that he’s not the head coach yet.”

In Case You Missed It

— Former Badgers All-American Tyler Biadasz served as the honorary captain during the coin toss. Biadasz is the starting center for the Dallas Cowboys.

— Not sure how you would have missed it, but the weather was a major factor in the game. It rained much of the day and the wind made it go sideways as gusts of more than 30 miles per hour made passing nearly impossible. WR Chimere Dike said the conditions were the worst he’s played in.

— Safety Hunter Wohler played for the first time since the season opener when he broke the fibula in his left leg. As interim coach Jim Leonhard said he would, Wohler had a big role in the game plan. In addition to his safety duties, the Badgers at times went to a three-safety look that had Wohler used as essentially another outside linebacker near the line of scrimmage. The Muskego product had three tackles and the first interception of his career.

— Wisconsin got called for sideline interference as Dean Engram broke off a 16-yard punt return. It turns out quarterback Graham Mertz got so pumped about the return that he stepped in the way of an official, who ran into him.

— Backup quarterback Chase Wolf made his season debut in the second quarter when Mertz was forced to come off the field for an injury. Wolf missed the first eight games of the season after undergoing knee surgery in fall camp.

— True freshman nose tackle Curt Neal got action for a second straight game as normal backup Gio Paez was injured. Neal finished with two tackles.

Inside the Numbers

42.6 – That is the average distance of Guerendo’s six career touchdown runs. He now has scores from 89, 82, 54 and 30 yards.

36.6 – That was combined completion percentage for quarterbacks Graham Mertz and Taulia Tagovailoa. Both threw for 77 yards, while Tagovailoa threw one touchdown and one interception. Saturday’s game was the first time Mertz did not throw a touchdown this year, though he also didn’t turn it over.

3 – That is how many field goals Nate Van Zelst hit on four attempts.

74,057 – That was the announced attendance for the game, though the number of fans in the stands was quite a bit fewer due to the weather.

22 – That is the average number of points the Badgers have beaten Maryland in their four matchups since the Terrapins entered the conference in 2014.

5 – That is how many sacks Wisconsin had, the most in a game this season.

70 – That is Wisconsin’s point differential in the first half of games the last four weeks. The Badgers have outscored teams 80-10 in that stretch.

9 – That is how many first downs Maryland had. The Terrapins didn’t get their first of the game until play No. 15, which came in the second quarter.

What’s Next

Wisconsin (5-4, 3-3) will travel to Iowa (5-4, 3-3) to face the Hawkeyes next Saturday.