Wisconsin erased a 14-0 deficit to beat Nebraska 24-17 in overtime on Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium.

Play of the Game

Wisconsin was trailing 14-0 and back on their heels early in the second quarter when Nebraska lined up on fourth-and-1 at the Badgers 32-yard line. A conversion in that spot and maybe the Huskers finish the drive and go up three scores. That didn’t happen, though, as the Badgers stuffed Emmett Johnson for a 1-yard loss and gave the ball back to their offense, which promptly went right down the field to cut the lead in half with their first touchdown of the game. Wisconsin would outscore Nebraska 17-3 the rest of the way.

Game Balls

Offense:

RB Braelon Allen

The numbers won’t jump out at you — 22 carries for 62 yards — but the Badgers running back delivered in some crucial moments down the stretch. It included a tough-as-nails run on fourth down in overtime and was followed up by him lowering his head and riding his offensive line into the end zone for what proved to be the game-wining touchdown. Allen did it despite dealing with an ankle injury that coach Luke Fickell thought would keep him out of the game, or at the very least limit his carry load. Instead, he showed the heart and care factor that has been missing from the team in stretches this season.

QB Tanner Mordecai

Like Allen, the numbers won’t wow you. The senior passed for 160 yards and one score, while adding 51 yards on the ground. But he made some important plays when needed, as eight of his 18 completions went for first downs. Five of those were on third down, including a huge one to Vinny Anthony on third-and-8 in overtime. Mordecai also picked up three first downs running, though perhaps his biggest run came in overtime when he scrambled for nine yards on third-and-10. It allowed the Badgers the option to go for it on fourth down, which they did. Two plays later they were in the end zone.

Defense:

LB CJ Goetz

The sixth-year senior accounted for two of Wisconsin’s eight tackles for loss in the game. The first came on Nebraska’s failed fourth-down attempt in the second quarter and the other blew up what might have been a big play on a reverse where he stayed home and tackled Jaylen Lloyd for a loss of five. Goetz now has a team-leading 11 TFLs on the year.

What Went Right

The answer

Wisconsin came out and got punched in the mouth for a fourth-straight week, falling behind by two touchdowns in the first quarter. For the most part, the Badgers have answered the bell and made a game out of it this season. But that didn’t happen against Northwestern a week earlier and it was fair to wonder if this would be a repeat performance. The resounding answer to that question was no, as Wisconsin fought back for its second 14-point comeback this season.

What Went Wrong

The start

Woof. Wisconsin’s season-long habit of putting itself in a deep hole continued against the Huskers. A week after spotting Northwestern a 21-3 lead, two weeks after giving Indiana a 17-7 advantage and three weeks after allowing Ohio State to go up 10-0, the Badgers said, “hold my beer” as they gave up a 55-yard rushing touchdown to quarterback Chubba Purdy and a 58-yard touchdown to Lloyd on the first two possessions. Getting off to a fast start has been a talking point all season but this team just can’t seem to do it. At this point, it’s come to be expected that the Badgers will have to fight from behind.

In Case You Missed It

— Former Wisconsin defensive lineman Beau Allen served as the team’s honorary captain. Allen played for the Badgers from 2010-2013 and then went on to play six years in the NFL with the Eagles and Buccaneers.

— Wisconsin honored 20 seniors prior to their final game at Camp Randall Stadium.

— Wisconsin played without wide receiver Bryson Green, who had his left foot in a walking boot. His absence, along with Chimere Dike being limited, led to Quincy Burroughs getting his most extensive playing time of the year. The Cincinnati transfer caught the first two passes of his career and totaled 15 yards.

— The Badgers were hit hard by injuries during the game. Leading tackler Hunter Wohler left late in the second half with what appeared to be a head injury, while leading receiver Will Pauling suffered a leg injury late in the fourth quarter. He returned for one play in overtime but eventually limped off the field. Running back Jackson Acker also went down with what appeared to be a head injury.

Inside the Numbers

22 — That is how many straight years the Badgers are bowl eligible, the third-longest current streak in college football and the second-longest in Big Ten history.

10 — That’s how many straight times the Badgers have beaten Nebraska. Wisconsin is 12-1 against Nebraska since the Huskers came into the Big Ten in 2011.

8 — That is how many catches Pauling had on the night, giving him 64 on the season. It’s the fifth-most in a single season in school history and 14 short of the all-time record held by Jared Abbrederis.

4 — That’s how many touchdown passes Tanner Mordecai has this season. The one he threw on Saturday was his first sine Oct. 7.

205 — That’s how many yards rushing Nebraska had if you remove yards lost on sacks. It’s the fifth time in eight Big Ten games that Wisconsin’s opponent has topped 200 yards on the ground.

5-12 — That is what Nebraska was on third down. The Huskers actually started 3-for-3, but converted just two of their next nine third-down chances.

What’s Next

Wisconsin (6-5, 4-4) will head to Minnesota (5-6, 3-5) on Saturday to face the Gophers in the battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe. Kick is set for 2:30 p.m.