Wisconsin stops Ohio State's 19-game winning streak

MADISON, Wisc. -- A victory flame that had flickered often during a 19-game winning streak finally got doused in a relentless rain by a relentless bunch of Wisconsin Badgers in Camp Randall Stadium.

Just when it looked like Ohio State was going to pull off another late miracle, the No. 23 Badgers answered a game-tying touchdown with a 79-yard scoring grab by transplated Ohioan Lee Evans for Saturday night's 17-10 victory.

Lockdown cornerback Chris Gamble got suckered on a squareout-and-up by Evans as the Bedford, Ohio native went the distance with a perfect strike from backup quarterback Matt Schabert to end OSU's breath-taking and nerve-wracking run of perfection.

"It looked like we bit on a double move," coach Jim Tressel said of the well-run pattern by the Big Ten record-setting receiver. "Lee is great on those and they executed."

It was a tough night for Gamble, whose muffed punt also led to a 38-yard field goal by Wisconsin's Mike Allen in the third quarter.

It was also a frustrating night for OSU quarterback Craig Krenzel, who went 14 of 26 for 202 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He suffered his first regular-season loss as a starter after sitting out the last two games with a sprained elbow.

Third-ranked Ohio State (5-1, 1-1), so good at winning the close ones, finally ran out of resourcefulness despite pulling even with 6:09 to play on a six-yard pass from Krenzel to Michael Jenkins.

Making Jenkins' TD possible was a diving, 46-yard catch by Drew Carter to the UW 6 after the Buckeyes had earlier in the period failed to capitalize on a 31-yard grab by Carter.

But it took the Badgers (6-1, 3-0) just 49 seconds to answer Ohio State's only touchdown of the game.

Wisconsin's third-team tailback Booker Stanley scored Wisconsin's first touchdown and became the first back to gain over 100 yards this season (125 on 31 carries) against the nation's No. 1 run defense. Stanley's ability to keep the chains moving at times helped the Badgers overcome the loss of starting quarterback Jim Sorgi late in the third quarter to injury.

Afterwards, Tressel's thoughts were only on the loss, not the loss of the nation's longest winning streak.

"I think more right now about where we have to go," Tressel said after another non-existent performance by the running game (69 yards on 26 carries). "Those 19 games, we still won them. We have to move forward and do a better job next weekend (against Iowa)."

After failing to capitalize on Leonhard's 26-yard punt return to the OSU 44 on its first possession, Wisconsin put together a seven-minute series on its next drive to go in front 7-0.

With starting tailback Anthony Davis on the sidelines nursing a sprained ankle and backup Dwight Smith ineffective on the first series, the Badgers turned Stanley loose on the Buckeyes.

He carried nine times for 36 yards on the 13-play, 63-yard drive and provided the capper from two yards out. Wisconsin put the ball in the air only twice on the march.

The Buckeyes had a chance to pull even in the second quarter after a nicely-executed shovel pass from Krenzel to tight end Ben Hartsock went for 18 yards to the UW 30. But a second-down holding call pushed OSU out of scoring range.

Ohio State's offense got a quick chance to vindicate itself when Jason Bond recovered a muffed punt by Leonhard at the UW 19. Maurice Hall bounced off a tackle for an eight-yard pickup on first down, but the next six plays produced a grand total of four yards as the Buckeyes settled for a 24-yard field goal from Mike Nugent to pull within 7-3.

That's how it stood at halftime as OSU generated just 77 yards on offense against a defense that hasn't exactly distinguished itself this season. In fact, only the dregs of the Big Ten -- Northwestern, Indiana and Illinois -- had given up more touchdowns entering the weekend.

Thanks to the OSU defense, the Buckeyes were still within striking range at the break. Outside of its touchdown drive, Wisconsin managed only 21 yards on offense and had just 32 net yards rushing on 20 carries against the nation's No. 1 run defense.

"The mood right now is very, very somber," said punter B.J. Sander, one of the few Buckeyes to have a great night. "All we can do now is control what we can control and let the chips fall where they may."

Originally published Sunday, October 12, 2003