Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

Camp Randall Stadium has been a house of horrors and the #16 Wisconsin Badgers have been the boogeyman for the #12 Indiana Hoosiers over the past decade. Tom Allen’s Hoosiers are a very different team though and 2020 is a very different year. Despite playing without Michael Penix and entering the game as a two-touchdown underdog, the Indiana Hoosiers matched the Badgers physicality blow for blow and beat Wisconsin in a 14-6 defensive showdown. IU is now 6-1 after beating Wisconsin (2-2). This win comes after ten successive defeats at the hands of the Badgers, often in humiliating fashion. None of that bad history applies to this IU team as Tom Allen’s program has ended long losing streaks to Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin in positioning themselves for a New Year’s Six bowl game selection.

Wisconsin began the contest with the ball and after picking up one first down, the IU defense forced a punt and took over at the 15-yard line. Redshirt sophomore Jack Tuttle earned his first career start but was unable to move the offense on the first possession, going three and out. Wisconsin was forced to do the same, going three and out and giving it back to Indiana at the ten-yard line. The Hoosiers got a pair of first downs and managed the ball to midfield before punting to pin Wisconsin inside the 20-yard line. They marched into Indiana territory but Tiawan Mullen blasted into the backfield on a corner blitz and leveled Graham Mertz, jarring the football loose. James Miller pounced on the fumble and IU took over on the 47-yard line as the first quarter ended. As they have done all season, the Hoosiers offense took advantage of the takeaway and had the first scoring drive of the day. It was a mix of the run and the pass and ended with a one-yard touchdown for Peyton Hendershot to give IU a 7-0 lead. The drive was 12 plays and with 11:03 remaining in the second quarter, the Hoosiers drew first blood. Wisconsin responded well, getting into scoring territory with the aid of a pass interference penalty on Jaylin Williams. IU’s defense stiffened in the red zone and the Badgers settled for a 29-yard field goal from Collin Larsh. IU drove the ball with a couple of first downs and then Hayden Whitehead pinned Wisconsin at the one-yard line and the Badgers ran out the clock on the first half.

Indiana had the ball first to begin the second half and took over at the 30-yard line. A roughing the passer penalty was followed up by a 35-yard completion to Ty Fryfogle to get Indiana to the Wisconsin 21-yard line. David Ellis got it to the ten-yard line and Whop Philyor caught a beautifully thrown ball from Jack Tuttle for a seven-yard touchdown on third down to give Indiana a 14-3 lead. Wisconsin again drove the ball across midfield but Graham Mertz missed a throw that sailed to Jamar Johnson for the second takeaway of the day for the Indiana Hoosiers. IU moved it across midfield but Jack Tuttle had the ball knocked away on a third-down quarterback sneak and Wisconsin recovered the fumble. The Badgers got a long completion to Kendrick Pryor and then a nice run from Jalen Berger to move the ball again into scoring territory. The Hoosiers defense stood tall for the second time in the red zone though and forced another field goal from Collin Larsh that made it 14-6 with 21 seconds remaining in the third quarter. On IU’s next possession, Jack Tuttle threw to a wide open Miles Marshall who could have walked in with a 60-yard touchdown reception but Marshall bobbled the ball and it fell to the turf. Right after that play, Tuttle scrambled and was clobbered by a Wisconsin defender. The play drew a targeting flag but the penalty was overturned and IU had to punt. Tuttle was clearly rattled and had to go to the locker room. The Hoosiers defense forced Wisconsin to punt and Tuttle came back just in time for IU’s possession. IU got two first downs before punting away to Wisconsin. The Badgers took over with 4:48 remaining at the eight-yard line. Graham Mertz completed a pair of passes to quickly advance the ball to midfield. Mertz then scrambled for 19 yards as IU lost containment on the pocket. The Badgers picked up a third and one with less than two minutes remaining to get inside the 25-yard line. A sack by Micah McFadden and an incomplete pass to Jake Ferguson set up a fourth and ten with 52 seconds left. Graham Mertz lobbed a pass to the end zone but Reese Taylor knocked it away and the Indiana Hoosiers completed the upset, winning 14-6.

Jack Tuttle was solid in his first career start, going 13-22 for 130 yards with two touchdowns. Wisconsin outgained Indiana 342 to 217 but the Hoosiers stopped the Badgers where it counted, forcing them to a pair of field goals and a turnover on downs in the red zone while IU scored touchdowns on their only trips. The Hoosiers will now return home to battle the struggling Purdue Boilermakers for the Old Oaken Bucket next Saturday. Hoosier Huddle will have ongoing coverage of the win over Wisconsin as well as preview coverage of next Saturday’s rivalry contest.

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