MADISON, Wis. — Ricardo Hallman scored on a 95-yard interception return, Braelon Allen rushed for 101 yards and Wisconsin defeated Rutgers 24-13 on Saturday to remain the lone Big Ten West Division team without a conference loss.
Hallman has three interceptions over his last two games. He picked off two passes Sept. 22 in Wisconsin’s 38-17 triumph at Purdue.
“It was as big of a play as we’ve had all year,” Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said of Hallman’s pick-6.
Rutgers trailed 10-0 but had second-and-goal from the 6 in the final minute of the second quarter with a chance to make it a one-score game before halftime.
Hallman had other plans.
Gavin Wimsatt attempted a pass to Christian Dremel who was running an out pattern. Hallman jumped the route, caught the pass, raced down the field and outran Wimsatt to the opposite end zone to give Wisconsin (4-1, 2-0) a 17-0 halftime advantage.
PHOTOS: Ricardo Hallman's pick-6 sparks Wisconsin to 24-13 victory over Rutgers
“There’s no doubt that’s the difference in the ballgame,” Fickell said.
Rutgers’ Evan Simon took over for an injured Wimsatt late in the third and threw a 10-yard score to Aaron Young late in the third quarter to cut Wisconsin’s lead to 17-6, though Jai Patel’s extra-point attempt bounced off the left upright.
Wisconsin responded by going on a 15-play, 72-yard drive that culminated with Mordecai’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Ashcraft.
Wimsatt returned to the game and completed the scoring by throwing an 11-yard score to Ian Strong with 4:07 remaining. Wimsatt finished 15 of 34 for 165 yards.
Rutgers (4-2, 1-2) mustered just one first down over its first five possessions, but Wisconsin struggled to pull away and was clinging to a 3-0 lead 25 minutes in.
Wisconsin grabbed that 3-0 edge on the game’s opening series as Nathanial Vakos improved to 8 for 8 on field-goal attempts this season with a 39-yarder. Vakos later had his first miss of the season, sending a 53-yarder wide left early in the second quarter.
The Badgers then had first-and-goal at the 9 early in the second, but Max Melton forced an Allen fumble and recovered it at the 4. But after Wisconsin forced a three-and-out and got the ball back at Rutgers’ 39, Allen scored the Badgers’ first touchdown with an 18-yard scamper through a huge hole.
Rutgers’ offense came to life at that point and marched into scoring position before Wimsatt’s critical mistake.
THE TAKEAWAY
Rutgers: After getting outscored by a combined 168-30 in their first four matchups with Wisconsin since joining the Big Ten, the Scarlet Knights were much more competitive this time. But they can’t afford to make critical turnovers against quality teams. Wimsatt has thrown a pick-6 in each of Rutgers’ two losses this season. A win would have given Rutgers its first 5-1 start since 2014, its inaugural season in the Big Ten.
Wisconsin: The Badgers entered Saturday having forced a total of nine takeaways over their last two games, but they’d also given up plenty of yards: 455 against Georgia Southern and 396 against Purdue. That defense allowed just 259 yards this time. Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai, who had rushed for 471 yards in the Scarlet Knights’ first five games, had just eight carries for 16 yards. That defense made up for a ho-hum performance from Wisconsin’s passing game. Mordecai was 17 of 31 for 145 yards.
UP NEXT
Rutgers: Hosts Michigan State next Saturday.
Wisconsin: Hosts Iowa next Saturday.
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