I agree,last game it was 16-7 until like 6:35 or sumsuch in the 3rd when tOSU got the next TD.UWs defense played good but got tired.Their offense has to move the sticks.And Fields with a tender knee won't be taking off so much so there's one less thing to contend with.
You are slightly off on the score but I agree with the idea.
Wisconsin was only down 10-0 at halftime and started the second half off great. They held the Buckeyes to a three-and-out then tOSU shanked the punt and Wisconsin scored on a short drive of 30 yards in three plays to make it 10-7.
Ohio State answered to push the lead back to 10 points (more importantly two scores) but that wasn't fatal. What doomed the Badgers was the next three possessions:
- Wisconsin went three-and-out then gave up a long punt return that put the Buckeyes in business at their own 47.
- Ohio State scored on a drive of 53 yards in four plays to push the lead to 17 (more importantly three scores).
- Wisconsin put together a nice drive that started at their 30 and got all the way to the tOSU 32. Then everything blew up for the Badgers. Jonathan Taylor was stuffed for no gain on 3rd and 3 from the tOSU 32. I revived the game thread last week to discuss what happened next:
Facing 4th and 3 on the tOSU 32 while trailing by 17 (24-7) the Badgers decided to go for it. I think that situation is a REALLY tough call. It is a 49 yard FG from the 32 so that would be a tough kick but if they had made a FG it would have gotten the situation back to a two score game. Punting from the 32 is pretty much futile because the likely touchback results in a net punt of 7 yards which is just silly. The Badgers jumped on 4th and 3 which made it 4th and 8 from the 37. At that point a 54 yard FG was probably out of the question and punting is still not a great option so they went for it anyway, got sacked, and fumbled. The fumble was actually irrelevant since it was 4th down but honestly, Coan screwed up there. You just can't take that sack. It is 4th down. If you get in trouble you have to heave the ball and hope for a PI to bail you out. [/list]
IMHO:
As a practical matter, Wisconsin HAD to score on that drive. By the end of it there were about 60 seconds left in the third quarter so a total of 16 minutes in the game. Wisconsin was down three scores and their chances of scoring three times in 16 minutes while starting without the ball are practically nil so they had to get something out of that drive. However, I think a FG try from the tOSU 32 would have been a reasonable option. Had they made it, it would have been a two score game with 16 minutes to play which is entirely winnable. That also keeps the pressure on Ohio State. For the Buckeyes, getting the ball at their own 25 up 14 with 16 minutes to play, that is a ball game. You have to play to score not just milk clock. Getting the ball up 17 at the 45 yard line with 16 minutes to play put the Buckeyes in just too easy of a situation.
