West Lafayette, IN (Sports Network) - Montee Ball scored three times to become
the Big Ten's all-time leader in career touchdowns as the Wisconsin Badgers
downed Purdue, 38-14, in a Big Ten bout at Ross-Ade Stadium.
Ball finished with 247 rushing yards and three touchdowns to improve his career
total to 72 touchdowns. Joel Stave completed 12-of-21 passes for 178 yards and
a touchdown for Wisconsin (5-2, 2-1 Big Ten), which has won three of its last
four games. James White also did some damage in the rushing attack as he gained
124 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Jacob Pedersen led all receivers with
77 yards and a score on four receptions.
The Boilermakers (3-3, 0-2) struggled and managed just 252 total yards of
offense. Caleb TerBush completed 7-of-16 passes for 80 yards and threw an
interception. Akeem Hunt gained 85 yards and scored a touchdown despite just
rushing the ball four times.
Purdue had a great start as TerBush completed a 52-yard pass to Edison on the
first snap of the game. TerBush then punched it in from a yard out on the next
play to give his squad an early 7-0 advantage.
The Badgers quickly answered with a five-play, 75-yard drive which was
punctuated by a 21-yard touchdown pass from Stave to Pedersen.
Wisconsin took its first lead of the game with 10:19 left in the first half as
Ball rushed three yards across the goal line. Kyle French added a 30-yard field
goal with just under five minutes to go in the second quarter to give the
Badgers a 17-7 lead heading into the intermission.
Just 49 seconds into the second half, Ball took off for a 67-yard touchdown
run. Ball's second touchdown of the game was the only score in the third
quarter.
Ball added a three-yard run across the goal line at the 13:07 mark of the
fourth quarter to extend Wisconsin's lead to 31-7.
White produced a 14-yard touchdown run with 8:47 left to play. Hunt broke
away for an 81-yard run with 1:39 left to play to end Wisconsin's run of 38
unanswered points.
Wisconsin gained 645 yards of total offense and 467 of those came on the
ground.
GAME NOTES:
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