Oct 15, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) rushes with the football as Wisconsin Badgers linebacker T.J. Watt (42) dives from behind during the fourth quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Ohio State won 30-23. Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
By Tamira Madsen, The Sports Xchange
MADISON, Wis. — Sophomore Noah Brown caught a touchdown pass in overtime and No. 2 Ohio State held off No. 8 Wisconsin for a 30-23 victory on Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium.
Buckeyes junior defensive end Tyquan Lewis sacked Wisconsin quarterback Alex Hornibrook for an 11-yard loss to end the game on the Badgers’ overtime possession after Ohio State scored.
Brown caught a 7-yard pass in the corner of the end zone against one-on-one coverage as the Buckeyes rallied to overcome a woeful first half.
Junior quarterback J.T. Barrett rushed for two second-half touchdowns to sway momentum the Buckeyes way.
Barrett rumbled into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown with 2:55 left in the third quarter to pull Ohio State within 16-13 as its offensive line picked up steam. The Buckeyes had two fourth-down conversions and a third-down conversion during the 13-play scoring drive.
Barrett then bolted 8 yards for a touchdown with 14:09 left to give the Buckeyes its first lead of the game at 20-16.
Wisconsin regained the lead with 7:54 left. Senior running back Corey Clement and junior cornerback Austin Ramesh combined for 37 yards and Ramesh capped the drive with a 4-yard run that made it 23-20.
Barrett now has 17 touchdowns this season. Barrett also reached the 88-TD mark in his career, which ties the QB from Wichita Falls, Texas with Braxton Miller for the most touchdowns in program history.
Barrett completed 17 of 29 passes for 226 yards and one interception. He also led the Buckeyes with 92 rushing yards.
Junior wide receiver Jazz Peavy scored one touchdown and senior kicker Andrew Endicott kicked three field goals to help Wisconsin successfully defend its home turf in the first half against Ohio State.
Hornibrook stood down six Ohio State pass rushers to connect with Peavy on a 24-yard TD pass to push the Badgers’ lead to 10-0 with 6:17 to go in the first quarter.
Clement was the catalyst on that scoring drive. Clement rumbled 68 yards to the Ohio State 27-yard line but fumbled on a tackle by linebacker Chris Worley. Officials overturned the fumble after a review that determined not only did Worley step out of bounds, but the ball also touched Clement’s foot out of bounds.
That 68-yard run was Wisconsin’s longest play from scrimmage since the 2014 season.
Clement had 12 carries for 110 yards in the first half. The first-half total was more rushing yards than Clement posted overall in games against LSU, Michigan State and Michigan.
Junior tight end Troy Fumagalli had five catches for 82 yards in the first half for the Badgers.
Wisconsin posted 170 rushing yards in the first half against the Buckeyes, who entered the game ranked ninth nationally, allowing 97.8 yards per game.
Ohio State senior kicker Tyler Durbin put the Buckeyes on the scoreboard in the first half with field goals of 40 and 46 yards. Durbin’s 40-yarder pulled the Buckeyes closer at 10-6 with 8:42 remaining in the second quarter.
Barrett completed 6 of 14 passes for 81 yards and rushed for a team-leading 52. Barrett passed for a season-low 93 yards last week in Ohio State’s 38-17 win over Indiana.
Endicott kicked a 22-yard field to increase Wisconsin’s lead to 16-6 with 14 seconds remaining in the first half.
NOTES: Wisconsin faced four ranked teams in its first six games this season. … The Buckeyes have won eight of the last nine games against the Badgers. The most recent was a 59-0 win for Ohio State in the 2014 Big Ten championship game. … The last time Wisconsin beat Ohio State was in 2010 in Madison, when the Badgers upended the No. 1 Buckeyes 21-18. …. Wisconsin has an 8-2 record after a bye week dating to 2009.
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