Late heroics lift Wisconsin
Wisconsin scored twice in the final four minutes to defeat No. 13 Penn State 24-20 on Saturday in State College. Colton Joseph connected with Jacob Harris on a 72-yard touchdown pass with 1:13 to play, completing a comeback that saw the Badgers trail 17-7 at halftime. Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht, who finished 12-for-29 for 129 yards and an interception, threw a final deep ball out of the back of the end zone as time expired, sparking a celebration among Wisconsin defenders.[S1]
Joseph, who threw two costly interceptions earlier, rebounded to lead two long scoring drives. He ran for a touchdown and threw an 11-yard scoring pass to Eugene Hilton Jr. to cap a 10-play, 75-yard drive with 3:31 remaining. Gavin Lahm added a field goal. The win snapped Wisconsin's six-game losing streak to Penn State and marked the Badgers' first victory in State College since 2003. It was also their first road win against a ranked opponent since beating No. 25 Purdue on Oct. 23, 2021, and their largest comeback since rallying from 18 points down against Illinois in 2006.[S1]
Penn State's offensive struggles
Penn State built a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter behind Ryan Barker's 22- and 37-yard field goals and Josiah Zayas's 51-yard interception return for a touchdown. Becht scored on a 3-yard rush, but the Nittany Lions' offense stalled thereafter, punting on five of their next eight possessions and failing to register a first down on four of their final five tries. Daryus Dixson and Tony Rojas also had interceptions for Penn State, while James Peoples carried 14 times for 67 yards.[S1]
The Nittany Lions lost for the first time under coach Matt Campbell, who said his team struggled to find a rhythm. Penn State was missing game-breaking wideout Koby Howard, who is week-to-week with an unspecified injury. Wisconsin outgained Penn State 355-248. The Badgers held the Nittany Lions to just 14 yards and one first down in a lopsided first quarter, but the offense found its footing late.[S1]
Harris makes amends
Jacob Harris finished with five catches for 105 yards, including the game-winning 72-yard touchdown. The senior tight end moved early twice on Wisconsin's final drive, costing his team 10 yards and backing the Badgers up to their own 26 before Joseph scrambled for a short gain to set up the third-and-13 that Harris converted. Harris said the win was a message that the Badgers are back and that they are not going to roll over, adding that the program is historically a top-dog program and they are looking to get back to that for the fans and the community.[S1]
