Ball breaks TD record, but Badgers lose another OT contest
By: Nick Goddard
Updated: November 24, 2012
Here are game notes and statistics, courtesy UW Athletics:
Team Notes
The Badgers suffered their third overtime defeat in four games. The last time UW played three overtime games in a season was 2000 (going 1-2 in those games).
UW is now 5-5 all-time in overtime games.
Wisconsin will play for the Big Ten title next Saturday in the Big Ten Football Championship Game, squaring off against Nebraska at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The Badgers will be seeking their third-straight Big Ten championship and third consecutive appearance in the Rose Bowl. Both would be firsts in school history.
No Big Ten team has played in three straight Rose Bowls since Michigan (1977-79).
Wisconsin became the first team to score a touchdown against Penn State in the first quarter this season.
Individual Notes
Senior RB Montee Ball broke the NCAA FBS record for career touchdowns scored with a 17-yard TD run in the first quarter. It was his 79th career touchdown, passing Travis Prentice of Miami, Ohio, who scored 78 touchdowns from 1996-99.
Ball also tied Prentice's NCAA record for career rushing touchdowns with the 73rd rushing TD of his career.
Ball ran for 111 yards, the 24th 100-yard rushing performance of his career, and eighth of the season.
Freshman RB Melvin Gordon caught his first career touchdown pass, turning a short throw from Curt Phillips into a 57-yard TD pass on UW's first possession of the game. It was Gordon's second career reception. He had an 8-yard catch earlier this season at Nebraska.
The 57-yard completion was the longest of Phillips' career. His previous long was a 29-yard pass to TE Jacob Pedersen last week vs. Ohio State.
Sophomore LB Derek Landisch made his first career start, replacing the injured Chris Borland at middle linebacker. Landisch registered a career-high 11 tackles. His previous high was five at Indiana earlier this season.
Junior LB Ethan Armstong also registered a career-high 12 tackles. His previous career high was 10, done most recently last week vs. Ohio State.
Senior LB Mike Taylor (11) also had double-digit tackles. It is the second time this season UW's three starting linebackers have each had 10+ tackles in the same game. It also happened vs. Illinois (Taylor, Armstrong and Chris Borland).
Taylor moved past Ken Criter (1966-68) for seventh on the Badgers' all-time tackles list with 369 for his career.
