Wisconsin Football dials up trick play for game-winning TD vs. Illinois [Video]
Oct 21, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Wisconsin Badgers players celebrate a touchdown during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
© Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
It was not easy, but when all was said and done, Wisconsin outscored Illinois 18-0 in the fourth quarter to defeat the Fighting Illini 25-21. After Badgers QB Braedyn Locke connected with WR Will Pauling to cut Illinois' lead to 21-18 (as predicted here before the game), the defense did their job to get the ball back for Wisconsin. This is when the Badgers went on a 14-play, 83-yard drive that ended with a trick play for what ended up being the go-ahead touchdown.
Badgers Trickery For The Win!
As you are about to see, Wisconsin dialed up a little bit of trickeration for the go-ahead touchdown against Illinois. Take a look as Badgers offensive lineman Nolan Rucci declares himself eligible before catching what ended up being the game-winning touchdown from Locke.
Why it Matters
Things could not have gone any better for Wisconsin in Week 8 as they took care of business against Illinois AND No. 25 Iowa lost 12-10 to Minnesota. Because of those results, the Badgers are back at the top of the Big Ten West with a 3-1 conference, while the Hawkeyes now sit at 3-2 in conference play. With that being said, Wisconsin has a very difficult matchup with No. 3 Ohio State coming up next week, and Iowa still holds the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Bottom Line: Handle Your Business
The Badgers once again control their own destiny when it comes to winning the Big Ten West and advancing to the Big Ten Championship Game. But in order to reach those goals without having to worry about what Iowa does, Wisconsin will have to take care of its own business from here on out. One loss along the way would require the Hawkeyes also losing at least one more game down the stretch.
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