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The same can be said for the rest of the Wisconsin Badgers, who routed an estimable Northern Illinois team 49-7 Saturday at Soldier Field. Wilson completed 23 of 32 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns to ...
The daughters of two legendary Democratic politicians have died: Kara Kennedy, the oldest child of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, and Eleanor Mondale, the daughter of former Vice President Walter F. Mondale.
The summer after the Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup, Duncan Keith took some time to relax before the defenseman began training for another season of hockey.
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The same can be said for the rest of the Wisconsin Badgers, who routed an estimable Northern Illinois team 49-7 Saturday at Soldier Field.
Wilson completed 23 of 32 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns to lead seventh-ranked Wisconsin to its third straight victory in front of 40,068 fans. When he wasn't threading passes to eight different receivers, Wilson was freelancing plays with his feet, eluding the Huskies' desperate blitzes or scrambling for 37 yards on five carries.
"Russell Wilson is a guy ? he knows the plan, he knows how to stick to it, but he can adapt very well ? very creative," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. "Some of those plays he got us out of with his feet were extraordinary. He's playing at a high, high level. If there is somebody better out there, I would like to see him, because he is an exceptional football player."
Wilson, who entered the game leading the country with a 237.6 pass efficiency rating, has completed 50 of 66 passes this season with eight TDs. He became the eighth Badger to throw for 300 yards, even though he was lifted midway through the fourth quarter because the game was in hand.
"It's a great win for us, a big win," said Wilson, who had one pass intercepted. "It's a special moment to play in Soldier Field. It's pretty unbelievable. Just doing that is pretty awesome. But now it's time to watch some film and see what we did well and what we can get better at."
The Badgers amassed a staggering 621 yards of total offense. Wilson's 384 yards of total offense represent the fifth-best performance in school history.
NIU coach Dave Doeren tried his best all week not to take this game personally, even though he previously worked as an assistant to Bielema.
"Before the game, (Doeren) said: 'Let's not do this again,'" Bielema said with a smile. "We always shoot phone calls, text messages. ... I probably know as many of his assistants as anyone in the country."
"We have a nine-game schedule left, and every goal on our board is still alive," he said. "We have to get back to what we do. The last two weeks didn't show what we can do as a team. Our goal will be to make that happen when we return home when we play Cal Poly."
Wisconsin, which won its 31st straight regular-season nonconference game, scored on its first possession when Wilson passed 12 yards to Nick Toon.
Northern Illinois tied it 7-7 on a 3-yard TD run by Jasmin Hopkins with 1:59 to go in first quarter. Then NIU attempted an onside kick that the Badgers' Jacob Pedersen recovered.
"I told our players that I was going to coach to win," Doeren said. "I told them if we scored, that I'd go for a surprise onside (kick). If we got it, we'd go score again and get some momentum going. I really felt that our chance today was to get our speed going and get their big guys tired on defense."
Wilson and Toon hooked up for their second TD reception with 57 seconds left in the opening quarter to give the Badgers a 14-7 lead. This one went for 16 yards.
Chicago should be treated to a game involving Illinois or Northwestern at Soldier Field. Why the Wildcats would prefer to play in a cramped, decaying baseball stadium that looks and smells like a dump, rather than a state-of-the-art football palace, is beyond me. One might be tempted to include Notre Dame as a local draw as well, but the Irish in their baseless arrogance seem to prefer putting on an exhibition in New York City rather than entertaining Chicago. I hope the Big Ten comes to its senses and starts including Chicago as a site for the conference championship game. There is nothing to do in Naptown over a weekend but endless options in Chitown. (And that's not just hearsay, as I've lived and attended the big universities in Chicago, Champaign and Bloomington--just south of Indy).bigdon1 at 12:
Embarrasing for NIU. They played to a final result like they were Eastern Illinois, not the so-called winningest team of the Mac for the past 10 years. Need to improve. This should have been a statement game but instead they probably set the program back by how bad they showed. This against a Big ten team that could not beat TCU in the Rose Bowl last year. Not sure this new coach isn't overrated either. Hoping they improve from here and quickly.
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