INSTANT REACTION: Rutgers Football falls to Wisconsin 24-13
It was a tough afternoon for Rutgers Football as it fell to Wisconsin 24-13 at Camp Randall Stadium and could not get much of anything going offensively for most of the day.
After a largely inefficient first half, the Scarlet Knights started to get something going with 4:28 to go until the break with a nine-play, 69-yard drive. However, all of their hard work was turned away with a backbreaking 95-yard pick-six from Ricardo Hallman to send Rutgers into the tunnel down 17-0.
Things went from bad to worse for Rutgers when Gavin Wimsatt went down halfway through the third quarter with what appeared to be a head injury. However, he did return in the fourth and finished 16-for-35 for 181 yards and completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ian Strong to make it 24-13 with 4:06 remaining in the game.
As a team, Rutgers finished with 275 total yards with 211 coming through the air and 64 on the ground. The Scarlet Knights also went 2-for-12 on third down and 1-for-2 on fourth. Wimsatt led the team rushing with nine carries for 43 yards while Isiah Washington recorded three catches for 53 yards.
Evan Simon got Rutgers on the board with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Young to cut it to a 17-6 game with 1:26 to go in the third quarter. Wisconsin did not waste much time answering back though as it recorded a 15-play, 72-yard drive, capped off with a three-yard touchdown pass from Tanner Mordecai to Tucker Ashcraft to take a 24-6 lead with 10:51 left in the fourth.
The Scarlet Knights also had a tough time stopping Wisconsin's rushing attack as Braelon Allen finished with 21 carries for 101 yards and one touchdown. The Badgers tallied 358 total yards with 145 coming through the air and 213 on the ground. Mordecai finished 17-for-31 for 145 yards and a score.
Rutgers totaled 119 total yards in the first half with 88 coming through the air and 41 on the ground. The Scarlet Knights also had just five first downs and went 1-for-6 on third down.
RFootball Play of the Day: Evan Simon connects with Aaron Young on a 10-yard score to put Rutgers on the board.
Up next: Rutgers will face Michigan State in a Homecoming matchup next Saturday at SHI Stadium at noon (ET).