MADISON, Wisc. — Freshman quarterback Dexter Williams was in the huddle and set to take over at quarterback in the fourth quarter for Indiana.
On the previous possession, Jack Tuttle took a big hit that was originally called targeting, but reversed after review. Still, it took a toll on Tuttle, who went into the tent after the play and eventually went to the locker room.
So as Wisconsin punted and Indiana was about to get the ball back, Williams was primed and ready to enter the game. Then Tuttle came sprinting out of the tunnel right before the possession started, and he remained in the game.
It showed tremendous toughness by Tuttle in his first career start, which turned into his first career win as the Hoosiers outlasted the Badgers, 14-6.
“I just wanted to get back on the field,” Tuttle said. “That’s really all, to be honest. I love my team and I wanted to get back on the field.”
It’s Indiana’s first win at Camp Randall Stadium since 2001.
It was a slow start to the game for both teams.
Tuttle looked good his first few drives, but there wasn’t a whole lot open for him down the field.
Indiana’s defense was stellar as usual, and they came up with a game-changing play in the first quarter.
Tiawan Mullen blitzed off the corner and was completely unblocked, which allowed him to drill Graham Mertz and force a fumble, which was recovered by James Miller.
The Hoosiers’ offense took over, and Indiana went on to score a touchdown, featuring Tuttle’s first career touchdown pass to Peyton Hendershot in the back of the end zone from the one-yard line.
The rest of the first half remained a slow, grinding battle. Indiana withheld Wisconsin from getting in the end zone after a 12-play, 81-yard drive, and the Hoosiers took a 7-3 lead into halftime.
Then the offense started to pick up.
Indiana went right down the field to start the second half. First, a roughing the passer penalty moved the Hoosiers 15 yards forward, then Tuttle threw a beautiful pass to Ty Fryfogle for 35 yards down the field.
That big completion set up a 7-yard pass to Whop Philyor for Indiana’s second touchdown of the game, giving them a 14-3 lead.
Wisconsin was started to get some chunk plays on offense following that score, but an errant throw by Mertz was picked off by Jamar Johnson to give Indiana the ball pack.
It marks Indiana’s FBS-leading 17th interception of the season.
Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, Tuttle fumbled it right back to Wisconsin on the following possession. It was one of the few mistakes Tuttle made on the whole evening.
But Indiana’s defense came up big once again. They once again endured a 12-play drive from the Badgers and held them to only a field goal, keeping Indiana in front 14-6.
Wisconsin got the ball back with 4:48 left, and it came down to Indiana’s defense to once again try to win the game.
The Badgers drove down the field, but with under a minute to go, with a fourth-and-10 for the Badgers, Reese Taylor broke up a pass completion to the end zone to seal the deal.
Tom Allen and Kane Wommack embraced with excitement on the sideline as Indiana took down Wisconsin for the first time in Allen’s tenure.
It was huge, hard-fought win for the Hoosiers that improved them to 6-1 on the season.
“Most people wrote us off because we lost Michael Penix but we are a football team,” Allen said, emphasizing the word “team,” saying this was a complete team win.
Indiana will host Purdue next Saturday at Memorial Stadium for the Old Oaken Bucket game.
