UW notes: Badgers play takeaway with the Illini and force five first-half turnovers
MADISON - Turnovers can hurt good football teams and can crush bad teams.
Although Lovie Smith’s Illinois team is struggling to win games, the Illini came to Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday second in the Big Ten in turnover margin at plus-eight (13 turnovers forced, five lost).
Those numbers didn’t hold up Saturday.
UW’s defense took advantage of five turnovers – three interceptions and two fumbles – in the first half Saturday and the offense turned three of those turnovers into touchdowns in building an 18-point lead.
Those miscues proved instrumental in UW’s 49-20 victory
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“When you play a good football team like we were playing against the University of Wisconsin, there’s some things you have to do” Smith said.
“No. 1, you have to protect the football. The turnover ratio, of course, is big each week.
“Offensively, we needed to hold onto the ball. You can't turn it over that many times.”
What had to bug Smith and his players is that UW entered the day with nine turnovers forced – five fumbles and four interceptions – in its first six games.
Senior linebacker T.J. Edwards, nose tackle Olive Sagapolu and safety Evan Bondoc recorded interceptions in the opening half.
Bondoc forced the Illini’s first fumble, although quarterback AJ Bush recovered at the UW 25. Linebacker Jack Sanborn forced a fumble on the next play, on a screen to tailback Reggie Cobrin, and teammate Chris Orr recovered at the UW 23.
Safety Eric Burrell forced another fumble late in the first half and cornerback Rachad Wildgoose recovered at the Illinois 35.
Aron Cruickshank scored on a 23-yard run two plays after Edwards’ interception; Alex Hornibrook hit Jake Ferguson for a 27-yard score one play after Sagapolu’s interception; and Hornibrook hit Kyle Penniston for an 11-yard score three plays after Wildgoose’s fumble recovery.
“Guys did a good job getting to the ball and knocking it out,” Edwards said. “Forcing turnovers is always (important).”
All three interceptions came on third down.
“I think the biggest thing was that we knew they wanted to run the ball,” Edwards said. “So early on we had to do what we could to get them in third downs and make them throw the ball.”
From the infirmary
Sagapolu suffered an injury to his left leg on his interception and did not return.
Outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel came up limping after making a tackle on the final play of the third quarter and did not return.
Although UW officials did not provide an official update, neither injury appeared to serious.
Van Ginkel, who has been slowed by an ankle injury suffered against BYU, recorded a sack and finished with six tackles. He entered the day with 13 total tackles.
“Even in the games where he hasn't played as many snaps, he impacts it,” Chryst said of Van Ginkel. “It’s fun to see him out there a lot.
“Hopefully he continues to come out of this one all right and continues to get healthier. Gink is a really good football player.”
Hornibrook moves up
Hornibrook completed 13 of 22 passes for 188 yards to become the seventh UW player to reach the 5,000-yard passing mark.
Hornibrook has 5,157 yards, which is the No. 6 mark in program history. He needs 115 yards to pass Scott Tolzien for the No. 5 mark.
Extra points
UW has converted just 5 of its last 19 third-down chances. One week after a 2-for-11 performance in the loss to Michigan, UW converted 3 of 8 chances against the Illini.…
Defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk missed his second consecutive game since suffering a left ankle injury against Nebraska. Loudermilk was wearing a walking boot while watching practice on Thursday but didn’t appear to have a boot on Saturday.…
Wisconsin improved its record against West Division foes to 24-3 (.889 winning percentage) since the Big Ten realigned the divisions before the 2014 season.…
UW has won nine consecutive meetings with Illinois. That is the longest winning streak in the series, which began in 1895. Four of those victories have come under Chryst, and the Badgers have outscored the Illini by a combined 145-46 in those games.