Final score: No. 7 Wisconsin 17 Purdue 9

Quick recap

This wasn’t the crispest performance Wisconsin has put together this season, but it was enough to get by an upset-minded Purdue team.

Wisconsin dominated the rushing attack on both sides of the ball. The Badgers’ offense rushed for over 300 yards while the defense held the Boilermakers to just 66 yards on the ground. That was the biggest difference during the low-scoring affair.

Purdue played about as well as it possibly could against a bigger, more talented Wisconsin team. The Boilers forced three turnovers and the defense made several stops throughout the afternoon, but the offense sputtered too much.

Jonathan Taylor was magnificent again, rushing for 219 yards and a touchdown in the victory.

Key play: Leon Jacobs intercepts Purdue’s Elijah Sindelar

Down 17-9 with the ball at the Wisconsin 7-yard line, Purdue was knocking on the door of potentially tying the game in Madison. But the Badgers got pressure and Sindelar made an ill-advised throw that was intercepted by Jacobs.

After that, the Badgers were able to grind down Purdue’s defense and milked the clock. It was the type of ending we’ve seen all too often in Madison.

Stat of the game: Purdue’s  total 221 yards

Purdue needed to have some sort of offensive firepower to beat Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium. But the Badgers were just too talented and didn’t give the Boilermakers too much.

The Boilermakers were only able to convert on 3-of-11 third down conversions and struggled to get anything going on the ground. Several offensive penalties really hurt, as well. Basically, Wisconsin prevented Purdue from getting into any sort of rhythm on that side of the ball.

What it means

Wisconsin’s path to the B1G West title is as clear as it gets. Sure, the Badgers still have tough games against Iowa and Michigan remaining on the schedule, but the Badgers should find their way back to Indianapolis without much trouble.

Jonathan Taylor is one of the top running backs in the country and Wisconsin’s passing attack with Alex Hornibrook under center can be a huge X-factor. The Badgers won ugly on Saturday, but they’re one of the most complete teams in the country.

As for Purdue, this loss proves they’re still just not quite there yet. The Boilers are getting better, but they really have to play a nearly perfect game to beat some of the elite teams in the B1G.