More reaction to the Champs Sports Bowl at our Hurricanes blog, The 7th Floor, and our Badgers Blog, Bucky’s 5th Quarter.
Champs Sports Bowl: No. 14 Miami’s Next Step In Program’s Resurgence: A Win Over No. 24 Wisconsin
Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - John Clay ran for a pair of scores, as 24th- ranked Wisconsin held on to beat No. 14 Miami-Florida, 20-14, in the Champs Sports Bowl.
Miami scored with 1:22 left to get within one touchdown before recovering an onside kick, but the Badgers stifled the Hurricanes’ offense, forcing a turnover on downs to secure the victory.
Clay, the Big Ten's leading rusher and offensive player of the year, totaled 121 yards to provide a rushing complement to the Badgers' passing game. Scott Tolzien threw for 256 yards, with one interception, and was an efficient 19- of-26.
Wisconsin (10-3) lost this bowl last year to Florida State, but won Tuesday with a defense that limited Miami (9-4) to 245 total yards and recorded five sacks of Hurricanes quarterback Jacory Harris. With the victory, the Badgers got their first 10-win season since 2006.
Harris was pressured the entire game, getting banged up to the point he wore a wrap on his left knee and walked with a slight limp. He completed 16-of-29 passes for 189 yards and a score, but the Hurricanes had little in the way of a running game, netting just 56 yards on the ground. Graig Cooper ran for a touchdown in the loss.
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