In the first quarter of No. 8 Wisconsin’s game against No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday night, Badgers running back Corey Clement ripped off a 68-yard run to the Buckeyes’ 27-yard line. But Ohio State’s Chris Worley chased down Clement at the end of the play and ripped out the ball for a fumble, which Ohio State scooped up for a key turnover.
Why this weird Wisconsin fumble ended up back in the Badgers’ possession
The Badgers got lucky, which is a good thing when you’re trying to beat Ohio State.
Except, the Badgers got the ball back, because officials ruled correctly that Clement, in being tackled into the sideline, made contact with the ball while he was out of bounds. By rule, that meant the end of the play and gave Wisconsin new life, denying the Buckeyes a chance to legally recover.
The ball might’ve hit Clement a couple of times once the majority of his body was on the white-painted sideline, but it clearly struck his left foot while he and Worley were mid-tumble. Clement clearly fumbled, but he clearly ended the play, too.
It was an incredible stroke of good luck for Wisconsin, which is the kind of thing you’ll probably need to have a credible shot at beating Ohio State.
The Badgers scored a touchdown three snaps later to go up 10-0, sending Camp Randall Stadium into a frenzy. If they win, this swing of at least seven points will probably be a pretty huge reason why.
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