Wisconsin Badgers vs Northwestern Wildcats Box Score on Oct 04, 2014

Northwestern 20, No. 16 Wisconsin 14: Trevor Siemian threw for a touchdown and wide receiver Miles Shuler added a rushing score as the host Wildcats withstood a standout performance from Melvin Gordon to upset the Badgers.

Justin Jackson set career highs with 33 carries and 162 yards for Northwestern (3-2, 2-0 Big Ten), which has won its first two conference games for the first time since 2000. Fellow freshman Godwin Igwebuike collected three interceptions, two of which thwarted potential touchdown drives and the other which ended Wisconsin’s last-ditch effort in the closing seconds, as the Wildcats forced a season-high four turnovers.

Gordon carried 27 times for a career-high 259 yards for the Badgers (3-2, 0-1), who saw their 17-game streak of scoring at least 20 points snapped. Joel Stave replaced ineffective starting quarterback Tanner McEvoy (4-of-10 for 24 yards and an interception) on the final drive of the first half and passed for 114 yards with three interceptions, although he guided Wisconsin to a late fourth-quarter score.

Igwebuike intercepted McEvoy in the first quarter to thwart the Badgers’ only scoring threat in the first half and Jack Mitchell capped a 13-play drive on the ensuing possession with a short field goal. Northwestern used a 15-play march in the second quarter to stretch the lead to 10-0 when Siemian found Dan Vitale in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard score.

Gordon broke loose for a 61-yard sprint on his first carry of the second half and the Badgers got on the board five plays later on his 2-yard TD, but Jimmy Hall intercepted Stave on Wisconsin’s next drive and Shuler took a reverse 16 yards for a score. Stave was picked off by Igwebuike midway through the fourth quarter before the junior signal-caller rebounded with a 19-yard scoring strike to Kenzel Doe with 4:16 left.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Northwestern has won four straight home games in this series. … Wisconsin has scored a touchdown on its first possession of the second half in all five games this season. All five drives have covered at least 75 yards. … The Badgers became the last team in FBS to surrender a red-zone touchdown on Vitale’s TD grab with 3:38 left in the first half.