Jonathan Taylor raises UW on Purdue in three overtime

Taylor ran 12 times for 74 yards, averaging 6.2 yards per run in the first half. He ran 21 times for 247 yards, averaging 11.8 yards per run, the rest of the game.

"We came together," Taylor told the Big Ten network. "We are a very resilient team and we have struggled so much this season that I made the decision to give everything for seniors.

"They invested so much in this program that I just wanted them to know that I appreciate what they did.

"I will try to continue on the same footsteps as they put themselves in front of me."

Taylor's performance allowed UW to win without quarterback Alex Hornibrook (concussion), right tackle David Edwards (left arm) and half reserve reserve from Taiwan Deal (hamstring).

Several UW players have won balls to help the Badgers (7-4, 5-3 Big Ten) win for the second time only in five road games this season and extend their winning streak against Purdue at 13 games.

The Badgers started their league game with a 28-17 win at the hands of Iowa, but suffered defeats on the road against Michigan, Northwestern and Penn State.

Purdue (5-6, 4-4) suffered his third defeat in four games and still needs to win a race to become eligible to compete with head coach Jeff Brohm.

Jack Coan, making his third start at Hornibrook, completed 16 of 24 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. He hit Danny Davis (four catches for 82 yards) for touchdowns of 5 and 18 yards over the last 6 minutes and 40 seconds to help UW clear a 27-13 deficit.

Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel had 10 tackles, all solos. His biggest stop came in the fourth quarter, with Purdue facing first and scoring the goal for UW 10 and looking to consolidate a 24-13 lead.

Van Ginkel was able to knock back halfback Markell Jones from behind at UW 1. It looked like Jones was heading to the end zone but Van Ginkel's tumult and long reach belied the score .

This game did not delay the inevitable either.

Jones did not win anything on the second try, and linebacker Ryan Connelly gave Jones the advantage for a one meter loss on the third try. Purdue was content with a goal and a 27-13 lead with 9:57 to go.

Cue Coan and Davis.

Coan closed a nine-game, 62-yard run with three consecutive finals. The last was a 5-yard Davis, who went up and grabbed the ball with his right hand and fell on his back in the end zone with 6:40 left in the regulation.

It is time for the defense to rise.

Boilermakers gained 6 yards on the first try, but nothing on the next two games, one point and one pass.

UW took over at 32 hours at 5:01. Taylor opened the scoring with a 35-yard run and Coan and Davis crowned him with an 18-yard touchdown pass. Rafael Gaglianone, who missed an attempt on a 30-yard field goal in the first half, added the conversion to a 27-27 draw with 2:51 left.

"Every game makes such a difference," said Chryst when asked about Davis, who scored four catches for 82 yards. "If we do not get touchdowns, it will not happen.

"It takes special pieces and special moments and I thought a lot of guys created them."

Purdue recovered the ball twice in the regulation, but a practice ended at the UW 40 and the Boilermakers responded. Their last possession started at 39, with 59 seconds, and ended at 44 after just three games.

The Van Ginkel stop was not the only critical play of a UW linebacker.

Senior T.J. Edwards beat back-back Alexander Horvath for a one-yard defeat on the third goal and a goal of the UW 2 at the last minute of the first half. This forced the Boilermakers to settle for an investment and a 10-3 advance.

Taylor cleared that lead with an 80-yard touchdown in UW's first offensive game in the second period.

"There are so many guys who have contributed to this," Chryst said during his post-game radio show. "But I like resilience so much, they kept playing together, that's what makes it special."

The extra three hours had as many dramatic consequences as regulation, if not more.

UW won the draw and went to the defense. Rondale Moore (nine catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns) helped the Boilermakers take a 34-27 lead with a 15-yard touchdown. Moore went through several UW defenders to get to the end zone.

Could UW respond again? Yes.

Taylor gained 2 yards, Coan hit tight space Jake Ferguson for 12 yards and Taylor took him home from the right side.

UW got the ball first in the second overtime and Taylor scored 22 rushing yards. After a false start penalty on UW and an offside against Purdue, Garrett Groshek scored on a 4-yard run to help UW take the lead at 41-34.

Now, it was up to UW's defense to win the victory.

Not yet.

Purdue's David Blough (31 of 48) hit Isaac Zico, who beat cornerback Faion Hicks for a 25-yard touchdown in the opening game. Spencer Evans added the conversion to forge a 41-41 draw and impose a third overtime.

UW's defense held and forced Evans to score a 41-yard field goal. Evans went into day 1 for 5 of 40 yards or more.

Purdue's defense finally faltered. Taylor, whose points scored 80, 12 and 17 yards, racked up 8 yards in the first try of the third overtime, then tore up a tired defense for 17 yards and victory.

Purdue could not attack Taylor but his team-mates made it to the back of the end zone after UW's second win over UW.

Taylor told the Big Ten network that hitting the 300-yard mark for the first time at UW was the last thing he thought about.

"By the end of the match, it was winning," he said. "Once we went into overtime, the intensity and energy doubled.

"We had to win the victory."

They did, improbably.