STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Already down double digits, Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema faced a difficult choice on a fourth-and-6 with 18 seconds left in the first half of Saturday’s 38-7 loss to Penn State.
Try a 52-yard field goal? Go for a first down to try to swing momentum?
Nope. Instead, Bielema elected to take a delay-of-game penalty before pooch punting.
Bielema said he “didn’t want to give them the ball with another timeout, just by the way our defense played.”
The Badgers weren’t in kicker Taylor Mehlaff’s range, either, Bielema said.
Wisconsin settled for a touchback after the punt bounced into the end zone. Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli took a knee and the Nittany Lions went into halftime with a 24-7 lead.
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RUNNING HILL:(at) Wisconsin star tailback P.J. Hill was held to 75 yards on Saturday — 50 below his season average.
Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said he thought Hill didn’t look like his normal bruising self. The running back hurt a groin last week, and Bielema said Hill may have hurt a wrist against the Nittany Lions.
“I thought there were a couple where he popped free and he had a nice burst, especially in the second half,” Bielema said.
Hill, who grew up in East Elmhurst, N.Y., didn’t come out to talk to reporters after the game. Hill scored a touchdown but also fumbled on Wisconsin’s first play of the game, setting up a Penn State score.
“This game always means something to him because he’s as close as he’ll get back to home,” Bielema said. “It’s unfortunate he wasn’t able to have more success, but in the flow of the game we started going to the air because of what we had to do.”
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INJURY NEWS: Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick broke a bone in his left hand but should be able to play next week against Indiana.
Defensive end/linebacker Jerome Hayes hurt his right knee. Coach Joe Paterno will have a better idea of the extent of his injury after doctors examine Hayes on Sunday.
Source: www.sportingnews.com
