MADISON, Wis. - The nation's stingiest defense is impressive even without some of its most important parts. Anthony Davis rushed for two touchdowns and Wisconsin defeated Northwestern 24-12 Saturday with star defensive end Erasmus James on the sideline along with his pass-rushing partner Jonathan Welsh and middle linebacker Reggie Cribbs.
"Sometimes you have special years," coach Barry Alvarez said after the Badgers opened 8-0 for just the fourth time in the program's 115-year history. "I said during two-a-days I thought this team had a spirit about them."
Andy Crooks played in Cribbs' spot and the Badgers turned to subs Joe Monty, Justin Ostrowski and Jamal Cooper to close off the edges and prevent Northwestern's mobile quarterback Brett Basanez from hurting them with his trademark rollouts and bootlegs.
For most of the game, he didn't hurt them with his arm, either. Basanez was just 5-of-18 for 34 yards in the first half and the Wildcats fell behind 24-0 before finally finding their rhythm.
Northwestern hadn't lost to Wisconsin since 1999.
IOWA 6, PENN STATE 4: Kyle Schlicher kicked two field goals and the visiting Hawkeyes held the Nittany Lions offense scoreless. Penn State took a 2-0 lead on the first possession when the snap went over punter David Bradley's head and into the end zone. Bradley kicked the ball out the back of the end zone. Iowa gave the Nittany Lions their final two points, conceding a safety instead of punting from its own end zone late in the fourth. The Hawkeyes hadn't won a game scoring so few points since 6-0 over Northwestern in 1957.
OHIO STATE 30, INDIANA 7: Troy Smith threw two touchdowns and Tony Pittman ran for 144 yards - both in their first collegiate starts - as the host Buckeyes ended a three-game losing streak. Pittman, starting at tailback in place of the suspended Lydell Ross, carried 20 times for 144 yards and had a 28-yard touchdown late. Ross was held out of the game for passing counterfeit coupons at a Columbus strip bar hours after Ohio State's third consecutive loss, 31-7 at Iowa. Indiana lost its 12th in a row to the Buckeyes, who avoided their first 0-4 start in conference since 1922.
MINNESOTA 45, ILLINOIS 0: Marion Barber ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as the host Gophers ended a two-game skid. Barber gained 138 yards on 11 carries for Minnesota, the nation's third-leading rushing team whose Big Ten title hopes were crushed by losses at Michigan (27-24) and Michigan State (51-17). Bryan Cupito completed 10 of 21 passes for 247 yards and one touchdown for Minnesota, which became bowl eligible. The Illini were held to 72 yards rushing.
