Oregon squeezes past Wisconsin 28-27 for Rose Bowl win

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 1, 2020

The Oregon Ducks, with quarterback Justin Herbert rushing for three touchdowns and Brady Breeze scoring another on a fumble return, defeated the Wisconsin Badgers 28-27 Wednesday in the Rose Bowl game at Pasadena, California.

The sixth-ranked Ducks finished the season with a 12-2 record.

The No. 8 Badgers were 10-4.

Oregon took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in 12 plays for a touchdown. Herbert ran the final four yards.

Wisconsin’s Aron Cruickshank took the ensuing kickoff and raced along the right sideline 75 yards for a touchdown, and the score was 7-7 5:19 into the game.

Wisconsin’s Jack Sanborn interecepted Herbert near the line of scrimmage on Oregon’s next offensive play. UW took over at the UO 27, and the Badgers’ Collin Larsh made a 44-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead at the 8:05 mark.

The next score came after Oregon’s pass rush forced a high throw intercepted by defensive back Thomas Graham Jr. The Ducks’ offense then went from the Wisconsin 33 to the 5. From there, it was Herbert again on the run to the left. His rushing TD gave the Pac-12 champions a 14-10 advantage with 3:16 left in the half.

Wisconsin reclaimed the lead 11 seconds before the break and went to intermission on top 17-14. A 47-yard kickoff return by Cruickshank and a 15-yard pass intereference penalty helped the Badgers reach the Oregon 11, and from there quarterback Jack Coan threw over the middle to Quintez Cephus for a touchdown.

Early in the third quarter, Breeze, from Central Catholic High, picked up a fumble by the Wisconsin punter and raced 31 yards for a go-ahead touchdown. The PAT by Camden Lewis gave the Ducks a 21-17 lead.

Wisconsin went up 24-21 with 4:53 remaining in the third quarter. The Badgers’ Mason Stokke ran two yards on fourth-and-1 to cap an 11-play, 65-yard drive.

A 51-yard drive in 11 plays by Wisconsin resulted in an early fourth-quarter field goal that boosted its lead to 27-21. Larsh hit from 27 yards with 12:09 on the clock.

A hit on defense by Breeze caused a Wisconsin fumble with 7:51 to play, and Oregon recovered at the Badgers’ 30. On the next snap, Herbert kept the ball and darted into the end zone, and the Ducks led 28-27.