Lightning, Arizona can’t stop Wisconsin’s Stanley
TUCSON, Ariz. — Booker Stanley ran for a career-high 135 yards on 30 carries, including a 7-yard run for Wisconsin’s only touchdown, and the 20th-ranked Badgers rallied for a stormy 9-7 victory over Arizona on Saturday.
Arizona will be Washington State’s next opponent this-coming Saturday in Tucson.
The game was delayed for 88 minutes in the second quarter because of lightning.
Mike Allen, who missed a conversion try, kicked a 23-yard field goal with 3:47 to play for what proved to be the game-winner.
Arizona drove to the Wisconsin 25 on its last possession, but a false start penalty pushed the Wildcats back. Nick Folk, who earlier missed a 43-yarder to the right, missed one from 47 to the left with 43 seconds to play.
Kris Heavner’s 44-yard scoring pass to Mike Jefferson put Arizona up 7-0 with 32 seconds left in the first half, the only touchdown Wisconsin (3-0) has allowed this season.
The Wildcats (1-2), who lost to a nationally ranked team for the 16th straight time, recovered two Wisconsin fumbles and stopped the Badgers on fourth-and-1 at the Arizona 4.
However, Wisconsin converted on its three other fourth-down tries, including one each on both of its scoring drives.
The Badgers used up 7:26 to drive 72 yards to the Arizona 5 and set up Allen’s field goal. On fourth-and-5 from the Wildcats 35, John Stocco threw 6 yards to Owen Daniels to the 29. Stanley followed with a 16-yard run to the 12.
Stanley is filling in for star tailback Anthony Davis, who missed his second straight game with an eye injury.
Coaches for both teams agreed to skip half time because of the long delay, which came with 6:13 left in the second quarter and the game scoreless.
During and after the unscheduled break, heavy rain from Tropical Storm Javier drenched the grass field at Arizona Stadium.
When play resumed, Wisconsin moved from its 8 to its 27, then had to punt. Arizona got a first down at the Wisconsin 45, then on third-and-9, defender Jim Leonhard slipped on the muddy turf when Jefferson made his move. Heavner’s throw was short, but Jefferson was so wide open he came back to catch it, then made it to the end zone.
The Badgers went 56 yards in 10 plays for their touchdown. On fourth-and-3 from the Arizona 27, Stocco faked a handoff up the middle, then ran outside to his left eight yards to the 19. A 9-yard pass to Matt Bernstein set up Stanley’s 7-yard touchdown run up the middle that made it 7-6 with 14:21 to play.
However, the snap on the conversion was high, and holder Ken DeBauche barely got the ball down. Allen’s kick was wide right.
Even before the storm hit, there was little offense from either team, including a Wisconsin drive that stalled on fourth-and-1 at the Arizona 4 in the first quarter.