True freshman Ryan Hopkins passed for 241 yards and three touchdowns in his first start as Wisconsin pulled away in the second half for a 31-10 victory over visiting Rutgers in a Big Ten matchup Saturday in Madison, Wis.
Wisconsin led 13-10 at the half as the teams combined for more field goals than touchdowns, but Hopkins had a pair of touchdown passes after the break. Gavin Lahm added three fields goals for the Badgers (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten), who became bowl eligible.
Hopkins completed 18 of 24 passes to eight different receivers as Wisconsin outgained the Scarlet Knights 363-255.
Hopkins saw his first significant action last week, relieving season-long starter Colton Joseph in the second half in Wisconsin’s 30-0 loss at Iowa, completing 8 of 13 passes for 93 yards.
AJ Surace, starting in place of injured Dylan Lonergan, completed 14 of 24 passes for 161 yards with one touchdown for Rutgers (2-7, 1-5), which lost its third straight.
Wisconsin stretched its lead to 16-10 with 4:52 left in the third quarter on Lahm’s 22-yard field goal, his third of the game.
The Badgers forced a three-and-out and Hopkins engineered a 59-yard scoring drive, capped by an 11-yard pass to Ryan Schwendeman. The two-point conversion pushed the lead to 24-10 late in the third period.
Jacob Harris turned a short reception on third-and-16 into a 66-yard touchdown pass up the right sideline to make it 31-10 with just over 10 minutes remaining.
Hopkins put the Badgers in front 7-0 midway through the first quarter with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Eugene Hilton Jr. to cap an eight-play, 86-yard drive.
Jack Scullion brought the Scarlet Knights within 7-3 entering the second quarter with a 45-yard field goal. Rutgers kept the 48-yard drive alive with two third-down conversions.
Lahm countered with a 51-yard field goal midway through the second period to put the Badgers up 10-3, but Rutgers responded with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.
Surace’s 30-yard scoring pass to Dyzier Carter brought the Scarlet Knights even at 10-all with 3:21 left in the half.
Lahm added a 26-yard field goal with 24 seconds left in the half.