STATE COLLEGE, Pa — Wisconsin's defense knew the challenge they were in for. How could they not? They'd been fielding questions about Penn State's Michael Robinson since their victory over Illinois the week before.
But despite a week of preparation, Wisconsin just didn't have an answer for the shifty senior quarterback.
Robinson looked more like a linebacker than a quarterback at times — running through Wisconsin defenders for 125 yards on the ground — making this the second consecutive week the UW defense has allowed at least 100 yards rushing to the opposing quarterback.
"He's the key to that offense," head coach Barry Alvarez said. "You can have everything closed in and he can break tackles, move the pile."
Wisconsin also struggled to slow down Penn State running back Tony Hunt, whose bruising style allowed him to break several tackles — a reoccurring problem for the Badger defense — en route to a 151-yard, two-touchdown performance.
"Missed tackles are not called for. We correct it everyday, but missed tackles is something we cannot keep doing every week," senior linebacker Dontez Sanders said of his team's tackling troubles. "Tackling basically is just an attitude. But we're 22, 23 years old, we know how to go out there and wrap a guy up. We're just not doing it."
Wisconsin was also not stopping Robinson in the passing game. The senior was far from perfect against UW — he completed only 13 of 28 passes on the day and missed open receivers several times — but still managed to amass 238 yards as well as a pair of touchdowns. Wisconsin did, however, manage a pair of interceptions against the PSU signal caller, including a touchdown-saving pick by Zach Hampton.
Brett Bell continued to be the most maligned of any player in the UW secondary as the senior allowed both of Robinson's touchdown passes to Deon Butler, both of which came from at least 40 yards away.
"I thought they were going to be shorter routes and they ended up going deep," a visibly upset Bell said.
"I can't exactly pinpoint what it is, I'm not a doctor, but it's definitely something that's frustrating for him and it's frustrating for us," defensive coordinator Bret Bielema said.
Ikegwuonu, Lawrence leave with injuries: Starting cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu and starting left guard Matt Lawrence both left Saturday's game with injuries and failed to return to action.
Ikegwuonu limped off the field in the first quarter and was seen riding the team's exercise bike. He returned during the Nittany Lions' third scoring drive but then left for good in the second quarter with what Alvarez classified as a pulled hamstring.
Lawrence left the game with a left leg injury early in the fourth quarter on a 26-yard completion from quarterback John Stocco to tight end Owen Daniels. Lawrence was replaced in the lineup by sophomore Marcus Coleman for the remainder of the game.
Rowan displaying mettle: With Ikegwuonu out, and Bell struggling, UW senior Levonne Rowan saw his most extensive action since UW's opener against Bowling Green.
Rowan, an Erie, Pa., native, played well in the final return to his home state, recording a tackle and two pass breakups, including one breakup on a key third-and-six play to sophomore Terrell Golden that kept Wisconsin within striking distance late in the game.
"I thought Levonne competed back there and he made a couple of plays," Alvarez said.
Diggin' through the wardrobe: The Badgers donned red pants with their white away jerseys for the first time since their Nov. 8, 2003, contest against Minnesota in Minneapolis. In a twist of fate, the Badgers also lost that contest — falling 37-34 to the then-No. 24-ranked Golden Gophers.
