Sports: Football

LB Levy earns defensive honors

After a strong performance on the road this weekend, senior linebacker DeAndre Levy was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.

Levy, who had nine total tackles, including four for a loss, was instrumental in the Badger’s victory against Fresno State at Bulldog Stadium. His first-quarter interception after defensive end Matt Shaughnessy deflected a pass gave Wisconsin good field position, enabling them to score their only touchdown of the game. Levy’s fourth-quarter sack of Fresno State quarterback Tom Brandstater helped secure the victory.

“DeAndre Levy, he was sudden. He was all over the place,” UW head coach Bret Bielema said after Saturday’s game.

Levy was also in the midst of controversy as an apparent fumble by Fresno State wide receiver Devon Wylie was overturned after an official review. Had the call stood, Levy would have been credited for both causing and recovering the fumble.

“On the field, I thought for sure [it was a fumble],” Levy said after the game. “It kind of surprised me.”

This marks the second time Levy has won the award. The first time was on Oct. 29, 2007, after a 37-34 win over Michigan State in which he had five tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. Levy is the first Badger to win defensive player of the week honors since Shaughnessy did it in November 2007.

It was announced Monday that the kickoff of Wisconsin’s next game at Michigan will be Sept. 27 at 2:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on ABC. This is the first time the Badgers will face the Wolverines under new head coach Rich Rodriguez. The last time UW traveled to the Big House in 2006, it lost 27-13 in the team’s only loss of the season. Last year at Camp Randall, the Badgers were able to beat the Wolverines, who were without running back Michael Hart, 37-21.

—Derek Zetlin contributed to this report.