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Each week, they talked about playing four quarters and finishing football games with a win. On Saturday, they finally did both.

In only his second career start, junior quarterback Dustin Sherer led the struggling Wisconsin football team (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten) to its first conference win of the season, a 27-17 victory over visiting Illinois (4-4, 2-3) in front of 81,241 fans packed into Camp Randall Stadium.

With the game knotted at 17, it was UW freshman cornerback Niles Brinkley who got things rolling for the Badgers on the first play of the fourth quarter with a 47-yard interception return down to the Illinois 36-yard line.

“I was just playing coverage,” Brinkley said. “It was a tipped ball and I was just trying to make a play.”

Wisconsin converted the turnover into three points as freshman kicker Philip Welch’s 38-yard field goal sailed through the uprights for a 20-17 lead.

Sherer then orchestrated a 10-play, 80-yard drive that chewed up 5:45 off the clock, capped off by an 8-yard strike to David Gilreath, his second touchdown reception of the day.

“[David’s] desire to get in the end zone was the spark that turned everything,” UW head coach Bret Bielema said.

Sherer accounted for all three Wisconsin touchdowns, the first of which came on a 15-yard scramble in the second quarter to take a 10-7 lead. Sherer finished with 174 passing yards, 40 rushing yards and three total scores. He outrushed Illinois’ Isiah “Juice” Williams by a 36-yard margin.

“I was comfortable, and guys made plays, too,” Sherer said. “It was nice to get out of the pocket and run a little bit.”

The Wisconsin defense held the Illini to 309 total yards on offense and forced three interceptions from Williams. Free safety Chris Maragos and cornerback Allen Langford created a turnover each before Brinkley’s fourth-quarter pick.

“We wanted to get the momentum on our side,” Maragos said. “[Williams] just overthrew [his receiver] and I was in the right spot at the right time to make the play.

“It’s a good thing to have the ball in your hands,” the converted wide receiver continued. “It’s a rare thing now.”

Illinois took the second-half kickoff and put together a 70-yard scoring drive, ending with a 14-yard reception by a wide-open A.J. Jenkins in the corner of the end zone. The Illini took a 17-10 advantage, but Sherer and Co. came right back.

On the Badgers’ ensuing possession, Sherer found Gilreath on a slant over the middle. The sophomore then scampered for a 49-yard score, tying the game once more at 17. Gilreath finished with three catches for 71 yards and two scores.

“I’m not really a possession receiver, so I would hope I can break some out there,” Gilreath said. “I hope I can do that a lot.

“Dustin did a great job. The line held up for him, he hit me and I just ran.”

With junior running back P.J. Hill banged up with an ankle injury, freshman John Clay got the bulk of UW’s carries in his first career start. He ended with 88 yards on 25 attempts, both career highs.

“John has really done a good job of staying in tune with the game,” Bielema said. “For him to handle our offense on first, second and third down is just a continual learning curve.”

In Wisconsin’s four losses this season, the defense had given up a combined 85 second-half points. Saturday, the Badgers relinquished a mere seven points after the break, and were the first opponents to hold the Illini under 20 points this season.

“We tackled better; we kept the ball in front of us; we didn’t [give up] many big plays,” Bielema said. “If you don’t give up very many big plays, you’ve got a good chance of winning.”

Senior linebacker DeAndre Levy led the team with nine tackles, including one sack of Williams.

Senior tight end Travis Beckum left the game early in the third quarter with a broken left fibula. He will be sidelined for the rest of the season.

In Beckum’s absence, junior Garrett Graham finished with six receptions for 79 yards, including a 45-yard bomb from his roommate Sherer in the fourth quarter.

Wisconsin will travel to East Lansing, Mich., to take on Michigan State Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.