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After suffering a heartbreaking loss in the final seconds against Michigan State last weekend, the Wisconsin running game exploded Saturday afternoon as the Badgers defeated the Indiana Hoosiers 55-20 in Bloomington’s Memorial Stadium. The Badgers re-established their traditional run-the-ball identity, erupting for 441 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

With the win, the Badgers recorded their second Big Ten victory and evened their overall record to .500, keeping the school’s bowl eligibility hopes alive.

Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema praised his players at his weekly press conference Monday.

“I thought our team presented (itself) in a way that we like to play the game of football: Wisconsin-style, an aggressive, physical, four-quarter game,” Bielema said. “I really liked the attitude they had coming out of the locker room and put forward for the rest of the game.”

Game honors awarded

The Badgers quickly established the tone for the second half of Saturday’s game behind sophomore wide receiver David Gilreath’s 90-yard touchdown run with 13:32 left in the third quarter. The play marked the second-longest run from scrimmage in Wisconsin football history.

In addition to receiving game honors, Gilreath was also named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his 235 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.

“David Gilreath shared a co-offensive MVP,” Bielema said of his wide receiver. “David had a lot of production, a lot of yardage, some catches.”

Sophomore wide receiver Isaac Anderson also received honors from the coaching staff for his performance against the Hoosiers.

“Isaac didn’t have on catch on Saturday, but probably played as important a role as anybody in some of the big plays offensively,” Bielema said.

On the defensive side of the ball, seniors Mike Newkirk and Allen Langford earned recognition for their individual efforts in the win.

“Langford has played some really good games this year, but probably played his most complete game on Saturday,” Bielema said of the senior cornerback, who recorded three tackles and two broken passes for the game.

Newkirk, the senior defensive lineman, finished with five total tackles on the day.

Junior strong safety Aubrey Pleasant was honored for his performance on special teams. He recorded three tackles and combined on one tackle for a loss.

“He has persevered and continued to give us reps,” Bielema noted. “I asked him two weeks ago to step up his play on special teams and he did that.”

Border Battle for the Axe

With the Minnesota Gophers visiting Camp Randall Saturday afternoon, the attention shifts to Paul Bunyan’s Axe, the trophy given to the winner of the rivalry game.

“This is a special one because of the history of college football and how long it has been around,” Bielema said.

The series is the most-played rivalry in Football Bowl Subdivision history, with games dating back to 1890.

“I think the history of the Axe and the emphasis on that came out under coach Alvarez and the importance of a trophy game and what it did and what it meant. It represents more than just a trophy; it represents a victory against a stated rivalry that goes back over a number of years,” Bielema said. “It informs people of the history, the great players, the guys that have played this game and the results of it.

“It is a border battle, a battle for the axe, and it’s a big game within college football history. Our kids are excited.”

Injury Report

Senior right tackle Eric Vanden Heuvel left Saturday’s game with a lower leg injury, and his status for this weekend’s matchup against Minnesota remains uncertain.

Bielema, however, is optimistic about his availability.

“He did feel a lot better yesterday than we expected,” Bielema said. “There is a chance he could play this coming Saturday. I know this is one he really wants to play in, his last Big Ten football game.”

Junior linebacker Jaevery McFadden has been recovering from a concussion but does not seem to be suffering from any long-term effects from the head injury, according to Bielema.

“Jaevery felt a lot better on Sunday. They did the tests that they do after guys have had a concussion, and he fared very, very well,” Bielema said. “If I know Jaevery and the way he loves to compete, my guess is that he’ll be out there.”