The Badgers welcomed a packed crowd 76,069 strong to Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday’s sunny afternoon as they faced the South Dakota Coyotes.
The game looked to be a good one, as both teams came into the matchup 1-0 after the Badgers defeated Western Michigan 28-14 and South Dakota defeated Northern State 45-3 in Week 1.
The Badgers’ first drive was everything fans were hoping for. They quickly jumped on a loose ball caused by a Chez Mellusi fumble on the first play of the game before quarterback Tyler Van Dyke fired a ball downfield, good for a 32 yard completion to receiver Vinny Anthony II.
Seven points were already on the board before everyone was seated thanks to a 22 yard pass by Van Dyke to receiver Bryson Green, which allowed running back Chez Mellusi to walk nine yards nearly untouched into the end zone.
The first defensive drive was also almost as good as it could’ve been for the Badgers. Despite a 25 yard reception by Coyote running back Travis Theis, the Badgers were able to stuff the run and force a punt after only four plays.
The Badgers weren’t able to recreate their opening-drive success, being forced to punt after Van Dyke’s deep pass was broken up by the Coyote defense.
After a quick 3-and-out by South Dakota, the Badgers couldn’t wait to score another touchdown and did so in only three plays. Van Dyke sold a play-action and rolled out to the right before he found receiver CJ Williams wide open, who cruised right into the end zone for a 50 yard touchdown, his first as a Badger.
Two long drives that resulted in field goals by both teams brought the score at halftime to 17-3 in favor of the Badgers. In the first half, Van Dyke completed nine out of his 11 pass attempts.
Cade Yacamelli and Mellusi shared the bulk of the rushing attempts, with Yacamelli rushing for 59 yards and Mellusi scoring a touchdown.
Van Dyke liked to share the ball between his receivers, with four different players receiving two targets, including Williams’ one catch for a touchdown and two catches by Anthony II, Green and Yacamelli for over 30 yards each.
Second Half:
Following the halftime break, the Coyotes broke off several big runs in a row, culminating in a 75 yard drive in only four plays. The Coyotes finished their opening drive of the second half with a 35 yard rushing touchdown by Keyondray Jones-Logan.
The Badgers’ first drive of the second half wasn’t nearly as successful as their first half counterpart, as Van Dyke went down for a sack on 3rd down, forcing a punt.
The Coyotes were forced to punt on their next drive, but the punt was muffed by Anthony II and recovered by South Dakota on the Badgers’ eight-yard line.
Despite the setback, the Badgers held strong on the goal line forcing two incompletions, the second of which was called for targeting on linebacker Jack Chaney after review, which led to him being ejected from the remainder of the game.
The Badgers were able to recover from the downs being reset, sacking quarterback Aidan Bouman and forcing a short field goal to bring the score to 17-13 in favor of the Badgers.
Badgers kicker Nathanial Vakos kicked his longest field goal of the season on the ensuing drive from 50 yards, restoring the Badgers’ seven-point lead with two minutes left in the third quarter.
South Dakota couldn’t find points on their next two drives, but when the Badgers received the ball with 12 minutes to go, they made it count.
With the help of three separate 15-yard penalties, the Badgers drove 81 yards all the way to the Coyotes’ four-yard line. The defensive line held strong, and the Badgers had to rely on a risky fourth-down rush by Mellusi to find the end zone.
That score proved to be the dagger in the matchup, as South Dakota went three-and-out before the Badgers ran out the clock to cap off a 27-13 victory in Week 2.
Van Dyke finished the game 17 for 27, passing for 214 yards and a touchdown. Mellusi and Yacamelli had a productive game, the former scoring two touchdowns and the latter rushing for 73 yards on only eight carries. Receiver Will Pauling had a great second half, reeling in four catches for 48 yards.
“It was a great atmosphere [at Camp Randall],” Head Coach Luke Fickell said postgame. “It’s a two-way street, we want [the fans] there, but we have a job to do to make sure to give them what they want to see so we can create this home field advantage.”
The Badgers are up next against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Camp Randall next Saturday, Sept. 14, looking to keep their undefeated streak alive.
