With a 34-28 victory Saturday over the Hawkeyes, Wisconsin kept its quest for a bowl bid alive for at least another week.

Needing to win all remaining games in order to become eligible for a postseason bowl game, the Badgers took the first step in doing so with a victory in the first of three must-win games.

“We’re in a one-game playoff system right now — win or go home — and I don’t want to go home,” UW senior defensive lineman Wendell Bryant said.

En route to winning its first pseudo-playoff game, Wisconsin achieved the goal of playing four consistent quarters that head coach Barry Alvarez had set for them before the start of the game.

The Badgers also put out solid defense, which is something that has been absent in the first part of the season. In the first half Erasmus James and Bryson Thompson both forced fumbles on the Hawkeyes, which created key turnovers and field position for UW.

“The fumbles were keys to the ball game,” Alvarez said. “Those were huge.”

The defense also came up big when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter. Nursing a six-point lead, the Badgers’ defense shut down the Hawkeyes’ offense and prevented them from taking the lead in the closing moments.

Offensively, Brooks Bollinger and Lee Evans led UW. Bollinger took the snaps while still suffering from lingering effects of his groin pull against Illinois; he completed 14 of 23 passes for 262 yards. Evans turned in another big performance with seven receptions for 175 yards.