The Wisconsin Badgers (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) made a big statement about their season Saturday, defeating the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten) 17-10 in front of the fifth-largest crowd in the history of Camp Randall Stadium.

The Badgers snapped the defending national champion Buckeyes’ 19-game winning streak despite wet conditions and injuries to both starting quarterback Jim Sorgi and first-string tailback Anthony Davis.

“We played against a very, very good football team — a very talented team — a team that knows how to win,” head coach Barry Alvarez said. “To walk off that field and break the nation’s longest winning streak and stay undefeated in the league, it’s one of my most gratifying wins. I’m really proud of the staff and the players. It was a great win for us and our program.”

Junior quarterback Matt Schabert came into the game in relief of Sorgi, who left the game with 5:08 remaining in the third quarter after a throat injury. The Badgers attempted only 10 passing plays on the evening, but Schabert delivered a perfect throw to wide receiver Lee Evans for a 79-yard touchdown reception with 5:20 remaining in the game, giving Wisconsin a lead it would not surrender.

Ohio State tied the game at 10 with 6:09 remaining in the fourth quarter on a seven-play, 75-yard drive. Quarterback Craig Krenzel delivered a 46-yard pass to the outstretched hands of Buckeye receiver Drew Carter, giving the Buckeyes a first and goal from the Wisconsin six-yard line. After an errant throw over the head of Michael Jenkins, Krenzel connected with the senior receiver on the ensuing play for a six-yard score in the front of the end zone.

On the day, Krenzel was an erratic 14-of-26 for 202 yards with one interception to his one touchdown. The Wisconsin defense did a fine job containing the shifty quarterback, limiting Krenzel to a net rushing total of 19 yards on 11 carries. Defensively, the Badgers limited the Buckeyes to only 69 yards rushing. Tailbacks Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall were held to 45 combined yards.

“Our defensive front was awesome,” Alvarez said. “They never allowed [OSU] to establish the run. They kept pressure on the quarterback. I don’t know how they could play any better. Without blitzing they were getting pressure on [the quarterback].”

For the Badgers, on the other hand, the running game was in fine form. Redshirt freshman Booker Stanley recorded 125 yards on 31 carries and scored the Badgers’ first score of the game on a two-yard plunge on the first play of the second quarter.

Ohio State failed to get on the scoreboard until the end of the first half. After forcing the Buckeyes to punt on fourth down from their own 38-yard line, Jim Leonhard fumbled the return, and OSU’s Jason Bond recovered the ball on the Wisconsin 19-yard line.

Wisconsin’s defense was able to hold OSU to only 12 yards on eight plays on the ensuing drive, forcing the Buckeyes’ Mike Nugent to kick a 24-yard field goal, bringing Ohio State within four, 7-3, at halftime.

On the second play of the second half, Stanley reeled off a 29-yard run off the right tackle for a first down on the Ohio State 45-yard line. Sorgi took a shot at Brandon Williams, streaking toward the end zone, but the throw came up short, landing in the hands of Buckeye cornerback Dustin Fox.

After the Ohio State drive stalled, Buckeye punter B.J. Sander delivered a booming 64-yard punt, pinning the Badgers back on their own one-yard line. The Badgers were forced to punt on fourth down from the 10, and the Buckeyes’ Chris Gamble bobbled R.J. Morse’s 42-yard punt. After a quick scrum, Wisconsin’s Matt Katula found the ball in his possession on the Ohio State 38-yard line with 10:40 remaining in the third quarter.

“Special teams were very good on all phases,” Alvarez said. “I thought our coverage teams were excellent. Gamble is an excellent returner and our punt-coverage team was good.”

After a series of Stanley rushes, Sorgi took the ball on a keeper when he was hit by Buckeyes A.J. Hawk and Robert Reynolds. It appeared that Reynolds kept his hand around Sorgi’s throat after the play while the quarterback was on the ground. Sorgi was attended to by team trainers and was holding his throat while he walked off the field.

After what Badger center Donovan Raiola described as a “cheap shot,” the Wisconsin football team used the supposed attack as a rallying point.

“Everybody just kind of went off for awhile,” Evans said. “You know that’s something that you just don’t do. Ohio State’s a great program, but for those guys to come out and do something like that to our quarterback is one of the lowest things I’ve seen done in a ballgame.”

“They just pumped us up even more,” Brandon Williams said. “When you try to hurt our quarterback, you know, that’s one of the nucleuses of our team, so we have to come out and retaliate, legally.”

Schabert entered the game on the Badgers’ next possession and continued to lead Wisconsin to its first win over a top-five ranked opponent since a 12-7 victory over Ohio State Nov. 16, 1985.

“Anytime you clinch a Rose Bowl, that’s huge,” Alvarez said, weighing the significance of Saturday’s victory. “This has to be right there. As I told you, I think this is one of my most gratifying wins. I don’t know how to rank it, but it’s pretty good.”