Wisconsin falls to Auburn in Music City Bowl

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) — The Wisconsin football team played a familiar tune in Nashville. Costly turnovers and a failure to hold the game?s momentum doomed the Badgers to a 28-14 loss to Auburn in the 2003 Music City Bowl.

Tigers quarterback Jason Campbell was named the game?s MVP, rushing for 67 yards and passing for 138, including a decisive 51-yard pass to wide receiver Jeris McIntyre on third down that set up a Ronnie Brown touchdown run to give Auburn a 21-14 with 3:30 remaining in the game.

The Badgers seemed to have momentum on their side after a clutch 12-yard fingertip touchdown catch over the head of Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers, pulling the Badgers within a two-point conversion of a tie.

?That was a big play in the game,? Evans said of his final catch as a Badger. ?A big play for our team to get us right back into the position we needed to be in. [The pass] was a little short, but I was able to go up and make a big play on it. It boosted our team, gave us a little bit of momentum. It certainly was a big play, but we couldn?t finish it in the end.?

Jim Sorgi hit tight end Owen Daniels in the back of the end zone for a two-point conversion to tie the game at 14.

?We came back and answered, tied the game,? UW head coach Barry Alvarez said. ?We had momentum, but they made some plays.?

Wisconsin was able to hold Auburn to a three and out on their ensuing possession and the Badgers were gunning for the lead after two Anthony Davis draw plays. Jim Sorgi threw a deep pass down the left sideline to Evans, who appeared to be in single coverage until Auburn safety Will Herring came over the top. The ball was deflected by Rogers and stayed in the air long enough for Herring to make the catch.

?We saw a look that we liked before, earlier in the game, and we thought we?d go up and take a chance,? Evans said of the interception. ?They came out and showed us a different look and we took the shot anyway. Unfortunately the ball got intercepted and it changed the whole game. We were going for the kill and it backfired on us.?

Auburn moved down the field, with the 51-yard reception by McIntyre and a 27-yard reception by Silas Daniels setting up Brown?s go-ahead touchdown.

The Badgers had one last shot to go for the tie, but an Auburn pass rush that seemed unstoppable for most of the day forced a fumble from Wisconsin quarterback Jim Sorgi on second and 10 as all-American linebacker Karlos Dansby and defensive end Reggie Torbor combined for a devastating hit. The ball was recovered by nose guard T.J. Jackson on the Wisconsin 6-yard line.

Two plays later, ?Cadillac? Williams delivered the knockout punch with a one-yard touchdown to give Auburn a two-touchdown lead with just 2:30 remaining.

?They?ve got a good defensive front and they beat us consistently,? Alvarez said. ?We didn?t hold up in pass protection very well. I thought [Sorgi] did a pretty good job when he had time; even under pressure he responded. I thought we?d block them a little better than [we did].?

Sorgi injured his left forearm earlier in the game but used his two-minute sweatband to hide the injury from team trainers. The final sack sent Sorgi to the locker room, and backup John Stocco stepped in for the Badgers? final possession. Sorgi was sacked five times and hit often throughout the game as the offensive line had trouble stopping the speed of Auburn?s defensive front seven.

The Auburn running game was established fairly early, and Campbell, Brown and Williams each recorded more than 60 yards rushing for the game. Campbell didn?t have his finest day passing but made plays when he needed to, especially down the stretch.

?He made some plays throughout the game,? Alvarez said. ?He helped them answer when we scored. That?s what you look for in a quarterback — make plays that help you win — and he did a great job of that.?

?Defensively we had our opportunities, but we couldn?t get off the field,? Wisconsin defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said. ?Somehow, someway, especially on third and longs, you?ve got to find some way to stop them.?

Auburn out-gained Wisconsin 354 to 261 total yards, although the Badgers won the time-of-possession battle 31 to 29 minutes.

In a lengthy first half, the Badgers only managed two Mike Allen field goals, while the Tigers only recorded one touchdown from Ronnie Brown.

Auburn took a shot at the end zone late in second half, but a long Campbell pass intended for flanker Courtney Taylor was picked off by Badger safety Jim Leonhard.

Late in the third quarter, Auburn was driving when it appeared Carnell Williams dropped the ball on the Tiger 6-yard line and was recovered by a Wisconsin defender. Replays clearly showed that the ball was on the ground before Williams? body had hit the turf. The ACC officiating crew thought otherwise, and Williams went in for a touchdown three plays later, giving the Tigers a 14-6 lead.

?I believe he did fumble, if my eyes are correct,? Alvarez said after the game. ?I could see the replay; the ball comes out and the guy isn?t down. I think that?s usually a fumble.?

The loss was only Alvarez?s second defeat in nine bowl games as head coach at Wisconsin. A win would have given Alvarez an even 100 for his career.

?It wasn?t about 100,? Alvarez said. ?Just trying to win the football game, just to compete and win. I feel for the kids.?