[media-credit name=’JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Responsible for the only two losses Wisconsin has endured in its past 22 home games, Iowa appeared primed to steal No. 3.

The Hawkeyes (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) held a 10-7 advantage early in the fourth quarter and had shutdown the Badger offense for the majority of the game.

That's when the focus shifted to Wisconsin running back P.J. Hill. As has been the custom through the first four weeks of the season, the ball was placed in Hill's hands down the stretch.

"P.J.'s always going to ask for the ball, and we're going to give it to him," UW head coach Bret Bielema said. "He's a good football player."

The redshirt sophomore had 10 rushes for 43 yards on the fourth-quarter scoring drive. Despite getting stopped on first- and second-and-goal, Hill didn't submit; he crashed the line and broke free for the go-ahead touchdown, a lead the Badgers (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) wouldn't relinquish en route to a 17-13 win Saturday.

"I think we want to make our identity better, that we come alive when we're supposed to and be on our point when we need to," senior wide receiver Luke Swan said. "The fourth quarter was a great example of that, putting together drives, and it went well for us."

Iowa responded with a field goal to cut the lead to one, 14-13.

For a while it seemed the Hawkeyes might go the distance, but the Badgers defense came up with a big stop on third down. Freshman cornerback Aaron Henry sacked Iowa quarterback Jake Christensen for the third time during the game — all on third down — to force a Daniel Murray field goal attempt.

"I can't even describe the feeling out there in front of crazy, crazy fans," Henry said. "Big Ten opener, and you record three sacks. That's crazy."

Success on stopping third downs by the defense and converting them on offense proved to be the difference down the stretch.

Iowa converted just 2 of 16 third downs, including 0 of 5 in the second half.

"We went out there and tried to execute every third down, and I think we were better on first and second down, creating a more difficult situation for them so we could kind of dictate what they were doing," linebacker Jonathan Casillas said.

Iowa managed just 228 yards of total offense and 59 rushing yards.

Clinging to a 1-point lead, the Badgers needed a prolonged drive to prevent Iowa from getting another opportunity.

Wisconsin used a mixture of runs by Hill, quarterback Tyler Donovan and backup tailback Lance Smith to move the chains. None of the runs was bigger than Donovan's scramble on UW's first third-down of the drive. Needing 6 yards, Donovan got 7.

"Tyler is a competitor. You saw it in his eyes," Bielema said. "That huge third down conversion when they covered all (the receivers) up, and he took off on his own just to get that extra half-a-yard to give us a first down. Tyler Donovan is a winner. … He never gives up."

Eventually, Taylor Mehlhaff kicked a 40-yard field goal to put Wisconsin back up by four with under two minutes remaining.

With one last chance on fourth-and-8, Christensen heaved the ball downfield to receiver Paul Chaney, who had beaten the coverage of safety Kim Royston. But the pass was overthrown and fell incomplete.

"I can't believe that that happened, but it was a situation where we had two safeties over the top," Bielema said of the play. "I don't know if he just outran us or what."

The win extends Wisconsin's winning streak to 13 games — the longest in the nation.

"We talked about it being a heavyweight boxing match, it would be blow for blow and we were able to stand through the final count," Bielema said.

Wisconsin moved the ball well to begin the game, getting all the way down to Iowa's 16-yard line. But Hawkeye linebacker Mike Klinkenborg got loose up the middle and sacked Donovan to force a fumble that Iowa's Bryan Mattison recovered.

After that, neither team moved the ball for nearly the remainder of the half. It wasn't until Iowa took advantage of good field position thanks to Donovan's first interception of the season that anyone scored.

"We had three turnovers and some penalties that hurt us," Bielema said.

Rediscovering the passing game that had been shut down since the opening drive due to tight coverage by the Hawkeye secondary and an effective defensive front, Wisconsin used four consecutive completions to drive into the red zone.

Hill, behind a gaping hole on the left side of the defense, raced toward the goal line. As he made his last-ditch effort to find pay dirt, linebacker A.J. Edds stripped the ball loose. The ball bounced into the end zone where a scrum ensued. Somehow it squirted away from the massive pile-on and Wisconsin center Marcus Coleman recovered it.

The Badgers would have to wait a few more plays to get on the scoreboard and end the Hawkeyes' touchdown shutout streak — Iowa was the only team in the nation entering the game that hadn't allowed a touchdown — however, as the booth review determined that an inadvertent whistle blew the play dead prior to the recovery. By rule Wisconsin got it back where the stoppage occurred — the 3-yard line. Two plays later, Donovan found Travis Beckum across the middle for a 7-3 lead.

Just like how The Citadel answered a score for a score last week, Iowa marched down the field and scored a touchdown to take a 10-7 lead into the half.

On the 21-yard pass play, wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos made a nice one-handed catch, but also appeared to have pushed off of corner Jack Ikegwuonu in the process.

"I think he got a little bit on my back, but you have to move on," Ikegwuonu said. "(The referee) made the call, and you have to live with it."

Smith picked up where he left off last week in relief of Hill, rushing 5 times for 37 yards. Donovan finished 12 of 23 for 138 yards and a score.