Badgers Breeze Through Homecoming Border Battle, Prepare for Matchup with #1

The Wisconsin Badgers beat the Minnesota Golden Gophers in UW's homecoming football game on Saturday, keeping Paul Bunyan's Axe in Madison for the seventh straight year.

Wisconsin (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten) rushed its way to a 41-23 victory over Minnesota (1-5, 0-2 Big Ten). The Badgers rushed for 250 yards and five touchdowns, with the majority of the production coming from John Clay and James White, who both broke 100 yards in the game. Scott Tolzein added 223 passing yards and threw a touchdown pass to Jared Abbredaris.

The Badgers bounced back from a disappointing loss to Michigan State last weekend.

"After a loss and a bad taste in your mouth, you can't look back, you've got to move forward, and I thought our guys did that," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. "I can't say enough about our ground game. John Clay and James White and the big guys up front blocking up for them are really special."

This was the second time this season both Clay and White rushed for at least 100 yards in the same game. In the past three games White has amassed 361 rushing yards and has found the endzone eight times. White's emergence as a force in the running game comes at a vital point in the season as the Badgers prepare to square off with the newly labeled #1 Ohio State Buckeyes.

After #1 Alabama was upset by #19 South Carolina the Buckeyes jumped to the top spot in the polls. This will be the first time the Badgers faced a #1 team since 2007, when they traveled to Ohio State and lost, 38-17. Wisconsin seeks a different outcome this weekend.