Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Game notes and top plays for Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Badgers improved to 7-6 overall on Tuesday night with a 24-17 win over Oklahoma State in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. 

The game was highlighted by a strong second quarter for the Badgers, and the team found a way to hold off a late charge by the Cowboys to secure a seven-point win. The game caps off an up-and-down season for Wisconsin and begins the Luke Fickell era with a win.

Let's look back at some notable statistics and top plays that emerged from Wisconsin's bowl win against Oklahoma State. 

Game notes

• With the 7-point win, the Wisconsin Badgers have now won three-straight bowl games and eight of their last nine bowls. The lone loss came in the Rose Bowl against Oregon during the 2019-2020 season. 
• The win also means that Wisconsin finishes with a winning record for the 21st consecutive season. 
• The Badgers now hold a 1-0 advantage in the series against Oklahoma State, with both teams currently sporting bow streaks of at least 17 years. 
• With the bowl win, Luke Fickell is a perfect 1-0 record as head coach of Wisconsin, and the victory sends the team into the off-season with some momentum. 

• Wisconsin quarterback Chase Wolf made his first college start in the bowl game and at one point completed eight-streak passes. 
• Tight end Hayden Rucci caught his first career touchdown against Oklahoma State with a 15-yard reception from Chase Wolf in the second quarter.
• Freshman tight end J.T. Seagreaves saw his first action of the year and recorded his first college reception in the game. 

• Punter Andy Vujnovich finished with the fifth-most rushing yards for the Badgers thanks to a 13-yard fake punt. Vujnovich also averaged over 46 yards per punt in the game, with two going over 50 yards and four downed inside the 20-yard line. 
• Wide receiver Chimere Dike led all Wisconsin players with 157 all-purpose yards. The junior wide-out had 36 receiving yards, 16 rushing yards, and 105 as a kick returner. 
• With a 116-yard rushing performance, Braelon Allen has now rushed for over 100 yards in back-to-back bowl games. The sophomore tailback also found the end zone on a 20-yard run and was named the Offensive MVP of the game. 

• Kicker Nate Van Zelst made a career-long 47-yard field goal in the first quarter for Wisconsin. He finishes the 2022 season going 11-of-14 on field goals, and making all three of his attempts of 40+ yards. 
• As a team, Wisconsin rushed for 258 yards against Oklahoma State. That was the third-most yards on the ground this season and the third game of the year with over 250 rushing yards. 
• The Wisconsin defense had two interceptions in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, with both Jay Shaw and Cedrick Dort generating takeaways. The game marked the sixth time that Jim Leonhard's defense had multiple interceptions this season and the first since playing Purdue in October. 

• Inside linebacker Jordan Turner had a team-high eight tackles on Tuesday night and added 1.5 tackles for loss with a quarterback hurry. He was named the Defensive MVP for the game. 
• Defensive end James Thompson Jr. finished the season strong with a sack against Oklahoma State. The young defensive lineman had a sack in each of the final two games of the year. 
• Freshman wide receiver Vinny Anthony had a 22-yard kickoff return in the bowl game. That was his first career kickoff return at the college level. 

• As a team, Wisconsin fished with a 16-minute advantage in time of possession, holding onto the ball for just shy of 38 minutes. 
• The Badgers forced seven three-and-outs by Oklahoma State, and at one point the Cowboys were 0-of-8 on third-down conversions. 

Top plays

#1: Chez Mellusi goes for 51 yards in the first quarter

While Wisconsin failed to turn Mellusi's big run into points, the senior tailback showed some explosiveness down the sidelines to move the Badgers into scoring position early in the game. 

#2: Jay Shaw comes up with a crucial interception

One of the top plays of the night came from cornerback Jay Shaw. The senior took advantage of a bobbled catch and stole the ball away from the wide receiver to force a big takeaway. The Badgers would find the end zone just two plays later on a Braelon Allen run. 

#3: Chase Wolf escapes the pressure and finds Chimere Dike

Tuesday night's performance was far from perfect from Chase Wolf, but the senior quarterback made a big play on third and six late in the second quarter. Wolf stepped up into the pocket to evade a free blitzer and delivered a sidearm strike to Chimere Dike for a first down. The throw ultimately helped maintain a scoring drive for the Badgers. 

#4: Braelon Allen finds the end zone on a 20-yard scamper

The final touchdown of the game for Wisconsin came via the legs of Braelon Allen. The sophomore tailback followed his blockers through a huge hole and managed to find the end zone for an easy 20-yard touchdown run. 

Related links:

• Report: Senior quarterback Chase Wolf expected to come back in 2023
• The Badgers sign 15 scholarship players on Early Signing Day
• Wisconsin wins the Guaranteed Rate Bowl over Oklahoma State

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