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Gophers vs. Baders Final Score: Wisconsin Crushes Minnesota, Clinches Big Ten Title Berth

By Josh Hill

Nov 29, 2014; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Sojourn Shelton (8) celebrates a play during the second quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2014; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Sojourn Shelton (8) celebrates a play during the second quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Minnesota Gophers needed a win to pull off an improbable run to the Big Ten title game, but Wisconsin was just too ready to clinch the berth for themselves. 

Melvin Gordon owned the NCAA last week when he broke the single game rushing record, but this week was more about his team winning as a whole. The Wisconsin Badgers welcomed in the Minnesota Gophers to Camp Randall and proceeded to crush their Big Ten rivals on their way to clinching a berth in the title game next week against Ohio State.

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It wasn’t a total blowout though, as the Gophers actually led the Badgers for the entire first half of the game. Minnesota used an early Wisconsin turnover to take a 7-0 lead and increased the margin to 17-13 to start the third quarter.

But it was all Wisconsin from the end of the second quarter on. After falling behind 17-3 to the Gophers, the Badgers mounted a run of 24 unanswered points to take a 27-17 lead. Melvin Gordon went for over 150 yards on the day and a touchdown but the Gophers ended up making it closer than anyone thought.

Minnesota entered the game 15.5 point underdogs and only lost by 10 points. That doesn’t do them ay good in getting to the Big Ten title game, but it shows that Jerry Kill’s team is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the future and Minnesota may end up being a hotbed for recruiting in the coming years.

As for the Badgers, they’re on to a very winnable Big Ten title game after J.T. Barrett fractured his ankle on Saturday and has been ruled out for the rest of the season. A win in Indianapolis won’t get the Badgers to the NCAA Playoffs, but it would wrap up another season where Wisconsin dominated all who stood in their way.

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