Spartans Drop Third Straight

Oct 26, 2002

By MIKE HOUSEHOLDER
Associated Press Writer

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Brooks Bollinger threw three touchdown passes and ran for two others Saturday night to help Wisconsin end a three-game losing streak with a 42-24 win over Michigan State.

Bollinger, knocked out of last week's loss to Ohio State with a concussion, led the Badgers (6-3, 1-3 Big Ten) to touchdowns on three of their five first-quarter possessions.

The win, the 90th in coach Barry Alvarez's Wisconsin career, was vintage Badgers: strong running and few mistakes. They gained 313 yards on the ground, including Anthony Davis' 170 and Dwayne Smith's 110.

Michigan State (3-5, 1-3), which surrendered nearly 400 rushing yards a week earlier in a lopsided loss to Minnesota, has been outscored 114-47 in its past three games.

The Spartans, who were playing without starting quarterback Jeff Smoker, dropped their third straight and fifth out of six. Smoker was suspended indefinitely Thursday night for violating unspecified team rules.

His replacement, Damon Dowdell, completed 14-of-24 passes for 162 yards for two touchdowns and an interception before leaving with a sprained right ankle with less than six minutes left in the game.

Freshman Aaron Alexander came in and, on his second college pass, heaved a 44-yarder that was caught by Charles Rogers in the back of the end zone to make it 42-24.

Dowdell's 26-yard touchdown pass to Rogers at the end of the third quarter drew Michigan State to 35-17. But Wisconsin answered when Bollinger threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Orr with 7:49 to go.

Dowdell, who was making his second career start, made it 28-10 six minutes into the third quarter when he threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to BJ Lovett. But the Badgers also had an answer for that score. On the next drive, Smith raced 33 yards up the middle to make it 35-10.

Wisconsin built a 21-0 lead in the first quarter with Bollinger scoring on a 1-yard sneak and a 7-yard bootleg before connecting with Mark Bell on a 3-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds remaining.

Bollinger completed 10-of-18 passes for 135 yards and ran eight times for 58 yards.

The Badgers took a 28-3 lead into halftime when Bollinger's 9-yard toss to Brandon Williams with 5 seconds to go capped a six-play, 62-yard drive that took 32 seconds.

Michigan State, whose season has deteriorated since a 2-0 start, played sloppily - twice calling timeout in the second half because they had too many players on the field. The Spartans also committed 10 penalties for 96 yards, including roughing the passer and pass interference infractions on the same second-quarter play.

Wisconsin, by comparison, was called for two penalties.