Montee Ball rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown and Wisconsin needed a big defensive play to survive a fourth-quarter scare from Northern Iowa in a 26-21 win Saturday afternoon in Madison.
Wisconsin's defense didn't allow Northern Iowa on its side of the 50-yard line until the 4:27 mark in the third quarter, but then the Badgers nearly melted down.
Leading 26-7 in the fourth quarter, Wisconsin allowed Northern Iowa quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen to throw a pair of long touchdowns to David Johnson, cutting the lead to five.
With the Panthers facing fourth-and-1 at the Wisconsin 41-yard line, defensive lineman Ethan Hemer tipped the ball at the line of scrimmage to stop the drive.
