Jeff Potrykus

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

East Lansing, Mich. – As he reclined in the interview room inside Spartan Stadium, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez could not mask his pride or excitement.

Alvarez had just watched coach Paul Chryst’s team ignore injuries to several key players; battle for four quarters with a first-time starter at quarterback, playing behind a revamped offensive line; and methodically dismantle No. 8 Michigan State in the teams’ Big Ten opener.

“I was concerned because you need continuity,” Alvarez said after UW’s stunning 30-6 victory Saturday. “You didn’t know who was going to play and to shuffle the offensive line around already and to perform like that against a really good team, a physical team.…

“And the play of your quarterback? He elevated everyone else. That is the thing I saw. The defense continued to play well. And our secondary, I tell you what, those corners challenged some good receivers.

“And when your front can stop the run and your quarterback can move the chains like that, I thought that was the difference in the game.

“He made some throws today – there aren’t many guys can throw. Ridiculous.”

Redshirt freshman Alex Hornibrook performed with the poise he had exhibited since enrolling early at UW in the second semester of 2015.

The defense limited Michigan State to 75 rushing yards on 27 attempts, forced four turnovers and recorded four sacks and seven tackles for loss overall.

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The victory rekindled memories of UW’s 42-17 victory at Ohio State in 1999. UW's 24-point victory Saturday was the program's largest margin of victory on the road against a ranked team since that day in Columbus.

In that game, Alvarez made the call to start redshirt freshman Brooks Bollinger at quarterback. Bollinger passed for 167 yards and rushed for 78 and UW rode tailback Ron Dayne (161 yards, four touchdowns) to overcome an early 17-0 deficit.

That victory evened UW’s Big Ten mark at 1-1 and the Badgers went on to win the league title and defeat Stanford in the Rose Bowl. The victory Saturday left UW 1-0 in the league and 4-0 overall.

“I don’t want to go there,” Alvarez said when asked about that season. “This is the first in a gauntlet that this team is in. Let them enjoy this and not take it any further than that.”

But?

“We have a very good football team,” Alvarez said.

Line dance: UW was again forced shuffle its offensive line because of injuries and this time the switch was significant.

The staff decided early in the week to give redshirt sophomore Brett Connors his first college start, at center. Connors, a graduate of New Berlin West High School, had developed into the top reserve at center, guard and tackle.

“Brett played all five positions in the spring,” Chryst said.

With Connors at center Saturday, redshirt sophomore Michael Deiter moved to left guard from center.

That meant redshirt sophomore Micah Kapoi, who had been playing through a foot injury suffered in the opener, was the top reserve guard. Redshirt freshman Jon Dietzen likely would have gotten the start at left guard but he is battling a leg injury and missed his second consecutive game.

“I definitely had some pregame jitters and nerves,” said Connors, who was placed on scholarship about 2½ weeks ago. “I just kept trying to tell myself to be confident…and I tried to go out there and do the best that I could.”

UW didn’t run the ball consistently well, but the Badgers fared better than Michigan State and finished with 122 yards on 41 carries.

Dare Ogunbowale led the way with 55 yards on nine carries (6.1 average) and Corey Clement scored on runs of 1 and 5 yards. He was limited to 54 yards on 23 carries.

Alec Ingold averaged 4.3 yards, finishing with 13 yards on three carries. He gained 6 and 2 yards, respectively, to convert fourth-and-1 plays on UW’s first touchdown drive.

“I think he did pretty well,” Deiter said of Connors. “He was confident out there, making the right calls and doing what he was supposed to do. It was encouraging.”

Deiter started all 13 games last season as a redshirt freshman, seven at left guard and six at center.

“I played there a lot last year so it was pretty easy,” he said. “It was a little new at first but I got back into it quickly.”

Hornibrook was sacked twice but for the most part was given outstanding protection.

“If the communication is there we all have the ability to protect,” Deiter said. “And the communication was good. The technique was there.

“And if we’re sound in those two aspects I think we can protect against anyone.”

About the victory: UW became the first Big Ten team since Penn State in 1999 to defeat two top-10 teams by Oct. 1.

The 24-point victory was UW's largest against a top-10 team since it beat No. 8 Nebraska, 48-17, in the 2011 Big Ten opener in Madison.

UW recorded its seventh consecutive victory away from home dating to last season and the Badgers won for the 11th time in the last 12 Big Ten road games.

UW, which had lost its last four games in East Lansing, won here for the first time since the 2002 season.