Wisconsin Runs Away from Western Illinois, 36-9
Abu Sama III ran 72 yards for a touchdown about 13 seconds into the game, and Wisconsin never gave the lead back. It finished 36-9, with Western Illinois scoring only on Ronan Culkin field goals.
The first quarter was already 17-0. Sama's run, a 30-yard Gavin Lahm field goal, and then a 3-yard return of a blocked punt by Carson Van Dinter. A touchdown on a blocked punt is one of those things that does not show up in the yardage and shows up in the score. Culkin got Western Illinois on the board with a 27-yarder late in the first.
The second quarter was field goals only. Lahm hit from 49 and 51 yards, and Culkin added a 27-yarder, so it was 23-6 at the half. Culkin made another from 34 in the third, and Darrion Dupree ran in from 28 to make it 30-9. Colton Joseph threw a 33-yard touchdown to Chris Brooks Jr. in the fourth, and Lahm missed the extra point to leave it at 36.
The Badgers had 406 total yards, 233 on the ground on 31 carries, and did not throw an interception or lose a fumble. Joseph was 12 of 22 for 173. Wisconsin is 1-1, Western Illinois is 0-1.
For fantasy, Sama was the story: 107 yards on 8 carries, 72 of them on one run, for 18.2 points. Wisconsin kicked three field goals (30, 49 and 51 yards), and Western Illinois scored all nine of its points on three Culkin field goals. Take away the blocked-punt touchdown and the Badgers still win by 20.