Stanford hangs on to defeat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl

Stanford 20, Wisconsin 14 (final)

The 99th Rose Bowl became a game of firsts when the Cardinal took a 20-14 victory Tuesday in Pasadena.

Stanford Coach David Shaw earned his first win in the contest, Wisconsin Athletic Director and acting coach Barry Alvarez lost for the first time and the only turnover proved decisive.

The Cardinal, who won the big game for the first time since 1972, nursed a 17-14 halftime lead through a scoreless third quarter before finally driving into field-goal range for the only points of the second half.

The Badgers had a chance to win the game with a scoring drive in the final minutes but Stanford’s Usua Amanam intercepted a pass by Curt Phillips with 2 minutes 3 seconds left to play to help seal the victory.

Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor was selected most valuable player of the game with 88 yards and one touchdown in 20 rushes.

Stanford 20, Wisconsin 14 (2:03 left in fourth quarter)

The Badgers moved across midfield with their ensuing possession before quarterback Curt Phillips promptly had a pass intercepted by Cardinal defensive back Usua Amanam.

Although the second half has been a snoozer with a scoreless third quarter and the first point coming with less than five minutes in the fourth quarter, that was the first turnover in the game.

If the Cardinal pick up two first downs, it’s also likely the game.

Stanford 20, Wisconsin 14 (4:23 left in fourth quarter)

The scoring drought ends as the Cardinal got a field goal, but it could have had a lot more.

On third and four at the Wisconsin five-yard line, quarterback Kevin Hogan overthrew 6-foot-8 Levine Toilolo, who was wide-open in the end zone, on a rollout.

Jordan Williamson kicked a 22-yard field goal to give Stanford the first points of the second half and a six-point lead.

The Cardinal did milk 6 minutes 22 seconds off the clock with the 56-yard drive.

Stanford 17, Wisconsin 14 (10:45 left in fourth quarter)

Each team has now punted in the fourth quarter.

The Cardinal did extend its drive from the end of the third quarter with a first down on a 13-yard scramble early in the fourth quarter by quarterback Kevin Hogan, but three plays later Stanford punted.

The Badgers didn’t fare any better, failing to get a first down on the ensuing possesion and punting the ball back to Stanford. And that sounds familiar in the second half, which has featured no scoring.

Stanford 17, Wisconsin 14 (end of third quarter)

The Stanford-Wisconsin Rose Bowl is living down to its boring, defensive-oriented billing.

The two teams combined for three first downs and seven punts in the third quarter.

And 93,359 people paid hard-earned money to watch this game.

Stanford 17, Wisconsin 14 (6:30 left in third quarter)

Scratch that. You can nod off again.

The most exciting play of the second half was Stanford running into Wisconsin punter Drew Meyer, but the five-yard penalty left the Badgers well short of a first down and they were forced to punt again.

It was a questionable call because Meyer was prone with his leg in the air when contact was made, which is usually a roughing call -- 15 yards and an automatic first down.

The Cardinal are pinned in their territory at the eight-yard line after a 44-yard punt by Meyer.

Stanford 17, Wisconsin 14 (8:01 left in third quarter)

Remember that snoozer of a defensive-minded game we thought might develop in this year’s Rose Bowl? It arrived to start the second half.

Each team failed to get a first down during their first two possessions of the third quarter. that’s be four three-and-out possessions. Yawn.

Finally on their third possession, the Badgers broke loose when quarterback Curt Phillips scrambled for a 13-yard gain and a first down to the Wisconsin 45-yard line.

It might be time to wake up.

Halftime

A Rose Bowl game that was billed as grind-it-out snoozer has lived up to half that hype.

Stanford and Wisconsin mostly slugged it out tackle-to-tackle style, but the game had a little edge to it during a first half that ended with the Cardinal leading, 17-14.

Stanford tossed in two gadget plays to get the upper hand on its first drive. A reverse pass from receiver Drew Terrell to Jamal-Rashad Patterson covered 34 yards to put the Cardinal in the red zone. Receiver Kelsey Young scored from 16 yards on a reverse on the next play.

Quarterback Kevin Hogan set up the Cardinal’s second touchdown with a 43-yard pass to Zach Ertz. Stepfan Taylor went three yards for a touchdown on the next play.

After that, it was run, run, run by both teams.

Taylor had 44 yards rushing in the first half. Stanford had 99 as a team.

Wisconsin’s Montee Ball had 87 yards rushing in the first half, including an 11-yard touchdown run. The Badgers had 151 yards on the ground, 38 on a scramble by quarterback Curt Phillips that set up their second touchdown.

Phillips completed a four-yard pass to Jordan Fredrick with 19 seconds left to make it a three-point deficit.

Stanford 17, Wisconsin 14 (19 seconds left in second quarter)

Quarterback Curt Phillips put some life into the Wisconsin offense … with his feet.

Phillips scrambled 38 yards, toeing the sideline the last 20, to get the Badgers moving on a two-minute drive. He finished things off with a four-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Fredrick.

Phillips has 68 yards passing and 46 rushing in the game.

Stanford 17, Wisconsin 7 (6:19 left in second quarter)

Stanford does a little of this (27 yards rushing from Anthony Wilkerson) and a little of that (Kevin Hogan’s 14-yard completion to Ty Montgomery).

It gets the Cardinal close enough for Jordan Williamson to nail a 47-yard field goal and extend the lead to 10 points.

Stanford 14, Wisconsin 7 (9:05 left in second quarter)

Wisconsin scored its third touchdown … but only the first one that counts.

The Badgers had Montee Ball’s eight-yard touchdown nullified by a holding call. They then had 10-yard touchdown pass from Curt Phillips to Jacob Pedersen overturned on review before getting stopped on a fourth-and-one play.

On their next drive, the Badgers got to the end zone and stayed there. Montee Ball churned 11 yards for the score, giving him 75 yards rushing in the game.

Ball needs another 75 yards to break the Rose Bowl career rushing record of 446, set by Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne.

Stanford 14, Wisconsin 0 (13:18 left in second quarter)

The Cardinal defense held on a fourth-and-goal play from the one-yard line to preserve its two-touchdown lead.

The Badgers had spent eight minutes driving 74 yards to the one. It actually appeared that Wisconsin had scored on a nine-yard pass from Curt Phillips to Jacob Pedersen, but a review showed that Pedersen’s knee made contact with the ground before the ball crossed the goal line.

On the ensuing fourth-down play, James White was held to no gain and Stanford took over on downs.

Stanford 14, Wisconsin 0 (6:35 left in first quarter)

The Cardinal fans are the only ones in red cheering. Stanford is in sync and Wisconsin looks like the third-place team from the Big Ten Leaders Division.

Quarterback Kevin Hogan, a redshirt freshman, completed a 43-yard pass to Zach Ertz on Stanford’s second possession. Stepfan Taylor scored on a three-yard run on the next play.

Taylor had 19 yards rushing on the 79-yard drive.

Stanford seems to need a tougher challenge. What’s Ohio State doing tomorrow?

Stanford 7, Wisconsin 0 (11:24 left in first quarter)

The Farm showed the farmers a thing or two. Stanford used a little big-city flim-flam to baffle the country fellas from Wisconsin on the game’s first drive.

A reverse pass from receiver Drew Terrell to Jamal-Rashad Patterson was good for 34 yards.

Receiver Kelsey Young went 16 yards on a reverse on the next play for a touchdown to finish off the drive.

Pregame

Two coaches. Two different concerns about today’s Rose Bowl game between Stanford and Wisconsin.

Both coaches were asked what was going to concern them when the game began.

Stanford’s David Shaw said, “he wears No. 28 for the other team,” singling out Wisconsin running back and Doak Walker Award winner Montee Ball.

Ball has 1,730 yards rushing this season.

Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez, taking over as coach for the recently departed Bret Bielema, was focused internally.

“I always worry about if our guys are ready for the tempo and the speed of the game,” Alvarez said

They were ready last time. Wisconsin beat Nebraska, 70-31, in the Big Ten title game.

Kickoff is scheduled for 2:10 p.m.

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Stanford 7, Wisconsin 0 (11:24 left in first quarter)

The Farm showed the farmers a thing or two. Stanford used a little big-city flim-flam to baffle the country fellas from Wisconsin on the game’s first drive.

A reverse pass from receiver Drew Terrell to Jamal-Rashad Patterson goes for 34 yards. Receiver Kelsey Young went 16 yards on a reverse on the next play.