BIG TEN ROUNDUP : Wisconsin Gives Indiana the Slip

On a rainy Saturday in Bloomington, Ind., Wisconsin’s running backs were as slippery as the turf.

Brent Moss rushed for 198 yards and Darrell Bevell ran for one touchdown and passed for another as No. 23 Wisconsin burned Indiana with big plays en route to a 27-15 Big Ten Conference victory.

“It was slippery and wet, and that was to my advantage when they’ve got to wrap up on me,” said Moss, who had 32 carries.

Bevell, who entered the game with a 70% completion average, completed only five of 15 passes and had two intercepted. But he completed passes of 39, 35 and 42 yards to Lee DeRamus, Moss set up a touchdown with a 56-yard run and Terrell Fletcher scored on a 57-yard run for Wisconsin, which improved to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin, off to its best start since 1978, took a 20-2 lead at halftime, held off Indiana’s third-quarter charge and clinched the game with a 42-yard pass play from Bevell to DeRamus that set up a four-yard touchdown pass to Matt Nyquist in the final quarter.

Wisconsin had 354 yards rushing and eclipsed 400 total yards for the fourth consecutive game.

Indiana is 3-1 overall and 0-1 in the Big Ten.

Michigan State 48, Central Michigan 34--Craig Thomas gained 195 yards and scored four touchdowns and Duane Goulbourne gained 195 yards and scored twice to lead the Spartans in a nonconference game at East Lansing, Mich.

Central Michigan (1-3), which defeated the Spartans in their last two meetings, scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass play from Erik Timpf to Eric Johnson, a 51-yard field goal by Chuck Selinger and a 73-yard touchdown run by Timpf, but the Chippewas could not beat Michigan State (2-1) for a third time.

Three Michigan State defenders got their hands on Timpf, but couldn’t keep him out of the end zone on a 17-yard draw early in the fourth quarter. Selinger’s kick tied the score at 27-27 and quieted the near sellout crowd of 66,533 at Spartan Stadium.

Thomas broke the tie with his third touchdown, a two-yarder, then put the Spartans ahead, 41-27 with a 46-yard touchdown run.

Timpf gained 147 yards in 13 carries. He also completed 16 of 26 passes for 214 yards with no interceptions.

Northwestern 26, Wake Forest 14--Len Williams passed for two touchdowns to lead Northwestern in a nonconference game at Evanston, Ill.

Northwestern (2-1) is off to its best start since 1986.

Northwestern took a 16-0 lead early in the second half on a 27-yard touchdown pass play from Williams to Patrick Wright. But Wake Forest (1-2) scored two plays later on an 80-yard touchdown pass play from Jim Kemp to Todd Dixon.

Wake Forest pulled to within 19-14 in the fourth quarter but Northwestern clinched the victory on a 25-yard touchdown pass play from Williams to Mike Senters.