BIG TEN ROUNDUP : Wisconsin Fumbles Chances as Purdue Surprises With Tie

Kevin McGrew’s 47-yard fumble return set up Brad Bobich’s 32-yard field goal with 47 seconds left, giving Purdue a 27-27 tie with No. 23 Wisconsin on Saturday in Madison, Wis.

Wisconsin’s John Hall, who missed a 50-yard field goal before halftime, was wide left from 53 yards with two seconds left.

“I had a good feeling this morning,” said Bobich, who had a potential game-tying field goal blocked with 5 1/2 minutes to play. “I just thought the more chances I get, the more confident I’ll get.”

The tie almost certainly killed any hope that Wisconsin (3-2-1, 2-1-1) had of returning to the Rose Bowl.

Things have changed as well for Purdue, which has gone from 1-10 last season to 4-1-1 this year, including 2-0-1 in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin looked like it had escaped when Kenny Gales blocked Bobich’s field goal with 5:30 left. The Badgers subsequently drove to Purdue’s 15, but Jason Burns fumbled for the second time.

Burns was only playing because senior tailback Terrell Fletcher, who had 141 yards in 19 carries, was sidelined because of tender ribs. Burns rushed for 97 of his career-high 101 yards in 22 carries after halftime.

Wisconsin quarterback Darrell Bevell, who suffered a severely separated right shoulder two weeks ago, surprisingly returned and led two scoring drives.

Ohio State 23, Michigan State 7--Eddie George racked up 219 yards in 29 carries, including a 76-yard touchdown run, and linebacker Greg Bellisari returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown as Ohio State (5-2, 2-1) downed Michigan State (2-4, 1-2) in East Lansing, Mich.

Bellisari’s score came only 29 seconds after quarterback Bobby Hoying staked the Buckeyes to a 16-7 lead on a 10-yard keeper off the left side.

Northwestern 37, Minnesota 31--Dennis Lundy carried 34 times for a career-best 213 yards and the Wildcats (2-3-1, 1-2) snapped a 10-game Big Ten losing streak in edging the Gophers (2-5, 0-4) at Minneapolis.

Lundy scored on a 71-yard run in the second quarter. It snapped a 10-10 tie and started the Wildcats on a 17-point run that Minnesota couldn’t overcome.

Minnesota lost its seventh in a row in the Big Ten.

Illinois 47, Iowa 7--Johnny Johnson threw three touchdown passes and the Illini (4-2, 2-1) smothered the Hawkeyes (2-5, 0-4) and their fourth-string quarterback, Mike Duprey, and cruised in Champaign, Ill.

Illinois scored on its first three possessions in building a 24-0 halftime lead against Iowa, which lost its fifth in a row.