BIG TEN ROUNDUP : Wisconsin Euphoric After 31-19 Upset Victory Over Michigan

How big was Wisconsin’s 31-19 upset of No. 10 Michigan on Saturday? Bigger even than winning the Rose Bowl last season, if you can believe the Badgers.

The running of Brent Moss and the passing of Darrell Bevell lifted the Badgers to the victory at Ann Arbor, Mich., ending two weeks of bitter frustration.

During the week leading up to this game, Wisconsin Coach Barry Alvarez questioned the Badgers’ enthusiasm. He suggested cliques had formed to alienate the offense and defense.

But those things were forgotten in the euphoria of beating Michigan.

“It’s a huge game, bigger than the Rose Bowl,” said Bevell, who completed 18 of 26 passes for 161 yards and three touchdowns. “We just wanted to get back to playing our kind of football. We wanted to get our respect back.”

The return of Moss helped make it all possible.

Moss, who sat out a tie against Purdue and a loss to Minnesota, rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown in 26 carries.

“I definitely gave the team a lift,” Moss said. “They were excited I was coming back. I was excited I was coming back.”

The Badgers, 4-3-1 overall and 3-2-1 in the Big Ten, came up with three interceptions and three sacks against Michigan (5-3, 3-2), which had won 11 in a row over Wisconsin at Michigan Stadium since 1962.

“First of all, let me say that was a very important win for our football program, maybe more so than the Rose Bowl,” Alvarez said. “I don’t know if I’ve been more proud of a group of kids.”

Illinois 28, Northwestern 7--Johnny Johnson passed for two touchdowns and junior linebacker Simeon Rice dominated defensively for the Illini at Evanston, Ill.

Northwestern (3-4-1, 2-3) had hoped to use the game as a springboard to its second-ever bowl bid but now needs to win its three remaining games, including the finale against No. 1 Penn State, to qualify.

The Illini (5-3, 3-2) entered the game as Big Ten leaders in every defensive category. And except for Steve Schnur’s 64-yard touchdown pass to Chris Gamble as the first half ended, they dominated the Wildcats.

Rice had three of Illinois’ six sacks, deflected two passes and hurried Tim Hughes into interceptions that set up Illinois’ first two touchdowns.

Purdue 21, Iowa 21--Purdue’s Brad Bobich missed a 30-yard field-goal attempt wide left with seven seconds to play at West Lafayette, Ind.

Purdue (4-2-2, 2-1-2), which had driven 80 yards to tie the score on a 28-yard pass from Billy Dicken to Brian Alford and a conversion run by Dicken, had kept Iowa (3-5-1, 1-4-1) in its territory for most of the first three quarters.

The Hawkeyes didn’t get past Purdue’s 32 until the fourth quarter and overcame a 13-0 deficit with a 1-yard run by Kent Kahl, a 38-yard run by Jefferson Bates and a 39-yard run by Sedrick Shaw.

Both starting quarterbacks were knocked out with injuries. Dicken, who had thrown only 12 passes in three appearances this season, replaced starter Rick Trefzger on Purdue’s second possession.

Trefzger injured his left knee scrambling for a 7-yard gain and watched the second half on the sideline. Iowa starter Mike Duprey left the game with an eye injury in the third quarter.

Michigan State 27, Indiana 21--Tony Banks and Nigea Carter hooked up for a school-record 93-yard touchdown pass play and Marc Renaud scored twice and gained 181 yards for the Spartans at East Lansing, Mich.

The victory ended a three-game losing streak for Michigan State (3-5, 2-3). Indiana (5-3, 2-3) lost its second in a row despite the hard-nosed running of Alex Smith, who ran for 100 yards in 19 carries to become the fourth Big Ten freshman to rush for 1,000 yards.