WR Jazz Peavy. (Photo by David Stluka).
The Wisconsin Badgers improved to 2-0 on the young season, rolling to a 54-10 win over the Akron Zips in the home opener at Camp Randall Stadium.
Corey Clement left the game late in the first half with a minor injury and didn’t return. Clement rushed 21 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the win. A week earlier, Clement rushed 21 times for 87 yards against LSU with a touchdown.
The Badgers made a big improvement on third downs. After converting 3 of 15 third-down opportunities against LSU, Wisconsin rebounded to convert 10 of 14 third-down opportunities against Akron.
Quarterback Bart Houston also improved from his week one performance against LSU. He started a bit slow against Akron, but in the end, Houston completed 15 of 22 for 231 yards and two touchdowns.
Houston’s top target on the day was redshirt junior Jazz Peavy. The former Kenosha Tremper standout caught seven passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Redshirt freshman Alex Hornibrook also got some time, taking over on the second series of the third quarter and threw a six-yard touchdown pass to fullback Alec Ingold. Hornibrook later hit freshman A.J. Taylor for a 35-yard touchdown pass.
Hornibrook finished 5 of 5 for 61 yards.
Akron quarterback Thomas Woodson passed for more than 400 yards and six touchdowns in the Zips season opening win over V-M-I. He hit just 9 of 19 for 108 yards against the Badgers defense. Woodson was sacked three times and Akron converted just 1 of 10 on third down.
The Badgers moved up to 9th in this weeks A.P. top 25 Poll and to 12th in the Top 25 Coaches Poll.
The 2-0 Badgers will have one more tune-up before the start of Big Ten play. They’ll host Georgia State (0-2) at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday.