Leon Jacobs

Badgers clinch spot in Big Ten title game

November 12, 2017 By Bill Scott

The Wisconsin defense played its best game of the season and the Badgers clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship game by rolling over the Iowa Hawkeyes 38-14 in front of a crowd of 80,462 on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.

The Badgers secured a share of the Big Ten West Division championship for the second straight season and the third time in the last four years. Bucky earned its 5th berth in the Big Ten Championship game in the event’s 7-year history.

UW (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) became the first team in program history to win its first 10 games. It also marked the first time since 2008 that the home team has won in this rivalry.

Iowa (6-4, 3-4) saw its two game win streak come to an end.

Wisconsin’s defense was on top of their game from start to finish, holding the Hawkeyes to 20 yards on 23 plays in the opening half. The Badgers led 17-7 at halftime.

When the Badgers scored for the last time with just over seven minutes to play, the Hawkeyes had just 46 yards on 43 plays. Iowa finished with 66 yards on 50 plays and went 0-for-13 on third downs.

Menomonie’s Nate Stanley entered the game with 22 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He finished 8 of 24 for 41 yards and one pick. [Read more…]

Badgers extend win streak over Gophers to 13

November 27, 2016 By Bill Scott

Badgers Celebrate with Paul Bunyan’s Axe – Photo: Courtesy of the Badger Sports Network

The Wisconsin Badgers knew they would be playing for the Big Ten Championship before they took the field against the Minnesota Gophers on Saturday. The first half may have looked like that as the Badgers trailed 17-7 at halftime.

But the Wisconsin defense, which has engulfed opponents all season long, did it again in the second half against the Gophers. The Badgers rallied for a 31-17 win over the Gophers.

The Badgers (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) knocked off Minnesota (8-5, 5-4) for the 13th straight season, will now face Penn State in the Big Ten Championship game on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Penn State (10-2, 8-1) beat Michigan State, 45-12, on Saturday.

Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner passed for 111 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 60 yards as the Gophers were jumping all over the Badgers in the first half. [Read more…]

Badgers ready for Nebraska

October 28, 2016 By Bill Scott

The 11th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers play their first game without linebacker and leading tackler Jack Cichy on Saturday night when they host seventh-ranked Nebraska at Camp Randall Stadium (7 p.m. kickoff).

Cichy suffered a season ending injury in the win at Iowa last week, suffering a pectoral injury. He leads Wisconsin with 60 tackles and is second in tackles for loss with 7 1/2.

With Cichy out, the Badgers will turn to Ryan Connelly and/or Leon Jacobs to help fill the void. Starter T.J. Edwards will also be counted on heavily to anchor the middle. He enters the game second in tackles with 44, after missing the opener against LSU while recovering from a broken foot.

Jacobs was shut down last season because of a toe injury, then spent the offseason and training camp making the transition to fullback. Injuries forced the Badgers to move him back to linebacker where he quickly picked things up and is ready to go on defense again. [Read more…]

Jacobs could land time with the Badgers

August 20, 2013 By Bill Scott

Freshman outside linebacker Leon Jacobs has been so impressive that Wisconsin coach

Leon Jacobs

Gary Anderson could be counting on him right from the start in Madison.

Jacobs played just two seasons in high school before signing to play at Wisconsin.

During the Badgers training camp scrimmage on Monday, Jacobs had one of the best days of any player on the field.

AUDIO: Gary Anderson says Jacobs will play :22

Jacobs played high school football in California as a freshman, then took two years off to concentrate on basketball. He returned to football for his senior season. [Read more…]