EVANSTON, Ill. _ ESPN ran a graphic this week listing contenders to win the Big Ten. Michigan and Ohio State were at the top, of course. Then Wisconsin and Iowa. And then Purdue.
Not listed: Northwestern, even though NU entered the week atop the Big Ten West standings. If the Wildcats felt slighted, they channeled that into a strong performance against a bumbling Wisconsin team. NU won, 31-17, to improve to 5-1 in league play and 5-3 overall.
This performance will add some juice to Notre Dame's visit next Saturday night _ the biggest game at Ryan Field since 2013, when Ohio State and ESPN's "College GameDay" visited.
NU visits Iowa the following Saturday with a potential trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten title game on the line.
The Wildcats have played erratically this season, but one thing has held true. America's Greatest Underdog thrives when counted out. NU beat Purdue in the season opener, took Michigan to the wire, flipped its season in East Lansing and beat up the Badgers on Saturday.
Wisconsin (5-3, 3-2) is all but buried in the Big Ten race, a shocking development considering the Badgers won the West in 2014, '16 and '17 and were 4-to-9 favorites to repeat this season.
With Alex Hornibrook in concussion protocol, sophomore Jack Coan got his first career start for the Badgers. He was unremarkable, finishing 20-for-31 with 158 yards.
A failed exchange with Jonathan Taylor set Northwestern up at the Wisconsin 15. That's when the Wildcats took a 14-7 lead. Coan's newness might have been a factor but Taylor has a history: He put it on the ground twice Saturday, marking 10 career fumbles and four this season.
The second one deserved a blooper soundtrack, as it shot into the air after linebacker Paddy Fisher tried to grab it. Coan later fumbled twice on the same play.
Northwestern had its own turnover issues.
Clayton Thorson made some good throws _ namely a 24-yard strike to Kyric McGowan in the back of the end zone.
But Thorson threw three interceptions. The first came after linebacker Ryan Connelly made a great break on a ball that Thorson tried to fit into a tight window. The second was an up-for-grabs fling at the end of the first half.
The third was inexcusable: With Northwestern up three touchdowns midway through the fourth quarter, Thorson didn't see linebacker Zack Baun, throwing it right to him. That made the final eight minutes somewhat stressful for the pro-purple contingent of the Ryan Field crowd.
NU coach Pat Fitzgerald said there was a miscommunication, and that it was actually supposed to be a running play.
Thorson finished 17-for-30 for 167 yards but he did have a terrific scrambling touchdown, juking Connelly on a five-yard score.
Northwestern actually rushed it well. Days after a frustrated Fitzgerald reacted to NU's anemic rushing attack by saying, "my size 12 will be inserted accordingly" during practice, NU responded with 182 yards on 49 carries. Freshman Isaiah Bowser (34-117) led the way.
The game started oddly. NU kicker Drew Luckenbaugh got hurt in warmups, so punter Jake Collins kicked off. He booted it out of bounds. NU then turned to original first-stringer Charlie Kuhbander, who was injured.
And Fitzgerald passed up a 24-yard field-goal try in the second quarter. Charlie Fessler drew an interference penalty in the end zone, leading to NU's second score.
Kuhbander later came through by knocking home a 26-yarder.
