ARLINGTON, Texas _ Redemption for Wisconsin's defense.
A huge day for tight end Troy Fumagalli.
A signature moment for redshirt freshman quarterback Alex Hornibrook
Another bowl victory over UW coach Paul Chryst.
A memorable send-off for a senior class that led the way through a remarkable 2016 season.
Eighth-ranked Wisconsin held Western Michigan's high-powered offense in check for most of Monday's Cotton Bowl. Fumagalli and Hornibrook hooked up for a critical fourth-quarter touchdown pass and the Badgers held on for a 24-16 victory in front of an announced crowd of 59,615 Monday at AT&T Stadium.
UW finished 11-3 and ruined the dream of a perfect season for Western Michigan, champion of the Mid-American Conference, which finished 13-1.
"I think we've got a lot of guys who are the heart of the team," senior linebacker Vince Biegel said before the game. "There's not just one guy. What makes our team special is we're a collective group.
"I think not just myself but our whole team was hurt after the Penn State game. And the best thing for us to kind of overcome those things is to get back to work.
"And that's what we did right away. Getting prepared, doing those things get you prepared to turn the page and move forward. That's what we've done. All eyes on Western Michigan."
Senior Bart Houston got the start over Hornibrook, who started all nine Big Ten regular-season games but missed the league title game (concussion).
Houston completed 11 of 12 passes for 159 yards. His only incompletion came on an end-zone drop by Fumagalli.
Fumagalli more than made up for the mistake. He caught six passes for 83 yards and a touchdown. He was named the Outstanding Offensive Player.
That was an 8-yarder from Hornibrook, on third and 7. That play helped give UW a 24-10 lead with 12 minutes and 26 seconds remaining in the game.
Hornibrook played just two series but finished 2 of 2 for 19 yards and a touchdown.
Western Michigan entered the day averaging 43.5 points per game and with a plus-19 turnover margin.
UW's defense held the Broncos to their lowest point total of the season, which had been 22, and forced the lone turnover of the game.
That was an interception by T.J. Edwards that gave UW the ball at the Broncos' 11 and set up the Badgers' final score. Edwards, who finished with a game-high 10 tackles, was named the Outstanding Defensive Player.
That also helped UW's defense make up for a second-half collapse against Penn State in the Big Ten title game. The Nittany Lions wiped out a 21-point deficit and secure a Rose Bowl berth with a 38-31 victory.
"We want to show people what happened in the Big Ten game was a fluke," UW linebacker T.J. Watt said before the game. "It's not who we are. We're men on a mission to show people that we're a really good football team especially defensively. And we're going to show people what we can do.
"We're focused. We don't care who they've played, what conference they're from. They're undefeated. That's a really big accomplishment no matter who you play. We're taking this game, very seriously."
Quarterback Zach Terrell was limited to 16 of 28 for 157 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.
Wide receiver Corey Davis, who entered the day with 18 touchdown catches and an average of 109.8 receiving yards per game, with six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown.
UW cornerback Sojourn Shelton, making his program-record 51st start, shadowed Davis for most of the game. He surrendered the touchdown catch but for the most part played well.
UW's offense was sharp early and it was clear the Badgers had Western Michigan's defense out-schemed and off-balance.
The Badgers put together scoring drives of 75 yards on 11 plays and 88 yards on seven plays to take a 14-0 lead with 3:13 left in the first quarter.
Corey Clement (22 carries, 71 yards) capped the 75-yard drive with a 2-yard run through a cavernous opening in the middle of the line with 8:52 left in the quarter.
UW's defense forced Western Michigan to punt after just four plays and the Badgers took over at their 12.
They covered with five runs and two pass plays. Dare Ogunbowale had a 24-yard reception and a 20-yard run to help move the ball to the 1 and then capped the drive with a plunge into the end zone with 3:23 left in the quarter.
To that point, UW had 106 yards and two touchdowns on just 1 carries and Houston was 4 of 4 for 62 yards.
After UW went three and out on Hornibrook's lone series of the half _ the drive started at the UW 12 _ the Broncos finally put together a sustained drive on their third series of the half.
Terrell hit Davis for 10 yards to the UW 28 on fourth and 5 and capped the drive seven plays later with a 2-yard run on a bootleg on third and goal.
Outside linebacker Garret Dooley, lined up on the left side of the UW formation, stayed home after the fake to the tailback and had a chance to stop Terrell short. But Terrell cut to the inside at the 5, Dooley slipped and Terrell scored easily to help the Broncos pull within 14-7 with 5:27 left in the half.
Houston came back in at quarterback after Hornibrook's one series and the Badgers drove for a field goal and used up all but the final 18 seconds of the half.
Jazz Peavy's 51-yard gain on the second play of the drive moved the ball to the Western Michigan 25 but UW failed to take full advantage.
UW faced third and 3 from the Broncos' 7 when right tackle David Edwards was called for a false start.
Houston then fired a strike to tight end Fumagalli in the back of the end zone but Fumagalli couldn't hold on.
UW settled for a 30-yard field goal by Andrew Endicott and a 17-7 lead at the break.
The Broncos took the second-half kickoff and drove 65 yards for 27-yard field goal to pull within 17-10 with 10:00 remaining in the quarter.
Terrell went for Davis in the end zone on third and 7 from the UW 10 but heavy pressure from Chikwe Obasih resulted in an errant throw.
Neither offense could muster a scoring drive and UW held a 17-10 lead when the Broncos took over at their 3 with 13:58 left in the game, after a 42-yard punt by Anthony Lotti.
That set up a huge momentum swing, which started with Terrell making a horrendous decision on first down.
Terrell, who had just three interceptions on 349 attempts entering the day, tried to hit tight end Donnie Ernsberger down the left seam.
Safety Leo Musso was running with Ernsberger, however, and linebacker T.J. Edwards, dropping into coverage, intercepted the pass at the 11.
Hornibrook re-entered the game, for just his second series, and made perhaps his most important throw on the third play of the possession.
Facing third and 7, Hornibrook looked into the back of the end zone and spotted Fumagalli.
Under pressure, Hornibrook lofted a perfect pass between two defenders. Fumagalli went up high to snare the ball, got a foot down and held ontot the ball for the touchdown with 12:26 left. Endicott's extra point gave UW a 24-10 lead.
The Broncos pulled within 24-16 on a remarkable 16-play, 75-yard drive that took 8:59 when Davis fought of cornerback Sojourn Shelton to haul in an 11-yard pass with 3:27 left.
Hampton, 70 of 71 on extra-point attempts entering the Cotton Bowl, pushed the kick to the right, leaving UW's lead at 24-16.
The Broncos tried an onside kick and Peavy was unable to handle the ball cleanly but the ball went out of bounds.
UW took over at the Broncos' 48 with 3:27 left.
Houston and Fumagalli hooked up for a 26-yard gain to the Western Michigan 20 on third and 8 and fullback Austin Ramesh gained 10 yards to the 6 on third and 6, with 1:06 left, to secure the victory.
"They are who they've been this whole time," Chryst, now 21-6 as UW's head coach, said before the game. "And we had some tough losses during the season...
"I thought their response after the Big Ten title game was appropriate. They put a lot into it. And yet, when we came back and started practicing for the bowl, great energy. And that's who they've been all year.
"And so it's one of the things I really like this about this team is they're consistent in their approach and they're not afraid to put it out there."
