MADISON, Wis. _ Sixth-ranked Wisconsin won't get credit for style points after this victory.
Yet on a weekend when two top-10 teams lost before the first game Saturday, the Badgers must feel relieved after they remained unbeaten with a mistake-filled 17-9 victory over Purdue in front of a crowd of 78,580 at Camp Randall Stadium.
UW (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) took down Purdue for the 12th consecutive time, became bowl eligible and avoided the fate of two top-10 teams that suffered upsets Friday night.
The Badgers did so despite three turnovers _ one fumble by Jonathan Taylor and two interceptions by Alex Hornibrook _ and a blocked punt.
UW's defense was magnificent, however, even after losing starting linebacker T.J. Edwards late in the first half because of a targeting call.
Linebacker Leon Jacobs came up with a drive-killing interception at the UW 14 with 8 minutes, 14 seconds left, and UW's offense, which was awful for much of the game, ran out the clock with a 16-play drive that reached the Purdue 6.
With Purdue out of timeouts and only 1:32 left, Hornibrook went to a knee three times to secure the victory.
The weekend opened with No. 2 Clemson falling, 27-24, to unranked Syracuse and No. 9 Washington State getting pummeled, 37-3, by unranked California.
Purdue (3-3, 1-2) came to Camp Randall Stadium bent on slowing Taylor, who entered the day No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 7 nationally in rushing at 153.4 yards per game.
But Taylor broke the 200-yard mark for the third time in six games and the Boilermakers failed to capitalize on the three turnovers. The Boilermakers were limited to 221 total yards and converted 3 of 11 third-down chances.
Taylor rushed 30 times for 219 yards and a touchdown.
Hornibrook completed 13 of 18 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown.
Wide receiver Quintez Cephus caught five passes for 100 yards. He had a 14-yard touchdown catch and picked up 7 yards to the Purdue 30 on third-and-7 on the final drive.
The Badgers couldn't have scripted a better start as they built a 14-0 lead just 8:48 into the game.
Taylor scored on a 67-yard run on UW's third offensive play; UW's defense recorded a three-and-out; and quarterback Hornibrook completed 4 of 4 passes for 63 yards to highlight a nine-play, 73-yard touchdown drive.
Hornibrook capped the drive with a 14-yard strike to Cephus to give UW a double-digit lead.
UW's offense lapsed into a restful slumber for the rest of the game.
The early momentum died thanks to two critical mistakes, but the defense compensated with two impressive stands.
UW held a 14-3 lead when Hornibrook tried to hit wide receiver Danny Davis deep in Purdue territory. The ball sailed into the arms of cornerback Da'Wan Hunte, who gained 44 yards to the UW 44 with 13:31 left in the first half.
Three incompletions later, the Boilermakers were forced to punt.
UW took over at its 4 and moved the ball to the 47 before the drive stalled.
Anthony Lotti's punt was blocked by linebacker Garrett Hudson and the Boilermakers took over at the UW 15.
Purdue ran three plays and lost a total of 10 yards, as UW got sacks from Garret Dooley and Alec James.
That left the Purdue's Spencer Evans facing a 42-yard field-goal attempt. Evans, who hit a 36-yarder in the first quarter, missed to the right this time.
The Badgers built their lead to 17-3 on a 46-yard field goal by Rafael Gaglianone with 2:38 left, but UW's defense, which had been unyielding after the interception and blocked punt, bent too far on the final possession of the half.
Purdue drove from its 25 to the UW 20, with the last 15 yards coming on a targeting call against Edwards with 18 seconds left.
Conor Sheehy's sack pushed the Boilermakers back to the 27. A procedure penalty put the ball on the 32 abut Evans drilled a 49-yard field goal on the final play of the half to pull Purdue within 17-6.
Another interception by Hornibrook, on a screen play on third and 12 from the Purdue 31, proved costly.
Purdue had the screen covered by Hornibrook forced the ball to tailback Rachid Ibrahim. The ball bounced off his hands and into the arms of defensive end Danny Ezechukwu, who raced 36 yards to the UW 28 with 5:33 left in the third quarter.
UW's defense didn't allow a first down, however, and Purdue settled for a 40-yard field goal by J.D. Dellinger to pull within 17-9 with 4:07 left in the quarter.
UW's offense, stagnant since the early outburst, finally came to life.
With Taylor and Bradrick Shaw combining for 29 yards on five carries, UW moved to the Purdue 46. Hornibrook connected with Cephus for 41 on the next play, but two plays later Taylor was hit by Lorenzo Neal, a 6-foot-2, 325-pound tackle.
Neal knocked the ball loose and recovered the fumble at the Purdue 5 with 14:53 remaining in the game.
Purdue drove to the UW 45 but the drive stalled and the Badgers took over at their 14, with 12:01 left, after a punt.
UW's offense went three and out and the Boilermakers drove quickly from their 39 to the UW 7. But on second-and-goal from the 7, outside Jacobs stepped in front of wide receiver Jackson Anthrop to make a one-handed interception with 8:14 left.
UW took over at its 13 and ran out the clock to finally put down the Boilermakers.
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