MADISON, Wis. _ Facing a rejuvenated Michigan team with one of the stingier defenses in the nation was dubbed the latest test for Paul Chryst's football team.
Wisconsin, which climbed to No. 5 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, didn't deserve a perfect grade Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.
But Chryst and his players and a crowd of 81,216 couldn't care less because the Badgers remained perfect on the season by rallying for a 24-10 victory.
UW (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) remained in the running for a berth in the College Football Playoff by reaching the eight-victory mark in Big Ten play for the first time in program history.
The victory came over a Michigan team that was ranked No. 24 in the playoff rankings and had won three consecutive games.
Michigan (8-3, 5-3) mustered just one sustained scoring drive against a unit that entered the game No. 1 in the nation in total defense (247.6 yards per game), rushing defense (81.5 ypg) and passing efficiency defense (94.5 rating) and No. 3 nationally in scoring defense (13.4 ppg).
Michigan was held to 58 rushing yards on 37 carries and thus became the seventh team to fail to hit the 100-yard mark against UW this season.
The Wolverines had run the ball a combined 126 times for 865 yards, an average of 6.9 yards per carry, and 11 touchdowns in victories over Maryland, Minnesota and Rutgers.
UW quarterback Alex Hornibrook, who entered the game with 11 interceptions in seven Big Ten games, threw one more Saturday, leading to a Michigan field goal.
But he hit 4 of 7 attempts for 99 yards and a touchdown on UW's two third-quarter scoring drives as the Badgers turned a 10-7 deficit into a 21-10 lead.
UW had 99 yards on 28 plays overall before Hornibrook directed touchdown drives of 77 and 61 yards.
He hit A.J. Taylor for 51 yards to the Michigan 18 on third-and-13, hit Taylor for a 24-yard touchdown on third-and-16 and hit Danny Davis for 27 yards to the Michigan 32 on third-and-8.
That set up a 32-yard touchdown by Kendric Pryor on an end-around on the next play.
Hornibrook finished 9 of 19 for 143 yards, with one interception and one touchdown.
UW freshman tailback Jonathan Taylor entered the game averaging 6.96 yards per carry and 152.5 yards, with 12 touchdowns.
He had 45 yards on nine carries in the first half but found more room in the second half and finished with 132 yards on 19 carries, an average of 6.9 yards per carry.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Brandon Peters, making his third consecutive start, played efficiently for the Wolverines until getting knocked out of the game with 2 minutes, 13 seconds left in the third quarter on a hit by linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel.
Peters completed 3 of 3 passes for 81 yards on the Wolverines' 87-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter and finished 9 of 18 for 157 yards.
The game was a defensive battle early.
Michigan punter Brad Robbins, punting from the UW 41, missed a chance to pin the Badgers deep when he hit the ball into the end zone on a fly for a touchback with 12:23 left in the first quarter.
The Badgers couldn't take advantage of the mistake, but punter Anthony Lotti helped flip the field back in UW's favor and his second punt pinned the Wolverines at their 14.
UW's defense recorded a three-and-out, and Nick Nelson gave the Badgers the lead with a stunning, 50-yard punt return.
Robbins didn't hit the ball cleanly and it hit at the Michigan 48. The ball carried to the 50, where it spun on the ground for several seconds.
Nelson hesitated and then decided to go for unconventional scoop and score.
He picked up the loose ball and started toward the right sideline. Nelson eluded several defenders, followed his blockers, cut back near the 30 and was escorted into the end zone by several teammates with 1:15 left in the first quarter.
Both defenses maintained control until late in the second quarter, when Michigan put together its best drive of the game _ after a UW third-down conversion was overturned by replay.
Hornibrook hit Davis for 15 yards to the Michigan 36 on third-and-14 but the play was overturned and UW punted.
The Wolverines drove 84 yards in seven plays, with fullback Ben Simon scoring from 1 yard with 2:24 left in the half.
Peters had completions of 48, 19 and 14 yards on the drive, which lasted 3:34.
The first half resembled the teams' 2016 meeting with Michigan's defense overwhelmed UW and the Wolverines moved the ball just well enough to score twice.
Michigan held the ball for 17:26 in the half, converted 4 of 9 third-down chances and outgained UW, 169-99.
Taylor carried nine times for 45 yards, but 21 came on one carry. He was limited to 24 yards on the other eight carries.
UW entered the day having outscored its opponents by a combined 195-55 in the second half.
UW added to that margin by outscoring Michigan, 17-3, in the second half.
The Badgers struggled early because of poor field position as they started their first two drives at their 20 after a kickoff and their 12 after a punt.
They went three-and-out both times and the Wolverines took over at the UW 41 with 9:37 left in the quarter after the second punt.
UW's defense rose up again and forced a three-and-out but the Badgers started from their 10 after a 32-yard punt.
The Badgers had zero yards on six plays on their first two series of the half.
Hornibrook tried to hit Troy Fumagalli over the middle but the tight end was bracketed and linebacker Devin Bush made a leaping interception at the UW 29 with 8:33 left in the quarter.
Michigan managed one first down before UW's defense stiffened, and Quinn Nordin drilled a 39-yard field goal with 6:36 left in the quarter.
UW had zero yards on seven plays in the quarter and was facing a 10-7 deficit.
A pass interference penalty on cornerback Tyree Kinnel gave UW a first down at its 34 and Hornibrook made two huge third-down throws to take back the lead.
Facing third-and-13 from his 31, Hornbrook hit A.J. Taylor down the left sideline for 51 yards to the Michigan 19.
Three plays later, on third-and-16, Hornibrook fired a bullet between two defenders and hit A.J. Taylor for a 24-yard score to help UW take a 14-10 lead with 3:31 left in the quarter.
UW had 99 yards on 28 plays before that seven-play, 77-yard drive.
The numbers got better after UW forced a three-and-out and Van Ginkel knocked Peters out of the game with a hard hit on the pass rush.
UW took over at its 39 after the punt and needed only five plays to drive 61 yards for another touchdown.
Hornibrook hit Davis for 27 yards to the Michigan 32 on third-and-eight and Pryor then scored on an end-around on the next play for a 21-10 lead 24 seconds left in the quarter.
As they had against Iowa, center Tyler Biadasz and right guard Beau Benzschawel pulled and led the way for Pryor.
UW added a late field goal and secured the victory, fittingly, with a fourth-down stop with 1:40 left.
