Freshman quarterback Carter Smith came off the bench to run for one touchdown and direct a second-half comeback as host Wisconsin snapped a six-game losing streak with a 13-10 upset of No. 23 Washington in a snowy Big Ten matchup on Saturday.
Smith, making his debut after starter Danny O’Neil was injured in the first quarter, completed just 3 of 12 passes for eight yards, but ran for 47 yards on 15 carries.
Wisconsin (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten) tied it 10-10 with 6:26 left in the third quarter after recovering a fumble by Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. on a strip sack at the Huskies’ 7-yard line. Smith tied it with a 2-yard keeper off the left side.
Washington (6-3, 3-3) lost 20 yards on its next possession with a sack and three penalties, and a 12-yard punt return gave Wisconsin the ball at the Huskies’ 36. Nathanial Vakos converted the short field into a 32-yard field goal and a 13-10 lead with 1:58 left in the third quarter.
Wisconsin preserved the lead by blocking Grady Gross’s 50-yard field goal attempt with just under 11 minutes remaining.
The Huskies got the ball back after a punt at their own 13-yard line with 3:03 left, but Williams was stopped for a loss on fourth-and-6 from the Washington 41 with just over a minute remaining.
Williams completed 20 of 32 passes for 134 yards with one touchdown and one interception and ran for a team-high 61 yards.
Washington went in front 10-3 after getting the ball at the Wisconsin 1-yard line on a blocked punt. Williams hit Denzel Boston with a 1-yard scoring pass with 7:44 left in the first half.
The Huskies threatened again on their next possession, but Williams was picked off in the end zone.
Wisconsin took a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter on a 42-yard field goal by Vakos.
The Huskies answered on the ensuing possession when Williams scampered 36 yards on a keeper to help set up Gross’ 42-yard field goal.
O’Neil, back as the starter in Wisconsin’s quarterback carousel, was injured midway through the first quarter after a 21-yard run and carted off the field with what was announced as a lower-body injury.
Smith came on and continued the drive, but was stopped short on fourth-and-2 from the Washington 6-yard line.
–Field Level Media
