MADISON, Wisc.--No. 22 Wisconsin scored the game-winning touchdown on its first play from scrimmage in a 51-3 blowout victory against visiting Indiana.
On the first possession of the game, IU sophomore quarterback Nate Sudfeld saw wide receiver Nick Stoner downfield in single coverage. Sudfeld underthrew the pass and Wisconsin cornerback Sojourn Shelton intercepted the throw as he was falling down.
The Badgers took over on offense at their own 7-yard line.
On Wisconsin's first play from scrimmage, one minute and 11 seconds into the game, the Badgers faked a fly sweep to running back Melvin Gordon.
Wisconsin redshirt freshman offensive lineman Dan Voltz said the Badgers actually made an adjustment as they were running out of the tunnel before kickoff.
"My coach came over to me and we kind of switched up the ideas a little bit," Voltz said. "It was just a zone play to the right, nothing special."
The game-time adjustment and apparent lackluster play call paid off.
IU redshirt senior safety Greg Heban said Gordon drew one of the Hoosiers' linebackers or linemen away from his assigned gap.
"Against Wisconsin, if you're not gap sound, they're going to expose you," Heban said.
IU Coach Kevin Wilson said the Hoosiers were in their base defense and the Badgers simply blocked well on the play.
"All I had to do was run straight," White said, adding that IU's defense was out of its gaps.
IU redshirt freshman defensive tackle Ralphael Green III got a hand on White as the Hoosier defender attempted to fight through Badgers left tackle Ryan Groy but that wasn't enough to bring down White.
"Yeah that was awesome," Groy said. "I looked up at my guy, missed a tackle and he was off to the races. It was an awesome first play."
White broke through IU's last line of defense--Heban and safety Mark Murphy--at Wisconsin's 15-yard line.
It was a foot race for the final 85 yards.
Murphy gave pursuit but Wisconsin wide receiver Alex Erickson trailed the play and he was there to block the IU safety's final attempt at preventing the touchdown.
"Erickson had a great block just to keep the guy off me in case I decided to run slow and get caught," White said.
Voltz said Wisconsin loves playing against 4-3 defenses, which is IU's formation of choice.
"They don't do a whole lot of fancy stuff," he said. "When you play well against a defense like that, the results are going to be pretty good"
