Wisconsin Football: Badgers stick to ground game to avoid upset

3.  It’s hard to win without a quarterback

New Mexico was looking for a thrilling upset and through most of the first quarter, it looked like the Lobos were going to at least have a shot to make this game interesting. Already down one of their quarterbacks entering the contest, backup Tevaka Tuioti went down forcing third-string passer Sheriron Jones into the starting lineup. Against Wisconsin.

Jones tried as best he could, but even with a full week of reps with the starters, the task of upsetting any Power 5 team is a challenge. Spending the week with the backups makes that proposition disproportionally difficult.

New Mexico trailed by three points entering halftime. Then the Lobos’ defensive front began to show the wear and tear that comes when facing a rushing attack as potent as Wisconsin’s. The offense under Jones wasn’t able to keep up. Outside of a Hornibrook interception to start the second half, Wisconsin responded with five-straight touchdown drives to ice the game.