The best defensive drive of Wisconsin’s season began with a missed tackle.
The Badgers hadn’t had many mistakes in two shutout games before last Saturday’s matchup against then-No. 11 Michigan, but on the Wolverines’ first offensive play of the game, safety Eric Burrell missed his man. Michigan receiver Ronnie Bell was off to the races, and he appeared poised to tie the game at a touchdown apiece—before Faion Hicks, a sophomore cornerback, caught him at the Wisconsin 7-yard line. On first-and-goal, Shea Patterson tossed an incompletion, and next, the Wolverines quarterback handed the ball off to fullback Ben Mason, hoping to muscle in the score.