The decision to prioritize stopping Ohio State's run game is just one of many questionable choices Luke Fickell has made during his tenure in Madison. Perhaps he hoped to force his alma mater into uncomfortable 3rd & long scenarios and bring out the Buckeye punt team early and often.
But if that were the case, any such hopes were likely dashed when Julian Sayin threw a 33-yard touchdown strike to Carnell Tate on 3rd & 11 to cap off the visitors' opening possession. The Badgers committed to that strategy, however, leading to a career-high 42 attempts from Sayin as his offensive line struggled to execute consistently.