No. 1 Ohio State has awful first half against Wisconsin

See all the highlights from the Big Ten championship game.

Most analysts and fans expected undefeated Ohio State to be a lock to win the Big Ten championship game over Wisconsin to seal a potential No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff – but the Badgers stifled the Buckeyes’ offense in the first half and Wisconsin went into the locker room with a 21-7 lead.

Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor – who surpassed 6,000 career rushing yards in the first half – gashed the Buckeyes’ defense for 135 yards and a touchdown over the first two quarters. Taylor scored the first points of the game on a 44-yard run on Wisconsin’s first drive of the game.

Ohio State’s first drive on offense resulted in a turnover on downs, and though the Buckeyes advanced into field-goal range on their second drive, a key sack on third-and-10 by the Badgers’ defense forced Ohio State to punt. On the ensuing Wisconsin possession, quarterback Jack Coan led the Badgers on an 80-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 19-yard touchdown run on a quarterback keep.

Wisconsin immediately appeared to force a 3-and-out, but in an incredibly bold move, Ohio State coach Ryan Day dialed up a fake punt on 4th-and-9 from his own 26 yard line. Drue Chrisman threw a perfect pass for a 21-yard completion to keep the drive alive.

Ohio State advanced all the way to the Wisconsin 7-yard line on the drive, but quarterback Justin Fields fumbled to turn the ball over.

On Ohio State’s next possession, the Buckeyes converted a crucial 3rd-and-9 and midfield and finally got on the board later in the drive on a 2-yard rush by J.K. Dobbins.

The Badgers received the ball with just 42 seconds remaining in the half, but a 45-yard rush by Taylor immediately put the Badgers into dangerous territory.

Quintez Cephus caught a 24-yard pass and hit the front pylon of the endzone, but was ruled down at the half-yard line with 23 seconds left. On the next play, Coan punched the ball in to restore Wisconsin’s lead.