Bowl roundup: Badgers lose another Rose Bowl

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Shayne Skov and Zach Ertz believe every game in Stanford’s improbable football renaissance led the Cardinal to midfield at the Rose Bowl.

That’s where Usua Amanam made the interception that stopped Wisconsin’s final drive with 2:30 to play in a grind-it-out game. That’s where Kevin Hogan grinned broadly as he took the final snap on Stanford’s first Rose Bowl victory in 40 years.

And it’s the spot where the once-struggling team from a school better known for brains than brawn raised the West Coast’s most coveted trophy after a 20-14 victory over the Badgers on Tuesday night.

“We knew this was going to be a battle, and we wouldn’t expect it any other way,” Shaw said. “We know it’s going to be tight, it’s going to be close, and we’re going to find a way to win. That’s the way it’s been all year.”

Stanford clamped down on the Big Ten champion Badgers (8-6), who lost the Rose Bowl in heartbreaking fashion for the third consecutive season. Montee Ball rushed for 100 yards and his FBS-record 83rd touchdown, but Wisconsin managed only four first downs in that scoreless second half.

With impressive defense of its own, Wisconsin still stayed in position for an upset in the one-game return of Hall of Fame coach Barry Alvarez, who was back on the Badgers’ sideline in his red sweater-vest seven years after hanging up his whistle.

“This group of kids has been through a lot, and they competed extremely hard against a very high-quality team,” said Alvarez, who nearly pulled off a stunner while bridging the gap between coaches Bret Bielema and Gary Andersen. “We’ve played three very good football games (at the Rose Bowl). These guys played hard. In fact, most people would like to get here once. But we just didn’t get it done.”

No. 11 South Carolina 33, No. 19 Michigan 28

TAMPA, Fla. — Denard Robinson’s big day running the ball for Michigan wasn’t enough to overcome big plays by South Carolina in the Outback Bowl.

The senior quarterback lined up mostly at running back in his final college game and rushed for 100 yards on 23 carries in the Wolverines’ 33-28 loss to the Gamecocks on Tuesday.

“It’s a bittersweet feeling,” Robinson said.

Connor Shaw led No. 11 South Carolina (11-2) to the brink of victory and Dylan Thompson carried the Gamecocks over the hump. Thompson tossed a 32-yard touchdown pass to Bruce Ellington with 11 seconds remaining as South Carolina matched a school record for victories in a season.

“There’s a couple things in football that you don’t want to do, and No. 1, you can’t give up big plays,” Michigan coach Brady Hoke said. “We had four big plays in the throw game that you can’t allow to happen. Give them a lot of credit, but at the same time, we had some opportunities. The other thing is, we give up a big punt return for a touchdown. Those things hurt your football team, obviously. It hurts the momentum, morale of what you want to do.”

No. 6 Georgia 45, No. 23 Nebraska 31

ORLANDO, Fla. — The last time Nebraska took the field, its own shortcomings ended with one of the most disappointing losses in its history.

The Cornhuskers’ 45-31 loss to Georgia in Tuesday’s Capital One Bowl did little for the healing process.

Quarterback Aaron Murray threw five touchdown passes to set a Georgia bowl record, including two in the fourth quarter, as the sixth-ranked Bulldogs sent No. 23 Nebraska to its third straight bowl loss.

It was a particularly stinging defeat for the Cornhuskers (10-4), who finished the season with two straight losses — both with woeful defensive performances. Nebraska is just a month removed from losing 70-31 to Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game on Dec. 1.

“We didn’t win the football game. At the end of the day that’s what we’re about around here,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said. “They didn’t sit there and dwell on what happened in the Big Ten title game but ... we didn’t get it done and that’s what we’re about in this program.””

No. 21 Northwestern 34, Mississippi State 20

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Behind huge interceptions early and late, No. 21 Northwestern beat Mississippi State 34-20 and snapped college football’s longest postseason losing streak. The Wildcats (10-3) hadn’t won a bowl game since 1949, a nine-game skid that was tied with Notre Dame for the longest in NCAA history.

That streak is history now.

“We’ve never been here before, but now we’re here and here to stay with a new streak you can talk about in a positive way,” Fitzgerald said.

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Quentin Williams returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown on the third play of the game and Nick VanHoose set up another touchdown with a 39-yard interception return in the fourth. Those plays were the difference in a back-and-forth game that featured more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (six).

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