Photos: Wisconsin Badgers 24, Northwestern Wildcats 15

Beat reporters Jim Polzin and Colten Bartholomew discuss No. 8 UW's offense and preview the matchup against Kent State. 

The No. 25 Spartans (4-1, 2-0) haven’t played at Camp Randall since 2012.

After a Saturday of blowouts and brutal injuries (sorry, Purdue), here are five things we learned.

Coordinator Jim Leonhard did masterful job keeping Northwestern guessing where pressure was coming from.

The Badgers (4-0, 2-0 Big Ten Conference) have a chance to get their offense back on track when they host Kent State at 11 a.m. Saturday in their final non-conference game of the year.

After opening the 2019 season with three games in which the offense averaged 48.3 points per game and — gasp! — threw the ball as well or better than it ran it, eighth-ranked Wisconsin went back to its traditional look in a 24-15 victory over Northwestern Saturday at Camp Randall.

The Wildcats were within 7-3 late in the third quarter until the Badgers (4-0, 2-0 Big Ten) — specifically the defense, which scored two touchdowns — finally created some breathing room.

Burrell had a pass break-up and a big hand in the first of UW’s two defensive touchdowns on Saturday in the win over Northwestern, and Pearson momentarily knocked Wildcats QB Hunter Johnson out of the game with a big hit early in the fourth quarter.

There were a handful of costly miscues on special teams Saturday for the No. 8 Badgers, who overcame them on the strength of a stellar defensive performance to down the Wildcats 24-15 at Camp Randall.

State Journal columnist Tom Oates grades the No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers' play in their 24-15 win over the Northwestern Wildcats in their Big Ten West opener Saturday at Camp Randall. 

A quick look at the 8th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers' 25-14 win over the Northwestern Wildcats in their Big Ten West opener Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.