Abu Sama III went 72 yards for a touchdown on the game’s first play, Gavin Lahm connected on three field goals, and Wisconsin won its home opener by toppling Western Illinois 36-9 on Saturday night in Madison, Wis.
The Badgers (1-1) led from the immediate outset as Sama set the tone and finished with 107 yards on eight carries.
Quarterback Colton Joseph went 12-for-22 for 173 yards and a score. Tyrell Henry caught four passes for 91 yards.
Wisconsin blocked a punt for the second straight game and moved to 4-0 all-time against the FCS school from the Ohio Valley Conference.
Ronan Culkin hammered three field goals for the Leathernecks (1-2). Quarterback Kennedy McGill passed for 139 yards (13 of 22) and rushed for 88 yards on 18 carries.
The Badgers outgained Western Illinois 406-302 in total yards.
After being throttled 41-13 by Notre Dame last Sunday in Green Bay, the Big Ten squad brought its home fans to their feet on the first play from scrimmage on Sama’s dash. Lahm drilled a 30-yard field goal on the next possession to move the lead to 10.
Carson Van Dinter blocked a punt by the Leathernecks and returned it five yards for a 17-0 lead halfway through the first quarter, but Culkin put the visitors on the board with a 27-yard kick.
In the second quarter, Lahm split the uprights a second time on a 49-yarder to make it 20-3 just over two minutes in. Later, Culkin added his second field goal from 27 yards, but Lahm booted a 51-yarder to put the Badgers up 23-6 at halftime.
The numbers at the break were not indicative of the 17-point lead: Wisconsin owned a narrow 195-156 edge in total yards, while Western Illinois had a 19:19-10:41 advantage in time of possession.
Culkin popped in a 34-yard kick early in the third, but with 5:39 remaining, Darrion Dupree raced 28 yards through the middle of the line to push the Badgers’ lead to 30-9.
Joseph tossed a 33-yard score to Chris Brooks Jr. for the final tally with 5:14 remaining.
