Sept. 16, 2006
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MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Freshman P.J. Hill ran for 184 yards and a touchdown - a 53-yarder in the third quarter - and Wisconsin's defense did the rest in a 14-0 victory over San Diego State on Saturday.
Hill, who had 26 carries, became the first Badgers freshman to run for 100 yards or more in three straight games since Anthony Davis did it in four straight in 2001.
Hill now has 415 yards and five touchdowns in his first three games, but Wisconsin (3-0) showed few other wrinkles against San Diego State (0-2) before its Big Ten opener at No. 11 Michigan next Saturday.
John Stocco, who finished 12-of-23 for 85 yards and a touchdown, never efficiently connected with his receivers while dealing with a brisk wind whipping through Camp Randall.
Even when he made accurate throws, the receiving corps continued to mishandle passes - twice ending drives with third-down drops.
It left the bulk of the offense in the hands of Hill, who already had 100 yards just four minutes into the third quarter after the teams combined for 12 punts in a scoreless first half.
Hill set up the Badgers most of the day, but had to open scoring himself by spinning out of Nick Osborn's tackle and sprinting down the right sideline for a 53-yard score midway through the third quarter.
In the fourth, the Badgers put the game out of reach when a 48-yard run by Dywon Rowan set up Stocco for a 6-yard TD toss to Paul Hubbard with 7:06 left.
But Wisconsin squandered the majority of its opportunities.
After a 32-yard gain in the second quarter by Hill, he couldn't convert a fourth-and-3 attempt at the Aztecs 7.
Then, on the opening drive of the second half, Wisconsin moved to the Aztecs 13, but Stocco held the ball too long as defensive tackle Jonathan Bailes hit him from behind, snapping Stocco's head back and forcing a fumble recovered by the Aztecs.
It didn't matter much, though, because San Diego State couldn't move the ball effectively with sophomore Darren Mougey making his first start in his third year in the program.
Mougey, forced into action when Aztec starter Kevin O'Connell injured his right thumb in the opener two weeks ago, had completed just 25 passes in his career before the game.
He went 15-of-27 for 102 yards as the Aztecs only had seven first downs and entered Wisconsin territory three times, never getting closer than the Badgers 36.
It was San Diego State's 10th straight loss to a Big Ten opponent and the first time the Aztecs were shut out since a 13-0 loss to BYU in 1998.