:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69817569/usa_today_16685279.0.jpg)
The Week 1 Big Ten battle between the No. 19 Penn State Nittany Lions and the No. 12 Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday went into the half tied 0-0 and with that, it made a little bit of history...
Interesting tidbits: Penn State-Wisconsin is the first game between AP ranked teams to go into halftime scoreless since 2016, per @EliasSports.
— Matt Reynoldson (@Matt_Reynoldson) September 4, 2021
The last Big Ten game with a 0-0 halftime score was Michigan-Northwestern in 2014.
This season-opening battle at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, WI, has been the textbook example of a good, old-fashioned Big Ten rock fight with defense and special teams reigning supreme. Both teams have combined for only 175 yards of total offense with PSU only recording one, yes, one first down in the entire first half.
They’ve more than made up for it on defense and special teams however, as they forced one Wisconsin fumble in the red zone and blocked a field goal that would’ve put the Badgers up by three. UW quarterback Graham Mertz went 7-12 for 42 yards in the first half. Meanwhile, Penn State’s Sean Clifford struggled by going 9-15 for 50 yards.
We’ll see which defense blinks first as the second half unfolds. UPDATE...it was Wisconsin:
TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE (+5.5)
— Pickswise (@Pickswise) September 4, 2021
THE BIG TEN IS ALIVE pic.twitter.com/YNUifBp1QG