Field Level Media
Sep 7, 2019
Junior running back Jonathan Taylor scored four touchdowns, and junior wide receiver Quintez Cephus caught two more scores as No. 17 Wisconsin pounded Central Michigan 61-0 Saturday in Madison, Wis.
Taylor, who earned All-America accolades last season, had 19 carries for 102 yards and three rushing touchdowns in three-plus quarters. He also caught three passes for 17 yards and a TD for the Badgers (2-0).
Taylor topped the 100-yard rushing mark for the 24th time in his 29-game career. He tied Anthony Davis (2001-04) with 24 games of 100 or more rushing yards. Only Ron Dayne (33 games) and Montee Ball (26) have posted more 100-yard games in school history.
Wisconsin junior quarterback Jack Coan completed 26 of 33 passes for a career-high 363 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters. He is the 11th Badgers QB to throw for 300 yards in a game.
Chippewas starting quarterback Quinten Dormady was 5 for 12 and 36 yards and one interception. The senior was replaced in the second quarter by junior David Moore, who finished 3 for 11 for 1 yard.
Badgers sophomore inside linebacker Jack Sanborn picked off Dormady early in the second quarter and returned it 39 yards. Four plays later, Taylor caught a 17-yard pass to give Wisconsin to a 23-0 lead with 11:53 remaining in the first half.
Coan connected with Cephus on a pair of touchdowns to pad Wisconsin's lead late in the first half.
Cephus caught a 36-yard score -- his first touchdown of the season -- to make it 37-0 at the 4:21 mark of the second quarter. He hauled in a 46-yard pass less than 3 minutes later to give the Badgers a 44-0 lead with 1:46 left in the first half.
Cephus finished with six catches for a career-high 130 yards and two touchdowns.
The university expelled Cephus following his arrest on two counts of sexual assault last summer and announced the player's reinstatement on Aug. 19 after he was found not guilty of the charges. Cephus returned to practice on Aug. 21 and was ruled academically eligible to play by the NCAA two days later.
The Badgers held Central Michigan (1-1) to 58 total yards on offense, including 15 rushing yards.
After a bye week, Wisconsin opens Big Ten play against No. 7 Michigan on Sept. 21 at Camp Randall. Central Michigan hosts Akron on Sept. 14 in a Mid-American Conference opener.
--Field Level Media