Game 1 of the Jim Leonhard era a resounding success as Wisconsin dominates Northwestern to snap a 2-game losing streak

EVANSTON, Illinois – Welcome to the Jim Leonhard era.

OK, so one victory doesn’t make an era.

Nevertheless, even Barry Alvarez could not have scripted a start like this for Wisconsin’s interim head coach.

Six days after learning head coach Paul Chryst had been fired, Leonhard’s players went to Ryan Field and did what UW teams rarely do:

They beat Pat Fitzgerald’s Northwestern Wildcats in every way imaginable, 42-7.

Give Leonhard, an All-American safety at UW and a member of Chryst’s staff since the 2016 season, the game ball.

Coming off ugly losses to Ohio State and Illinois, the Badgers needed to win in any manner.

Forget about margin of victory.

Just win and move on to the next game.

The Badgers got the victory they needed to improve to 1-2 in the Big Ten and 3-3 overall by putting together a dominant first half in which they rolled up 350 total yards, held the Wildcats to 130 yards and built a 28-0 lead that was never threatened.

Box score: Wisconsin 42, Northwestern 7

"Extremely proud of our group," said Leonhard, who felt the players turned the corner emotionally and mentally by Wednesday. "The emotions early in the week were hard to handle for some guys and the coaches.

"We talked on Sunday with the guys that we needed to execute so much better. Offense, defense, special teams weren’t playing up to our standard. To see them rally this week and get that done under the circumstances was huge."

Northwestern, which finished 1-8 in the league and 3-9 last season, fell to 1-1 in the league and 1-5 overall Saturday.

How rare was it for UW to win at Ryan Field?

The Badgers entered the day having lost six of their last seven games there.

That victory came in 2016, Chryst’s second season as UW’s head coach.

Graham Mertz, Wisconsin's offense responds to difficult week with sensational performance

Leonhard implored the offensive staff during the week to find ways to highlight the unit’s playmakers and the coaches heeded those words.

With offensive coordinator Bobby Engram working on the sideline for the first time all season, quarterback Graham Mertz completed 20 of 29 passes for 299 yards and five touchdowns. He had thrown a total of three interceptions and two touchdown passes in the previous two games, losses to Ohio State and Illinois.

Mertz finished 6 of 9 for 167 yards on third-down throws, with six conversions. He also came out throwing, completing passes for 11 and 9 yards on UW's first two plays, and finished 6 of 8 for 66 yards on first-down throws.

"You can’t allow teams to continually attack," Leonhard said. "You have to do something to slow them down and keep them on their heels. The right thing today was getting the ball on the edge. Trust Graham to make great decisions. Trust our receivers to beat coverage. They were aggressive.

"That might not always be the correct approach (but) we have to play off of our passing game. Teams are going to load the box and dedicate a lot of attention to our backs and O-line.

"We have to be able to balance that up a little bit. I thought today was a great example of it."

Chimere Dike, who entered the game with 15 catches for 257 yards and a touchdown, enjoyed his best day at UW. The junior had seven catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns in the opening half. He finished with 10 catches for 185 yards and three touchdowns, on 11 targets.

"Chim is a dynamic player for this offense," said Leonhard, noting UW took advantage of how aggressively the Northwestern safeties attack the line of scrimmage. "We needed to get him going."

Tailbacks Braelon Allen (23 carries, 135 yards) and Chez Mellusi (10-31) either found holes to run through or fought for extra yards.

Allen, working out of the Wildcat, hit Mellusi for a 21-yard touchdown in the opening half.

The Badgers put together scoring drives of 98, 57, 66 and 61 yards in the first half.

"I knew that we worked really well throughout the week and we handled it really well.," Dike said. "I think we improved as the week went on and got more comfortable. I thought we were going to have a good performance but it was definitely good to come out here and have one."

UW’s offense featured its fifth starting offensive line in six games. The reason? With left guard Tyler Beach out with an unspecified injury, right guard Tanor Bortolini took Beach’s spot and Michael Furtney started at right guard.

Despite the changes, Mertz wasn't sacked and was rarely pressured.

"I didn’t get touched today," Mertz said. "Of course, it was a clean pocket. I trust anybody in that (offensive line) room and they know it. They did a great job today."

Big day by the Badgers' defense includes three forced turnovers

Northwestern failed to score on its first nine drives against Leonhard's defense before finally breaking thorough with a 78-yard touchdown drive in the final quarter.

The Badgers forced three turnovers — two interceptions by safety Kamo'i Latu and a fumble recovery by end James Thompson after a strip by linebacker Nick Herbig.

More: Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Cedrick Dort Jr. suffers serious injury against Northwestern Wildcats

Herbig led UW in tackles with seven, all solos. Tatum Grass and Jake Chaney got starts at inside linebacker in place of Jordan Turner and Maema Njongmeta, both of whom missed time in practice because of injuries. Njongmeta had two tackles; Turner did not play.

"Coach Chryst got fired for a reason," Chaney said. "Everybody can (have) their own beliefs, but we feel like we’re the ones who failed him. We put it on the field today for coach Chryst. This season is pretty much dedicated to him."

Wisconsin starts strong with 28-0 lead over Northwestern at halftime

UW took the opening kickoff and drove from its 18 to a first down at the Wildcats’ 18.

The drive stalled there.

Allen gained 1 yard on first down; Mertz threw wide of Dike on second down; and then threw high to Keontez Lewis on third down.

Nate Van Zelst hooked his 35-yard field-goal attempt to the left and the Badgers came away with nothing.

That sequence was really the lone blemish for the offense.

"We talked all week (that) there is going to be adversity and you have to hang in there," Leonhard said. "We can’t have one bad thing affect the entire team consistently. And that was happening, for whatever reason.

"And to have some success and to miss a field goal and for guys to rally was huge. You saw the energy on the sideline consistently and the focus. Lot of guys into it."

The final seconds played out as most of the half had – with the home team frustrated.

Northwestern drove from its 25 to the UW 3 but Ryan Hilinski threw incomplete on first and second down and Jack Olsen missed a 21-yard-field-goal attempt on the final play of the half.

UW had a 28-point lead; Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald’s team was a mess; and the small home crowd was booing with gusto.

The Badgers added two scores in the second half, as Mertz found Dike for 6 yards on the first play of the final quarter to help push the lead to 35-0 and later found Markus Allen for 19 yards with 2:28 left.

"We needed to mourn for coach Chryst and when we step across that white line it is all football," Herbig said. "We’ve just got to put our feelings aside and play football.

"I lost one of my best friends I saw every day. I talked to him last night on the phone. I miss that guy for sure. I know he was watching us today, though. If he is watching this: 'I love you coach.'"

Saturday was the first time Chryst hadn’t been on the UW sideline since the 2015 Outback Bowl in Tampa.

Alvarez coached that game. Chryst, who had been hired to succeed Gary Andersen, watched the game from the stands.

Where was Leonhard? His final NFL season had ended a few days earlier with the Cleveland Browns’ 20-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Leonhard took a year off, joined UW’s staff in 2016 as secondary coach, was promoted to defensive coordinator before the 2017 season and on Saturday watched his team give him a performance he’ll likely cherish forever.

"To me, there was a lot more nerves throughout the week than there was today," Leonhard said. "Game day is game day. I’ve been a part of a lot of these.

"Obviously not in this role, but this a reward. You put in the work. You put in the time. You should have confidence when you step off that bus that you have the right plan, you have the right guys.

"To me, when I woke up this morning it was a great feeling."

Leonhard felt even better when he left Ryan Field on Saturday night.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Badgers dominate Northwestern; Jim Leonhard wins in debut