Inside the numbers: Akron
MADISON, Wis. – Ever since the introduction of official scoring and statistics, numbers have played a major part in every football game. Sure they decide wins and loses, but they also show how that win or loss developed.
Following Saturday's season opener, the numbers 38 and 17 were the most important because that was the final score in UW's favor, however there were many more that are worth taking a look at.
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The following is an inside the numbers look at UW and Akron's opening game:
404: Easily the most visible number other than the score against the Zips. UW's entire offensive line, named offensive MVP by head coach Bret Bielema, was dominant against Akron's defensive line. Thus, the Badgers were able to rush for this combined yardage.
63: Number of times UW rushed the ball. Why not, when they were able to average 6.4 yards per attempt.
210: More than half of the Badger's rushing yards could be attributed to junior P.J. Hill, who racked up over 200 yards for the second time in his career.
8.1: Average yards for Hill on each attempt.
93: Yardage Hill had after his first 8 carries of the day.
33: Number of career touchdown's Hill has following the season opener. He in now only one touchdown behind Brent Moss for fourth all-time on the UW all-time list.
87: Number of yards sophomore running back Zach Brown mustered on just 15 carries.
71: Number of yards redshirt freshman John Clay pounded out while playing in his first game in front of 80,910 fans.
75: All three of UW's leading rushers are among the top 75 in the nation after week one.
11: Yards true freshman Bradie Ewing was able to rush for. It was those 11 yards that pushed the Badger's over the 400-yard mark on the ground, much to the delight of his teammates.
1,595: Weight of UW offensive line combined. Breaks down to a 319-pound average.
275: Average weight of Akron's three starting defensive linemen. That made for a 44-pound difference in the trenches.
10: Number of times new starting quarterback Allan Evridge threw the ball.
7: Number of passes the Kansas State transfer completed.
1: Number of both touchdown passes and interceptions the left-handed quarterback had in his debut as the Badger starter.
4: Number of receivers Evridge connected with en route to his 75 total passing yards.
38: Points Badgers scored on Saturday.
21: Number of additional points UW left on the field during Saturday's game. Hill fumbled a ball out of the end zone, Evridge threw an interception on first and goal from the Zips six-yard line, and David Gilreath dropped what would have been a touchdown early in the second quarter.
1,053: Yards Gilreath has managed to record so far in his young career while returning kicks. That is good for fifth all-time at UW.
63: Longest return against Akron and also Gilreath's career best punt or kick return.
14: Games it took the Minnesota native to break the 1,000-yard mark in return yards.
5: Number of yards Akron had in the first quarter.
297: Total yards the Zips finished the game with, 70 of which were on the ground.
11: Tackles middle linebacker Jaevery McFadden made to lead the team in week one including 6 solo.
58: Net punting average freshman Brad Nortman has after his first and only attempt on Saturday, good for first in the nation.
24: Yards UW was penalized for against the Zips, making them just one of 17 teams in the country to commit three or less penalties.
33: Number of straight sellouts at Camp Randall Stadium, including a run of 27 games where 80,000 fans have been in attendance.