CHAMPAIGN, ILL. -- Illinois handed the No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers their first defeat of the 2019 season in stunning fashion inside Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon. A James McCourt 39-yard field goal as time expired started the celebrations for Lovie Smith's program in a 24-23 victory over UW.

Here are five things we learned after Wisconsin's loss.

A missed field goal within chip shot range. Five red-zone opportunities turned into just two touchdowns. A defense normally stout against explosive plays giving up two 40-yard plus scores (one passing, one receiving). Missed tackles. Three turnovers coughed up -- including one in a critical stage of the game -- to only one taken away.

If Wisconsin converts one field goal into a touchdown, makes a field goal, doesn't miss a tackle on 48-yard touchdown pass, the game is likely drastically different.

But the Badgers did not do that. In all phases of the game, something led to the loss.

"I think we just left a lot out there," tight end Jake Ferguson said, "and I don't think it's on one guy by any means at all. I just think, like I said, we just left a lot out there."

Wisconsin racked up 420 yards as a unit and showed it could move the ball pretty effectively against Illinois. Despite not having much success on first and second down, it converted 9-of-16 third downs. Jack Coan threw for 264 yards on 24-of-32 passing and played well, but threw that critical late interception that gave Illinois the opportunity to win the game.

On top of that, the rushing attack was not up to par. Against an Illinois squad giving up over 200 per game in six earlier contests, UW mustered just 156 yards on 3.6 per carry.

Honing in on the offense in general, and as alluded to above, Wisconsin set up in prime real estate inside Illinois' red zone five times. However, that resulted in just two touchdowns, two field goals and one missed chance when Jonathan Taylor fumbled at the Illini 17-yard line in the fourth quarter.

Twice UW worked within Illinois' 10-yard line to only come away with six points. Perhaps the possession that stings the most came late in the third quarter and heading into the fourth quarter, as the Badgers nearly crossed the end zone. A Coan to Kendric Pryor pitch-and-catch on a 3rd-and-4 resulted in a 35-yard reception down to the Illini three-yard line.

From there, Wisconsin failed to cross the end zone with failed runs -- one Taylor run and two fullback dives to John Chenal. The team had to settle for a Collin Larsh field goal.

"I just don't think we were clicking on some of the spots we wanted to click," Ferguson said when discussing not reaching the end zone and settling for field goal attempts. "Like I said before, just wasn't clicking on the spots. Not on any guy, just as a whole offense, we just kind of shot ourselves in the foot."

A reporter asked Wisconsin inside linebacker Chris Orr after the game if he thought any of the team looked ahead to what could have been against Ohio State next weekend.

"No, not at all. We just flat out got out=played," Orr said. "They just executed their game plan more than we did ours. We were for sure locked in on them, not looking ahead at all. They just outplayed us today."

Outside linebacker Zack Baun said after the game that this contest was "kind of a trap game here in Champaign against a team like Illinois, and I feel like we didn't have the fire we had in previous games going into it and had a lot of missed opportunities."

Baun believed the players practiced well throughout the week, "were on top of the keys and everyone was locked in at practice."

"It was nothing we did throughout the week, but I think we got to do a better job of gradually increasing our energy level heading into the game."

Wisconsin allowed 315 yards on the day held Illinois to just 2-of-10 third down conversions. It also generated four sacks and seven tackles for loss where it showed normal signs of being its previously dominant self.

However, the Illini gained 5.6 yards per play and allowed two 40-yard plus chunk plays that went for touchdowns. According to StatBroadcast, UW gave up seven runs of 10 yards or more, while allowing five plays of 15 yards or more through the air.

"They got good running backs, good schemes, good coaches," Baun said. "Like I said, they just made plays, and our tackling wasn't up to Wisconsin standard."

In the first half, Brandon Peters found Donny Navarro for what turned into a 48-yard touchdown pass after defensive backs Eric Burrell and Rachad Wildgoose both missed the potential to stop him. Then in the second half, running back Reggie Corbin found an opening and took it 43 yards for a score.

In that key fourth quarter, Peters found USC transfer Josh Imatorbhebhe for a 29-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to two points.

Cornerback Caesar Williams believes the team has to go back to practice and hone in on the basics.

"We got talented guys, good guys. We make plays all the time," Williams said. "It's just coming back to the basics and doing everything right. The things that people overlook kind of in a football game. We just have to correct those and we'll be fine."

Wisconsin will absolutely have to in hopes of containing a potent Ohio State offense that put up 52 points against Northwestern on Friday night in Evanston.

Wisconsin not maintaining its undefeated status against Illinois -- a loss no one saw coming -- could weigh largely in the division race. Minnesota will end this weekend without a loss after taking care of business against Rutgers.

This also allows Big Ten West teams below Wisconsin and Minnesota to catch up by a game. If UW loses at Ohio State next week, that puts them at two losses heading into its second open weekend.

Minnesota has a very tough November after a bye week with hosting Penn State, going on the road to Iowa and Northwestern, then finishing out the regular season inside TCF Stadium against Wisconsin.

Wisconsin will host Iowa and Purdue next month, and after this loss, Nebraska should not be counted as an easy contest (if anyone thought that to begin with).

Simply put, UW has some work to do, and as seen on Saturday, nothing is a given.