Looking for its first lead of the game, the Spartans (8-2 overall, 5-1 Big Ten) took over at their own 17-yard line with 1:19 remaining. Senior quarterback Brian Hoyer led his team down to Wisconsin’s 31-yard line, finding junior wide receiver Blair White for gains of 20 yards and 32 yards on the drive.

Wisconsin (4-5, 1-5) called two timeouts to ice Swenson, but the junior’s kick sailed right through the uprights as the Spartan Stadium crowd erupted.

“I’m excited they called timeout, to be honest,” Swenson said. “We were rushing out there and getting set and I was running out trying to look at the clock and everything, but when they called the timeout (MSU head coach Mark Dantonio) gave me a little smile and said you got this and I just relaxed.”

Swenson’s field goal capped an MSU comeback effort that started early on, as the Badgers picked up the game’s first score with 3:01 left in the first quarter on a 1-yard touchdown reception by tight end Garrett Graham.

Swenson connected on field goals from 21- and 27-yards out in the second quarter to trim MSU’s deficit to one point, but Wisconsin kicker Philip Welch drilled a field goal at the end of the quarter to give the Badgers a 10-6 halftime lead.

Early in the third quarter, the Spartans failed to convert on a fake punt attempt, giving the Badgers the ball at their own 40-yard line. Senior running back P.J. Hill scored six plays later on a 10-yard run, making the score 17-6.

On the first play of their ensuing possession, Hoyer and White hooked up for a 41-yard gain to take the Spartans just outside the red zone. MSU inched closer when Wisconsin cornerback Allen Langford was called for pass interference in the end zone. Senior running back Javon Ringer made the Badgers pay two plays later with a two-yard touchdown score, cutting the deficit to 17-13.

Wisconsin extended its lead with a 32-yard touchdown run by running back John Clay with 9:19 to go, but the Spartans answered on its next series when Ringer found the end zone again from two yards out. However, the Spartans failed to convert a two-point conversion attempt that would have brought them within a field goal.

“We really hadn’t really been in a situation this year where we had to keep coming from behind,” junior linebacker Adam Decker said. “This was a game where they would score, we would have to come back, they’d score again, we’d have to come back and as a defensive player you have to give it up to the offense because they were the ones making plays when we didn’t.”

After forcing the Badgers to go three-and-out on their next series, Swenson made his third field goal of the game — this one from a career-long 50 yards out — to cut MSU’s deficit to 24-22 with about five minutes to play.

The Badgers, who picked up 281 yards on the ground, continued their successful running game, burning 3:57 off the game clock. However, a pair of penalties inside MSU territory thwarted Wisconsin’s drive and forced it to punt.

Hoyer was 19-for-44 passing for 252 yards, while White had seven receptions for 164 yards. The Badgers held Ringer, who battled a virus all week and lost 10 pounds, to 54 yards on 21 carries. Junior free safety Danny Fortener and sophomore linebacker Greg Jones each had 12 tackles.

“I think we’ve got some good senior leadership, I think we’ve come through some tough times in terms of playing close games,” Dantonio said. “We’re figuring out a way to win and I think that can become a confidence thing for us.”

The Spartans continue their chase for a Big Ten title next week against Purdue at Spartan Stadium. Kick off is set for noon.