SPORTS

Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin outduel Cameron Artis-Payne, Auburn 34-31 in overtime

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser
Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon (25) stiff arms Auburn defensive back Jermaine Whitehead (35) during the Outback Bowl between Auburn and Wisconsin at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015. Wisconsin defeated Auburn 34-31.

TAMPA – Melvin Gordon wanted to be the best back on the field in the Outback Bowl.

Mission accomplished.

Motivated by the comments of Auburn's Cameron Artis-Payne, who said he would be as productive as the nation's leading rusher if he played against the Big Ten's cellar dwellers, Gordon went off for 251 yards and three touchdowns, the best individual rushing performance ever against Auburn, which lost to Wisconsin 34-31 in overtime.

"It had me a little fired up; I'm nto going to lie," Gordon said of Artis-Payne's remarks. "I had to bite my tongue a little bit when I heard it. You've just got to step up to the plate and I think I did that."

Gordon, who was named game MVP and set the Outback Bowl rushing record, had 164 yards and all three of his scores in the second half.

"We've had a lot of good backs come through here," Wisconsin athletic director and interim head coach Barry Alvarez said. "For him to break the (Outback Bowl record), I think someone had told him you couldn't have the numbers that you had if you played in the Southeast Conference and I think he begged to differ."

Gordon had scoring runs of 25, 53 and six yards, each either tying or giving Wisconsin (11-3) the lead during the second half.

Behind Gordon and 400 rushing yards, the Badgers became the second straight opponent to gain over 500 yards of offense (521) against Auburn (8-5).

"At times I felt like we played good defense, but obviously when you give up that many yards to a running back that's not a very good feeling," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "We're trying to focus on that guy and he's a great running back. Our key was to try to stop him and obviously we didn't."

For his part in the best running back duel of bowl season, Artis-Payne had 126 yards and two touchdowns; including a two-yard score to give Auburn a 31-28 lead with 2:55 to go.

After being outgained head-to-head, Artis-Payne tipped his cap to Gordon, whose 2,587 yards finish No. 2 all-time in a single season.

"Melvin Gordon is a great running back," Artis-Payne said. "He has a great offensive line, they got a great team, great coaching staff and they're great at what they do: they're a power run team. Just look at the history of Wisconsin running backs, they pretty much got all the records in the NCAA."

Nick Marshall (15-for-22 for 217 yards with two touchdowns) closed his college career with another good passing performance, hitting a deep scoring pass to Ricardo Louis (66 yards) and a well placed touchdown to C.J. Uzomah (20 yards) down the right sideline.

But Artis-Payne and Marshall were not enough to overcome Gordon, who mystified an Auburn defense that had yet another horrendous statistical performance and hurt itself with penalties.

Needing a field goal to tie, Kris Frost (12 tackles) helped Wisconsin with a late hit out of bounds on Gordon following a 20-yard run to bring the Badgers into Auburn territory.

"I thought he was walking the sideline," Frost said. "He ran out right before I got to him and hit him late; big-time mistake on my part. Sometimes it happens, we walk about not shooting ourselves in the foot and that was a big spot that I kind of hurt my team on."

Four plays later, Wisconsin was facing fourth-and-five from Auburn's 33-yard line and converted.

"That was the game right there," Malzahn said, "but they got it done."

Rafael Gaglianone sent the game to overtime with a 29-yard field goal with 0:07 to go and put the Badgers ahead 34-31 with a 25-yarder on Wisconsin's opening possession in overtime.

After two short passes, including a double pass from Marshall to Uzomah and back to Marshall on third down, which was snuffed out for a loss, Auburn was forced to send Daniel Carlson out to attempt a 45-yard field goal to send the game to double-overtime.

Carlson's kick hit off the right upright and fell to the turf, ending a disappointing season for the Tigers, who had all the breaks to go their way a year ago, with a fourth straight loss to FBS teams.

"I wouldn't call it luck when we win; I wouldn't call it luck when we lose," Artis-Payne said. "Just a lack of execution at the end of the day."