EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Wisconsin's opening-day upset of LSU showed that the Badgers were underrated coming into the season. Their blowout victory over No. 8 Michigan State on Saturday proved they're one of the top teams in the country.
Redshirt freshman Alex Hornibrook passed for 195 yards and a touchdown in his first start and safety Leo Musso scored on a 66-yard fumble return as No. 11 Wisconsin cruised to a 30-6 victory at Spartan Stadium.
Wisconsin came into the season unranked. The Badgers have a brutal schedule that includes two more top five teams in the next two games -- Michigan and Ohio State -- but they can no longer be underestimated.
"This is a game we woke people up a little bit more," said running back Corey Clement, who scored two touchdowns.
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Hornibrook, who led a fourth-quarter comeback against Georgia State in the Badgers' last game, completed 16 of 26 pass attempts. He had a first-quarter fumble but his only interception came on the last play of the first half.
"I saw a lot from him," Clement said. "Very poised back there, didn't really get shaken up at all. He probably got sacked a few times but you've got to have respect for someone whose first start is against the Michigan State defense. We're going to keep bonding with him."
Clement, who missed the Georgia State game with an ankle injury, rushed for 54 yards on 23 carries for Wisconsin (4-0).
The Spartans (2-1), coming off a road win at Notre Dame, committed four turnovers and also bungled a punt attempt in the Big Ten opener for both teams. Senior quarterback Tyler O'Connor threw three interceptions and was sacked four times.
"I've been lucky. I've been around some really good defenses and yet today, it was big," Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said of the defensive outing. "It was a good plan by the defensive coaches because our kids understood it and were able to execute it and they were opportunistic. When opportunities presented themselves with turnovers, we were able to capitalize on it."
The Spartans looked like world beaters during a majority of their game at South Bend last week, building a 36-7 lead en route to a 36-28 victory. They looked feeble often on Saturday as their eight-game home winning streak was snapped. But coach Mark Dantonio didn't seriously consider pulling O'Connor.
"We were up 36-7 last week, same situation with four minutes to go in the third quarter and all of a sudden, the complexion of the football game completely changed," Dantonio said. "That's what we were banking on. ... We were just thinking positively at that point. I don't think you abandon someone when they're having a tough day."
Musso's fumble return gave Wisconsin a 20-6 lead early in the third. Safety D'Cota Dixon popped the ball loose from running back L.J. Scott, Musso picked it up, spun around O'Connor at the Spartans' 38 and sped into the end zone.
Andrew Endicott's 41-yard field goal with 4:58 remaining in the third quarter increased the Badgers' lead to 17.
The Spartans gifted another touchdown to the Badgers a little more than a minute later. Michigan State punter Jake Hartbarger couldn't handle a high snap and had to fall on the ball at his 5-yard line. Clement raced to the left side and scored on the next play for a 30-6 Wisconsin lead.
O'Connor was picked off twice in the second half.
"I made some poor decisions in some critical parts of the game," he said. "At the same time, I credit Wisconsin. They put together a really good game plan. They threw blitzes that maybe we weren't ready for. But it's also on me to put the ball in a good spot and not make a bad play worse for us."
The Badgers led 13-6 at halftime.
NOTES: Michigan State senior LB Riley Bullough missed the game with an undisclosed injury. ... Badgers senior TE Eric Steffes had only five career receptions prior to his first-half touchdown. ... The teams were meeting for the first time since 2012. Michigan State has a 30-23 advantage in the series. ... The last seven games were decided by an average of 4.9 points. ... The Spartans have been ranked for a school-record 45 consecutive weeks. ... Michigan State won 40 of its last 45 games. ... Wisconsin has held eight of its last 11 opponents under 100 rushing yards and won all of those games.
